Lighthouses · South Wales
Great Castle Head Light
Great Castle Head Light — lighthouse, Grade II listed building in Pembrokeshire, Wales; situated on cliff-top at Great Castle Head some 1.5 km SSW of Sandy Haven, reached by long drive from Sandy Haven- St Ishmaels road.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Milford Haven · 5.3 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Great Castle Head Light is a working or historic lighthouse on the United Kingdom coast. Records date its origin to 1870. Heritage designation: Grade II listed building. Wikidata describes it as: "lighthouse, Grade II listed building in Pembrokeshire, Wales; situated on cliff-top at Great Castle Head some 1.5 km SSW of Sandy Haven, reached by long drive from Sandy Haven- St Ishmaels road". Coordinates: 51.7113°, -5.1177°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Reason for designation: A navigational structure of considerable rarity, part of the modernisation of the nationally-important Haven for naval purposes in the later C19. History: Tower built 1870 containing leading-light for navigation into Milford Haven, with two attached cottages. The leading light was a signal light that when lined up with a back-light some 50m behind gave the correct course. It was built by Messrs James & John, contractors, for Trinity House, and the cottages were flat-roofed for water-collection. The keeper lived in one, the assistant keeper in the other, now one house. Exterior: Leading-light tower with two cottages attached, now one house. Whitewashed stucco. Short front tower facing SW with heavy 2-step cornice and parapet, the parapet cut-down in front centre. Blocked opening in front wall. Single storey U-plan block behind with black-painted broad cornice-band and low blocking course. 2-window range each side of tower, 4-window sides. C20 plastic windows, some as secondary glazing in front of original 4-pane sashes, of which 2 survive on W side. Rear has 2 wings, 2-window to left, 3-window to right and door to each cottage in inward-facing walls. Flat roof has 2-chimneys to E and 3 to W. Location: Situated on cliff-top at Great Castle Head some 1.5 km SSW of Sandy Haven, reached by long drive from Sandy Haven- St Ishmaels road.
From Cadw under OGL v3.
Place summary
Great Castle Head Light is a Victorian lighthouse located in St. Ishmael's, South Wales. Established in 1870, it is designated as a Grade II listed building, reflecting its historical significance and architectural merit.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 51.7113, -5.1177
- District
- Pembrokeshire
- Parish
- St. Ishmael's
- Postcode
- SA62 3DQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Mid and South Pembrokeshire
- Established
- 1870
- Nearest railway station
- Milford Haven — 5.3 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q28805844 (CC0)
- commons: Track to Great Castle Head - geograph.org.uk - 1544328.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Great Castle Head Light?
- Great Castle Head Light is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode SA62 3DQ), in the parish of St. Ishmael's.
- When was Great Castle Head Light built?
- Built or established in 1870.
- Is Great Castle Head Light a listed building?
- Great Castle Head Light is officially recognised as Grade II listed building listed.
- Is Great Castle Head Light free to visit?
- Yes, Great Castle Head Light is free to enter.
- How do I get to Great Castle Head Light?
- The nearest railway station is Milford Haven, about 5.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SA62 3DQ.