Exterior
Extensive barrack complex with defensive walls serving a gun emplacement. Planned 1850, built 1853-7. Superbly built in large blocks of tooled Pembrokeshire grey limestone with some granite for stairs and copings.
Essentially the narrow peninsula is cut off by a ditch and limestone ashlar wall with musketry loops, running down to the sea each side of a top platform. Wall is buttressed with granite steps and platforms behind. Top platform has triple granite-framed low apertures each side to cover the ditches, and a semi-circular wall to cover the W approaches, with massive granite copings and 3 gun openings. Main gateway dated V.R. 1856, originally with drawbridge, is towards the N end of the defensive wall. Within the fort, on the N seaward side are two flat-roofed barrack-blocks, finely built in grey limestone, with flat-roofs and parapets. These are linked by a wall with musketry loops and back onto the inner court, one storey to court, 2 storeys to N seaward side. Opposite, on the other side of the court are steps up the rock-face to the top W gun-emplacement and to a platform with sunken concrete gun-pit half-way up. A plain stores block adjoins the gatehouse on S. At the far end of the court is another smaller gate, giving access to a narrow E court (behind 2nd barrack block), walled on the N and with a single storey row of open-bay buildings on the right (since with C20 additions on top). Beyond is the E gun-platform, a large site levelled out of the cliff with fine limestone ashlar terrace walling coped with massive granite slabs.
From the W entry: the gate range is single-storey, with basement to left. The gate way is slightly projected with stone-voussoirs to square-headed rebate for drawbridge and cambered-headed arch inset. Brick and iron roofs within and whitewashed stone cambered arch to courtyard with double wooden doors. The stores block to right is plain, flat-roofed, whitewashed, with door and windows to ground floor only within, upper level gun loops on W end. C20 added floor. Granite steps up and behind from E.
The first barrack block is long with two whitewashed chimneys. Two long early C20 lean-to conservatories along whole of courtyard side, with C20 slated pent porch between, at main entry, and gabled centrepiece to right conservatory. A length of mid C19 iron rail with Prince of Wales feathers motif survives in front of left conservatory. Access is to upper floor of barrack-block, because of the cliff-side site. Left part has two 16-pane sashes, door with overlight, 16-pane sash, door with overlight and 16-pane sash. Seaward front is 2-storey, 3-window range each side of centre stair light. Some 16-pane sashes, mostly plate glass. Beyond is a small basement-and-one-storey building with slate roof hipped at one end. 2 hipped half-dormers on seaward side. Running on E is terrace wall with musketry loops. All walls and windows have raised rusticated quoins and heavy granite coping.
Second barrack block stands forward of wall line linked by dog-leg wall, with a wall along rear of a rear courtyard. This wall backs onto the narrow E court, its gateway in line with main gate, similar cambered arch, rebated for door to W. Wall is buttressed to court, and opposite, built into bank, are row of 6 garages, adapted from a single storey ashlar range. C20 accommodation on top.
Second barrack block is shorter, 2 stone chimneys on flat roof, heavy raised bands between floors and above first floor, under parapet cornice. Iron-railed steps down to basement, C20 addition obscuring first floor door. One first floor window to W end wall, one window and door to S rear wall each floor. Seaward side has 2-window range left of stair light, one-window range right. 12-pane sashes above, lower sashes partly small-paned.
Gun platform on the Point has low ashlar wall, massively coped in granite, quadrant curved to left, then extending outward to acute curved point, then diagonal stretch back to another curve, then wall runs back to rear rock-face.