Initial desk-based research has revealed that Milton in Pembroke would appear to have surviving archaeology, as can be seen in the aerial photograph from 2013, showing clear parch marks of the hangers and windshields.
© Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
© Hawlfraint y Goron: Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru
There is continued development on the site, some certainly will enhance and save some of its WW1 heritage, others will destroy what little remains. A demolition layer close to the site of the submarine scout shed has some early 20th potsherds amongst it, and a new steel framed shed on top!
Initial fieldwork has revealed more structures and features to be recorded, including the possible location of a large disposal pit, dug to take all of the material left after the base was decommissioned and sold off. We are searching for plans of the base to see if this is recorded, and looking at the records in the archives that include the land sale and disposal sales. Geophysical survey or aerial surveys may help locate this pit. There is also the concrete base of an unusual control tower surviving, its said that the bridge of a ship was used, complete with the steering house and ships wheel!
There are 3 of these Admiralty marked concrete blocks that have been recovered and used as part of the memorial at Carew/Cheriton control tower. There are reports of many more in local farm buildings and hedgerows. There may be surviving mooring blocks also, but what were these smaller blocks used for, they are numbered 02, 100, 101, are there 99 or more yet to discover? They formed the boundary markers that denoted the edge of the land assigned to the Admiralty for the airship station and are a feature of other naval yards and compounds.
You can read more about RNAS Pembroke and view original photographs of the base on this Story map page
RNAS/RAF Airship Station Pembroke 1918 - then and now photos, maps and 3d CGI video
Now available from our Youtube channel
RNAS/RAF Airship Station Pembroke 1918 - then and now photos, maps and 3d CGI video
Now available from our Youtube channel
