Abercastle
{{Short description|Village in Pembrokeshire, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = Wales
| static_image_name = Abercastle.JPG
| static_image_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|51.957914|-5.122736|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Abercastle
| welsh_name = Abercastell
| population =
| unitary_wales = Pembrokeshire
| region =
| constituency_welsh_assembly = Preseli Pembrokeshire
| constituency_westminster = Preseli Pembrokeshire
| post_town = Haverfordwest
| postcode_district = SA62
| postcode_area = SA
| dial_code =
| os_grid_reference =
}}
Abercastle ({{langx|cy|Abercastell}}) is a village in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Abercastle has a working harbour which is managed by Abercastle Boat Owners Association.
In 1876, The harbour was the landing-site of the first Atlantic Ocean single-handed sailing, west-to-east, starting from Gloucester, Massachusetts, by Alfred "Centennial" Johnson.{{cite book|last=Morris|first=Robert|title=Alfred Centennial Johnson: The Story of the First Solo Atlantic Crossing from West to East in 1876|publisher=Y Crofft|date=October 2003 |isbn=978-0-9547351-0-4}}
History
Abercastle is an old trading harbour which exported local slate and grain, limestone, butter, honey, corn, and some coal. There are also the remains of nineteenth century limekilns.{{cite web|url=http://www.welsh-cottages.co.uk/pembrokeshire/abercastle.php|title=Abercastle|accessdate=2009-11-10| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20091028022248/http://welsh-cottages.co.uk/pembrokeshire/abercastle.php| archivedate= 28 October 2009 |url-status = live}}
Alfred Johnson memorial
Image:Alfred Johnson plaque.jpg
Alfred Johnson landed at Abercastle on Saturday, August 12, 1876, after 66 days sailing from Gloucester, Massachusetts, becoming the first person to make the single-handed Atlantic crossing. Johnson, a Danish born fisherman used a small dory named 'Centennial'. He managed an average pace of about 70 miles (110 km) a day, quite respectable for such a small boat in the open sea, and survived a gale which capsized the boat.
A plaque made of Welsh Slate is on the quay wall near the slipway and was unveiled by Alfred Johnson's grandson, Charlie Dickman on 17 October 2003. Local author Rob Morris has also written a book about the crossing called Alfred "Centennial" Johnson.{{cite web|url=http://www.pembrokeshire-online.co.uk/abercastle/moreinfo.htm|title=Alfred "Centennial" Johnson|last=Morris|first=Rob|accessdate=2009-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515105124/http://www.pembrokeshire-online.co.uk/abercastle/moreinfo.htm|archive-date=2008-05-15|url-status = dead}}
St Davids poet Tony Davies also dedicated the following to Alfred Johnson:
Sixty six days, three thousand miles,
Record breaking, Abercastle smiles,
Liverpool, trip complete,
Carreg Samson
{{Main|Carreg Samson}}
Image:Burial chamber Abercastle.jpg
Carreg Samson, also known as 'Carreg Sampson', Samson's Stone and the 'Longhouse' is a 5,000-year-old Neolithic Burial Chamber and the site of over 1,000 burials. Half a mile west of the Abercastle near the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, it has a cap stone 15 feet long and 9 feet wide supported on three of the seven upright stones. It is thought to have been a portal dolmen and was built over a pit.{{cite web|url=http://www.landscape-perception.com/visual_mapping/carreg_samson/|title=Carreg Samson|accessdate=2009-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713183318/http://www.landscape-perception.com/visual_mapping/carreg_samson/|archive-date=13 July 2011|url-status=dead}} It is called 'Samson' because of a local legend that Samson placed it in position with his little finger.{{cite web|url=http://www.pembrokeshirevirtualmuseum.co.uk/main_menu/places_to_visit/towns/towns_a_to_e/abercastle.html|title=Carreg Samson|accessdate=2009-11-10}} The whole burial chamber was once covered by a mound of earth or stones and once these were removed stones were used to block the holes in the sides of the tomb so that it could be used as a shelter for sheep.{{cite web|url=http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=1527|title=Carreg Samson |accessdate=2009-11-10}} Excavations in 1968 found an early Neolithic bowl.{{cite web| url= http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/standing%20stones/wales.html#CARREG| title= Celia Haddon Standing Stones| accessdate= 2009-11-10| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20091122155757/http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/standing%20stones/wales.html#CARREG| archivedate= 22 November 2009|url-status = dead}}
Facilities
The harbour faces northwest and is therefore sheltered from south-westerly gales, providing a safe haven for the local fishing fleet. There is a public telephone and free parking for a small number of cars. The slipway goes to soft sand and is not suitable for non off-road vehicles.{{cite web|url=http://www.pembrokeshireoutdoors.org.uk/abercastle.htm |title=Abercastle |accessdate=2009-11-10 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405090931/http://www.pembrokeshireoutdoors.org.uk/abercastle.htm |archivedate=2010-04-05 }} The coastal bus “The Strumble Shuttle” calls at Abercastle.
Activities
Image:Fishing boats at Abercastle.JPG
Popular for fishing and diving, there are also several recorded climbing sites in the area although they are suitable for group use. The harbour is a good launching site for sea kayaking. The coastal path that follows the coast of Pembrokeshire passes through Abercastle, and is popular with tourists and local walking groups.
Shipwreck
The 3,800 ton wreck of SS Leysian lies on the west side of the harbour, about 50m from the cliffs. She ran aground and sank a few months later in 1917 with no loss of life. As it is at a depth of around 15m the wreck is popular with divers who report much wreckage, and a large range of fish, including a large pollock which lives in the wreck. A detailed survey of the wreck began in June 2019.{{cite web|url=http://www.dive-pembrokeshire.com/wreck.html|title=Dive Pembrokeshire |accessdate=2009-11-10}}{{cite news|work=BBC News|title=Abercastle Bay shipwreck: divers begin SS Leysian study|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48491939|date=8 June 2019|accessdate=8 June 2019}}{{cite web|title=Nautical Archaeology Society Field School: Abercastle, 7–17 June 2019|url=https://uboatproject.wales/2019/03/12/nautical-archaeology-society-field-school-abercastle-7-17-june-2019/|accessdate=8 June 2019}}
O gwmpas harbwr Abercastell (around Abercastle harbour), Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire, Wales 01.jpg|The harbour
O gwmpas harbwr Abercastell (around Abercastle harbour), Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire, Wales 02.jpg|A cottage overlooking the harbour
O gwmpas harbwr Abercastell (around Abercastle harbour), Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire, Wales 04.jpg|A lime kiln
O gwmpas harbwr Abercastell (around Abercastle harbour), Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire, Wales 09.jpg|Plants near the harbour wall path
O gwmpas harbwr Abercastell (around Abercastle harbour), Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire, Wales 11.jpg|Ynys y Castell
O gwmpas harbwr Abercastell (around Abercastle harbour), Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire, Wales 26.jpg|Looking towards the village
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{wikivoyage|Abercastle}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080515105124/http://www.pembrokeshire-online.co.uk/abercastle/moreinfo.htm Alfred 'Centennial' Johnson]
- [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=6509275 Photos of Abercastle and surrounding area on geograph.org.uk]
{{authority control}}