Former County Gaol is a Grade II listed building in the Pembrokeshire local planning authority area, Wales. First listed on 1 July 1974. Former county gaol. 2 related planning applications.
Former County Gaol
- WRENN ID
- brooding-steel-myrtle
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Constituency
- Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP: Henry Tufnell (Lab)
- Country
- Wales
- Date first listed
- 1 July 1974
- Type
- Former county gaol
- Address
- Former County Gaol, Haverfordwest, SA61 2EW
- OS grid reference
- SM 952 157
- Coordinates
- 51.80273, -4.97044
- Source
- Cadw listing
Description
The Former County Gaol is an imposing three-storey rectangular building constructed from stone rubble, featuring quoins, voussoirs, and dressings in grey limestone. It has a slate hipped roof and consists of a 13-bay range with very small square window openings, most of which are now blocked. In 1963, ornamental grilles were added to mark the sites of these windows. The lower two rows of windows have stepped voussoirs and keystones, while the upper windows are situated under the eaves.
The south front showcases an original tripartite gateway made of squared grey limestone, which stands forward of the main range and is now connected to 1963 additions. This massive gateway features a centre that steps forward, a heavy entablature, and a minimal quarter-round cornice, with parapets and flat coping that is slightly higher over the centre. The cornice detail is echoed on the band at the impost level of the large arched centre gateway, which has flush stone voussoirs. To the right of the gateway, there is a tall rectangular opening that disrupts the band, infilled with brown stone in 1963. Behind the right side of the gateway is a 1963 triangular blank block with a flat roof and an archway featuring double doors and stone voussoirs. To the left of the gateway, a 1974 rubble wall includes a large decorative concrete roundel with incised radiating lines. The right end of this range has a jagged parapet that conceals the flat roof.
On the north front, there are canted central projections that rise through all storeys, topped with a gable. A large addition from the 1960s is located at the rear right. The original rear features a broad centre gable with similar cell windows, but the stone voussoirs on the ground and first floors are plainer, while the top floor has stone lintels.
The interior was entirely altered in 1963.
Local climate
Former County Gaol sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 1,060 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 85% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 96% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 4 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 98% of listed buildings. Of these, 1 follows at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 2 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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