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A sprawling Victorian-era Grade II* listed fort where Dad’s Army star Arthur Lowe once served and was almost killed before his acting career even began is on sale for £500,000.
The 20-sided Old Defensible Barracks in Pembroke Dock, Dyfed, Wales, which has 4.5 acres of land, once housed actor Lowe, who played Captain Mainwaring in the hit show between 1968 and 1977.
He once said the closest he ever came to danger during the Second World War was when German bombers attacked Pembroke Dock, with one bomb landing virtually next door to his billet in the fort.
But the docks now languish abandoned and unloved and property lovers could buy a one-bedroom flat in some of London‘s priciest areas for the same price.
The beautiful property is set in the heart of the Welsh countryside, and has more than 150 years of history
The enormous property is on sale for the same price as a one-bedroom flat in central London, and could be refurbished as a hotel or individual premises
The 20-sided Old Defensible Barracks in Pembroke Dock, Dyfed, Wales, once housed actor Arthur Lowe, who played Captain Mainwaring in Dad’s Army
A one bathroom flat in Bloomsbury, west London, would set you back £575,000, the same in Hackney, east London is £500,000 and in Islington, north London, a modest one bed can go for £565,000.
But the incredible fort’s internal area is a whopping 47,797 square metres with approximately 4.47 acres of grassy green spaces surrounding the barracks as well as magazines and gun sheds.
Its buildings have up to four floors and are made of stone, brick, timber and steel, with roofs in slate.
The barracks were built between 1841 and 1846 in order to house Royal Marines, and were also home to the RAF for 30 years.
It is thought to be the last trace bastion fort to have been built in the whole of Europe.
Pictures show what appears to be the main entrance over a bridge with boarded up doors and warning signs.
The Victorian brick-work is studded with overgrown plants, weeds and vines – giving the hulking building a post-apocalyptic feel.
The entrance is a grand frontage, complete with a beautiful clock inset within the stone
The incredible fort’s internal area is a whopping 47,797 square metres with approximately 4.47 acres of grassy green spaces surrounding the barracks
As well as the main fort, there are also outhouses and magazines throughout the almost 4.5 acres of land
The historic fort is set in the heart of picturesque Pembrokeshire, Wales, surrounded by countryside
It has breathtaking sea views, with a previous owner negotiating permission to turn the historical building into a hotel in the 80s
Inside the parade square neat barracks in pretty grey shades built with brick, timber and steel and roofed with slate can be seen.
The building also has basement areas, cast-iron rails and Prince of Wales feathers and VR crests.
There is even evidence of efforts to hide weaponry in the event of an attack, with a ‘hairdresser’ storeroom actually having housed ammunition.
Stunning aerial pictures show the true size of the fort, with the inside unfurnished with white-washed walls and huge windows flooding the many rooms with natural light.
It has breathtaking sea views, with a previous owner negotiating permission to turn the historical building into a hotel in the 80s.
The Defensible Barracks is of historic and national importance and therefore has been given Scheduled Ancient Monument status.
It has been home to thousands of armed forces members over the years, perhaps most famously Arthur Lowe.
After working in an aircraft factory in his 20s, Lowe joined the British Army on the eve of the Second World War.
The interior of the barracks has been largely stripped of all furniture and fittings – making it a clean slate for renovators
Original features such as hand-painted signs remain scattered throughout the barracks
During the First World War, the fort was a siege training school for the Royal Artillerymen, and in the Second World War it was used as the Milford Haven headquarters
Despite the age of the building, it has hundreds of large windows and is bright and well-lit by natural sunlight
He served in the Middle East with the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry during the war, and began to take part in shows put on for the troops, which appears to have sparked his desire to act.
He left the Army, in which he served as a radar technician, at the end of the war with the rank of Sergeant Major.
Before being cast as Captain Mainwaring, he appeared in shows such as Coronation Street and The Avengers (1967).
The description for the listing states: ‘The barracks and associated buildings are full of character and details with a layout that presents well for renovation and conversion into residential property – whether hotel or individual dwellings.
‘Famous residents of the barracks include Gordon of Khartoum, who was later deployed to join the fighting in Crimea, and Arthur Lowe, who played Captain Mainwaring in Dad’s Army!
‘During the First World War, the fort was a siege training school for the Royal Artillerymen, and in the Second World War it was used as the Milford Haven headquarters.
‘The whole region has a palpable link to World War 2, various military garrisons and RAF bases can be found all over Pembrokeshire.
‘For 30 years the RAF was based at Pembroke Dock. In 1943 when home to the Sunderland Flying Boats, it was the largest operational base for flying boats in the world.
‘The barracks itself has housed various well regarded regiments such as Royal Marines and Pembrokeshire Artillery to the 24th Foot (South Wales Borderers) since its completion in 1846.
‘The Defensible Barracks is of historic and national importance and therefore has been given Scheduled Ancient Monument status.’
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