A Napoleonic fortress, built in the 1850s on an island off the Angle Peninsular in Pembrokeshire to protect the port of Milford Haven from attack from the French, is up for sale.
Designed to house a garrison of 100 men, the Grade II listed fort on Thorne Island has a chequered history. It was, for many years, a private house before becoming an hotel in the 1980s.
It was purchased by the Von Essen hotel group who had plans to turn it into a 5 star retreat with cable car access from the mainland (for which they obtained planning permission) but sadly the company went into liquidation prior to work starting on the project.
It was marketed in 2011 for £750,000 and secured 12 bids from interested parties from both the UK and abroad. The successful bidder was James Gardner of Kent Mushrooms, a collector of forts, who bought it on a whim and completed the purchase within 8 days. However, he never did anything with the island and so it has stood empty, frozen in time, since the 1990s with just a weekly visit by a caretaker.
At present the property consists of 10 bedrooms which are mainly on the ground floor, centered around a large courtyard. There are also three reception rooms, three bathrooms, a sauna, kitchen and numerous outbuildings. Access to the property is currently only by boat. The fortress is powered by two old diesel generators which are in need of replacing and the décor is in a state of disrepair.
Thorne Island has superb 360 degree sea views and, with an imaginative owner, would make a magical 5 star hotel and retreat or could revert to a wonderful private home for someone wishing for privacy. It is for sale with Knight Frank for just £550,000.
If you are thinking of moving to Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Gower, or purchasing a property here, call West Wales Property Finders on 01834 862816. Over 90% of the properties we find for our clients never hit the open market; ensuring they get the pick of the crop. Not only do we locate suitable properties, we carry out the negotiations for our clients and micro-manage the transaction for them, this saving them time, money and stress. We can also recommend solicitors, surveyors, tradesmen, etc. and assist our clients to settle into their new life in West Wales.
