Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Wales Milford Haven Stack Rock Fort
AO Edited

Stack Rock Fort

This 19th-century island fort built to protect against an invasion by sea.

Milford Haven, Wales

Added By
Tony Dunnell
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Stack Rock Fort   Reading Tom/cc by 2.0
Stack Rock Fort   Colin Park/cc by-sa 2.0
  andyharg1 / Atlas Obscura User
Stack Rock Fort   David Merrett/cc by 2.0
Stack Rock Fort   Reading Tom/cc by 2.0
Stack Rock Fort   Reading Tom/cc by 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Stack Rock Fort sits on a rocky island about 800 yards off the western coast of Wales near Milford Haven. Built between 1850 and 1852 and later upgraded, it has been under private ownership but effectively abandoned for almost a century. Recently sold, this imposing two-in-one fort is now awaiting a new lease of life.

The original idea for a fort on Stack Rock actually goes back to Thomas Cromwell and 1539. The English lawyer, statesman and chief minister to King Henry VIII proposed the fortification of the island to protect the Milford Haven Waterway (a natural harbor), but nothing ever came of the plan. Similar proposals and surveys of the island followed in 1748 and 1817, but it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that any plan came to fruition.

The Royal Dockyard at Pembroke Dock, located along the Milford Haven Waterway, was deemed in need of further defenses against attack from the sea, especially in light of a possible invasion of Britain from France under Napoleon III. Due to its strategic location near the mouth of the waterway, Stack Island was once again in the spotlight, and construction of a fort was completed in 1852.

The original three-gun fort housed three 32-pounder guns, with one 12-pounder for protection of the walls of the dock. The original tower was upgraded with casemates a few years later, and several rifled muzzle loader guns were installed. It was again extended in 1870 when the large circular 'second' fort was built around the original tower, after which it could hold a garrison of up to 175 troops and 5 officers. The fort’s importance waned over the next two decades, however, and by 1895 most of the outdated artillery had been removed, although it did retain a key role in covering a nearby minefield. During World War I it was manned by just a small number of soldiers, with only two QF guns remaining, and eventually disarmed completely in 1929.

Stack Rock Fort was first put up for sale in 1932, at which time it sold for just £60. It was again listed for sale in 2015, this time for £150,000, but it proved to be a tricky place to sell. Considering the island location, and the lack of sewage, water, and power, it’s perhaps unsurprising that this impressive 'colosseum at sea' took a while to sell and resisted development plans.

In 2018, the fort was once again put on the market, and in late 2020 it was sold to a private buyer with plans to make the location accessible to the community as a 'living ruin'. So if you like the idea of an off-grid island fort complete with gun towers, perfect for surviving the zombie apocalypse but perhaps a little rough around the edges, then Stack Rock Fort might be taking visitors soon.

Related Tags

Forts Military History Islands History Military

Know Before You Go

Stack Rock Fort is located near the mouth of Milford Haven Waterway in West Wales. The fort is privately owned and fully secured, so access is only possible with the permission of the owner, and any visits much be arranged in advance.

Community Contributors

Added By

Tony Dunnell

Edited By

andyharg1

  • andyharg1

Published

August 26, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://books.google.com.pe/books?id=kEeIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT109&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
  • https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/17802592.stack-rock-fort-auction-price-295-000/
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4622081.stm
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5811693/Historic-Stack-Rock-Fort-island-sold-400-000-one-bed-London-flat.html
  • https://newatlas.com/stack-rock-fort-for-sale/54975/
  • https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/268158/details/stack-rock-fort
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bt81bm
  • https://www.victorianforts.co.uk/pdf/datasheets/stackrock.pdf
Stack Rock Fort
Milford Haven, Wales
United Kingdom
51.702549, -5.092124

Nearby Places

Dobby's Grave

Castlemartin, Wales

miles away

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

Pembroke Dock, Wales

miles away

Wogan Cavern

Pembroke, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wales

Wales

United Kingdom

Places 136
Stories 21

Nearby Places

Dobby's Grave

Castlemartin, Wales

miles away

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

Pembroke Dock, Wales

miles away

Wogan Cavern

Pembroke, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wales

Wales

United Kingdom

Places 136
Stories 21

Related Stories and Lists

The Surprising Second Life of an Abandoned Victorian Sea Fort

abandoned

By Roxanne Hoorn

Related Places

  • Fortín San Juan de la Cruz, aka El Cañuelo.

    Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

    El Cañuelo

    This small fort played a huge role defending Puerto Rico’s capital city.

  • Tilbury Fort drawbridges.

    Tilbury, England

    Tilbury Fort

    This star-shaped artillery fort protected the mouth of the Thames from the 16th century to the Second World War.

  • Main gate.

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Fort Mifflin

    This little-known Revolutionary War fort is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of its past.

  • West Point Lighthouse at Fort Lawton (Discovery Park).

    Seattle, Washington

    Fort Lawton

    This Puget Sound military post has a long, turbulent history as a gateway to the Pacific.

  • Aerial view of the town.

    Almeida, Portugal

    Fortress of Almeida

    The medieval town's star-shaped walls are geometrically dazzling, though not entirely impenetrable.

  • The footbridge to the island.

    Washington, D.C.

    Theodore Roosevelt Island

    The national park was once a plantation estate.

  • Old swivel rails

    Fort Washington, Maryland

    Fort Washington

    This fort down the Potomac from Washington, D.C. was once the only defensive fort protecting the capital.

  • Prospect, Maine

    Fort Knox State Historic Site

    This 19th century granite fortification is one of the most well preserved forts in New England.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.