Milford Haven Waterway

The Haven is a ria or drowned valley flooded after the end of the last Ice Age; its deep yet sheltered waters extend 30km inland of its mouth, before dividing into the Eastern and Western Cleddau which continue as tidal rivers for some distance.

Summary

_{Crown copyright: RCAHMW}

Ref number: HLW (D) 3

OS map: Landranger 157, 158

Unitary authority: Pembrokeshire

The littoral landscape of Milford Haven encapsulates the whole chronological range of maritime conquest, settlement, commerce, fishing and defence from the 11th century to the changing realities of the late 20th century.

This is a highly articulate and distinctive land and seascape; its integrity is its highest factor. It exhibits both continuity and adaptation and its overall setting and range of features make it unique in Wales if not in Britain. Yet, despite its robust adaptation to the modern industrial and maritime operations of the oil and power industries, the integrity of this multiperiod coastal landscape also depends on the conservation of its historic elements.

A full published description for this landscape area is available as a pdf download within the Related Articles section below.

Principal area designations:

Parts of the area are within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The northern side of the Haven is within the Preseli Environmentally Sensitive Area. The area includes: Angle Bay, Carew and Cresswell Rivers, Cosheston Pill, Daugleddau, Gann Estuary, Pembroke River and Pwllcrochan Flats and West Williamston Quarries, Sites of Special Scientific Interest; Carew, Haverfordwest, Llangwm, Milford Haven, Neyland, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock (Royal Dockyard) Conservation Areas.

Criteria: 1, 3

Contents and significance:

The classic ria, drowned river valley and estuary in Wales, with an unsurpassed concentration of remains reflecting maritime conquest, settlement, commerce, fishing, defence and industry spanning the prehistoric to modern periods.

The area includes:

Iron Age promontory forts; Early Christian and Viking placenames; Norman coastal castle-boroughs; medieval castles and later gentry residences; Milford and Pembroke Dock planned settlements; recent and modern quays, jetties and landing places, coal mines, limestone quarries, military and naval fortifications, oil terminals, jetties, refineries and power station.