RNMD Milford Haven

RNMD Milford Haven is a "decommissioned" Royal Naval Armaments Depot located on the north shore of Milford Haven between Milford Haven and Llanstadwel in the County of Pembrokeshire, Wales. The area is known as Newton Noyes.

Former site of RNMD Milford with pier in foreground

History of Site
Railway track looking towards Milford Haven, across swing bridge

The Newton Noyes area had previously been occupied as a ship breakers yard. Known locally as Wards Yard, it was connected to the mainline railway via a spur from Milford Haven which crossed Castle Pill via a swing bridge. A cast iron pier, built in 1872 with the intention of encouraging transatlantic traffic to unload, allowed a rail / marine interchange.[1]

Construction

In 1934, the Admiralty purchased Thomas Ward's ship breaking yard. Construction work began the following year and by the outbreak of war in 1939 the Depot was ready for action.[2] The site consisted of an extensive storage facility of six armament sheds, comprising tunnels built into the neighbouring valley. A reservoir was constructed on higher ground to the north in case of explosion or fire.[3] All of the tunnels were connected by rail, which also extended to the pier. Housing for the naval officers was located near the former mansion of Castle Hall. At the height of World War II, it employed 1,000 people, and thereafter hundreds of people from the local area. By the 1970s its future was identified as being at risk.[4]

Closure

The site was closed in the 1980s. It was subsequently purchased by Gulf Oil, although the company never made any use of it. During the early 1990s, one of the buildings was converted into a sports facility. The area has been approved for large scale development into a retail and residential complex.[5]

Redevelopment of Site

On 21 September 2015, Egnedol had announced that they bought the RNMD site and the old Gulf refinery and has put forward a £685M plan to redevelop the site as a renewable energy facility.[6] On 5 January 2017, the Port of Milford Haven announced it had completed acquisition of the site known as Wards Yard, which had been due to go to auction in December 2016.[7]

51.7074°N 5.0195°W / 51.7074; -5.0195

References
  1. Wing Commander Ken McKay A Vision of Greatness: The History of Milford 1790-1990, Brace Harvatt Associates, 1989. ISBN 9780951521205
  2. Forlorn Britain Milford Haven Royal Armaments Depot, retrieved 1 April 2012
  3. Experience Pembrokeshire – Newton Noyes Archived 13 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine "Experience Pembrokeshire Website", retrieved 1 April 2012
  4. Lewis, Roy The Towns of Pembrokeshire, 1815 – 1974, Pembrokeshire County History Vol IV, The Pembrokeshire Historical Society, 1993. ISBN 0-907158-72-2
  5. Milford Haven Castle Pill Development Approved Milford Mercury Article, retrieved 1 April 2012
  6. £685m Milford Haven energy investment to bring 560 jobs BBC News Article, 21 September 2015
  7. Port of Milford Haven has announced it bought the Ward's Yard former shipbreaking yard at Castle Pill, Milford Haven Milford Mercury Article, retrieved 10 January 2017
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