Chapel Bay Fort

Chapel Bay Fort stands on the southern shore of Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one mile from the village of Angle and was built as part of the inner line of defence for the haven. The fort is a Grade II listed building and was constructed between 1890 and 1891 using mass concrete. It originally housed 91 men and featured a mess room and sick bay. Its first weapons were three ten-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns. The fort is worth visiting because it shows how coastal defences evolved in the late 19th century. In 1900–1901 it was rebuilt to hold three 6-inch breech-loading guns, a change that cost £11,779 at the time. The site remained under military control through the First World War before being sold in 1932. During the Second World War a mining observation post was added. A £500,000 grant from the Welsh Assembly helped restore the fort, and one of its original 10-inch guns has been remounted. Visitors find a small but well-preserved fort with concrete walls and original rooms. The restored gun emplacements and museum displays explain the site’s history. The surrounding landscape overlooks the waterway, offering quiet views of the coast. The fort opened to the public in 2015 and now welcomes anyone interested in military heritage.