South Hook Fort, fort in Herbrandston, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK
South Hook Fort is a 19th-century fortification located in Herbrandston near Milford Haven in Wales. The D-shaped structure features thick walls, two-story barracks arranged in a horseshoe formation, and was designed to accommodate twenty guns positioned to defend the harbor.
The fort was built in 1865 following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom report as part of the Palmerston fortification system. During World War One it remained fully staffed, and by World War Two the Admiralty took control and renamed it HMS Skirmisher.
The fort is surrounded by a deep ditch and accessed by a bridge over it. Being near the water, the site offers walking paths along the coastline where visitors can view the structure and surrounding landscape.
A colony of horseshoe bats uses the fort for resting and hibernating during winter months, with both the bats and their roosts protected by UK law. This makes the historical site significant for local wildlife conservation today.
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