This breakwater is depicted on the 1st Edition 25-inch Ordnance Survey Map (published in 1888) as a 'V' shaped structure, with two arms pointing northeast and south. The northeast arm was the longer of the two measuring approximately 30 metres, with the south arm 12 metres. It is labelled as a breakwater on the 1st edition, and as a groyne on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map (published 1905)
The breakwater remains visible on the foreshore and was visited and recorded through UAV photogrammetric survey by the Royal Commission in April 2024. It is a stone-built boulder structure with boulder/beach cobble infill. The northeast arm is the better-preserved measuring 40 metres in length and 8 metres wide, with the facing boulders remaining largely in-situ. Only a short section of the facing boulders and infill survive for the southern arm, though its rough outline can be inferred. A small number of upright timber posts (held by ironwork) survive in the centre of the structure. These would originally have run along the whole central axis of the breakwater.
The breakwater is likely to be associated with the adjacent lime kiln complex (NPRN 40647), as a means to provide shelter for coastal trading vessels unloading limestone and culm (coal) to the site. It links with a series of groynes and jetties located on the foreshore to the northeast (NPRN 800603). It is reported that by 1850, the kilns were supplied by up to 13 ships at a time during the lime burning season (Moore-Colyer 1990: 28).
The DAT HER (PRN 31429) records this feature as a fish trap and it is possible that stones used to build this breakwater were originally part of a fish trap, as they are similar in size and colour to those comprising the Llanon fish trap complex (NPRN 409192).
J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, February 2024.
Louise Barker, RCAHMW, May 2024
Sources:
Dyfed Archaeological Trust (DAT) HER PRN 31429 https://archwilio.org.uk/arch/query/page.php?watprn=DAT31429&dbname=dat&tbname=core
Moore-Colyer, R. J., 1990 Coastal Limekilns in South West Wales. Folk Life, 28, 19-30.
OS 1st Edition 25-inch map (published 1888)
OS 2nd Edition 2-inch map (published 1905)