Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire
Encyclopedia
Castlemartin is a village, parish
and community
in (and giving its name to) the Hundred of Castlemartin
, Pembrokeshire
, West Wales
.
on a sandstone
ridge, 8 kilometres (5 mi) southwest of Pembroke
and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of Angle
. Most of the community is within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
. The community consists essentially of the parishes of Castlemartin and Warren, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the east.
motte-and-bailey
castle
, which, with the original dedication of the church to St Martin
, gives the place its name. The church contains a cross-inscribed stone pillar of the 7th century-9th century. Like other places in southern Pembrokeshire
, Castlemartin has been entirely English-speaking for 900 years or more.
The community has 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) of coastline, much of it consisting of spectacular limestone
cliffs characterised by large sea caves, natural arch
es and stacks
. During the 20th century, most of the limestone downland of the community was cleared by the government of its ancient farms for use as an artillery
range. The main base is at Warren. Because of this, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
in this area currently runs inland, by-passing the most interesting sections of cliff scenery, although some cliff features can be seen from Flimston (at 51°36′43"N 4°59′50"W).
Census
population of community 496 (1801): 528 (1851): 460 (1901): 243 (1951): 147 (2001).
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
and community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
in (and giving its name to) the Hundred of Castlemartin
Castlemartin (hundred)
Castlemartin was a hundred in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Initially created by the Marcher Lords of Pembroke in the 14th century from the western part of the pre-Norman cantref of Penfro, it was confirmed by the Act of Union of 1536...
, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, West Wales
West Wales
West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....
.
Location
The village is situated on the B4319 roadB4319 road
The B4319 road is a road in Pembrokeshire in far southwest Wales. It leads southwest out of the town of Pembroke from the A4139 road at , and passes through the villages of St Petrox, Merrion and Castlemartin before passing Freshwater West along the coast and then joining the B4320 road at which...
on a sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
ridge, 8 kilometres (5 mi) southwest of Pembroke
Pembroke, Pembrokeshire
Pembroke is an historic settlement and former county town of Pembrokeshire in west Wales. The town and the county derive their name from that of the cantref of Penfro: Pen = "head" or "end", and bro = "region", "country", "land", and so it means essentially "Land's End".-History:The main point of...
and 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of Angle
Angle, Pembrokeshire
Angle is a village and Community located on a narrow peninsula on the very southwest tip of Wales in Pembrokeshire. It has two public houses, a school, post office, a castle, St Mary's church and a sandy beach to the west of the village. The nearest viable rail station is Pembroke, from where there...
. Most of the community is within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a national park along the Pembrokeshire coast in West Wales.It was established as a National Park in 1952, and is the only one in the United Kingdom to have been designated primarily because of its spectacular coastline...
. The community consists essentially of the parishes of Castlemartin and Warren, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the east.
History and amenities
The village is centered on a prominent NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, which, with the original dedication of the church to St Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
, gives the place its name. The church contains a cross-inscribed stone pillar of the 7th century-9th century. Like other places in southern Pembrokeshire
Little England beyond Wales
Little England beyond Wales is a name applied to an area of southern Pembrokeshire and southwestern Carmarthenshire in Wales, which has been English in language and culture for many centuries despite its remoteness from the English border...
, Castlemartin has been entirely English-speaking for 900 years or more.
The community has 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) of coastline, much of it consisting of spectacular limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
cliffs characterised by large sea caves, natural arch
Natural arch
A natural arch or natural bridge is a natural geological formation where a rock arch forms, with an opening underneath. Most natural arches form as a narrow ridge, walled by cliffs, become narrower from erosion, with a softer rock stratum under the cliff-forming stratum gradually eroding out until...
es and stacks
Stack (geology)
A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion. Stacks are formed through processes of coastal geomorphology, which are entirely natural. Time, wind and water are the only factors involved in the...
. During the 20th century, most of the limestone downland of the community was cleared by the government of its ancient farms for use as an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
range. The main base is at Warren. Because of this, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a National Trail in southwest Wales. It was established in 1970, and is 186 miles long, mostly at cliff-top level, with 35,000 feet of ascent and descent. The northern end is at Poppit Sands, near St...
in this area currently runs inland, by-passing the most interesting sections of cliff scenery, although some cliff features can be seen from Flimston (at 51°36′43"N 4°59′50"W).
Census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
population of community 496 (1801): 528 (1851): 460 (1901): 243 (1951): 147 (2001).