Abercastle
Encyclopedia
Abercastle is a village in the Welsh language
speaking area of Pembrokeshire
, south-west Wales
. Abercastle has a working harbour which is managed by Abercastle Boat Owners Association. The harbour was the landing site of the first single handed
atlantic sailing west to east in 1876 starting from Gloucester, Massachusetts
by the Danish born fisherman, Alfred "Centennial" Johnson.
s.
Massachusetts
, becoming the first person to make the single-handed Atlantic crossing. Johnson, a Danish born fisherman used a small dory named 'Centennial'. 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 located on the quay wall near the slipway and was unveiled by Alfred Johnson's grandson, Charlie Dickman on October 17, 2003. Local author Rob Morris has also written a book about the crossing called Alfred "Centennial" Johnson.
St Davids poet Tony Davies also dedicated the following to Alfred Johnson:
Burial Chamber and the site of over 1000 burials. Located 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. It is called 'Samson' because of a local legend that Samson placed it in position with his little finger. 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. Excavations in 1968 found an early Neolithic bowl.
which lives in the wreck. A small shark
has also been reported nearby.
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
speaking area of Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, south-west Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Abercastle has a working harbour which is managed by Abercastle Boat Owners Association. The harbour was the landing site of the first single handed
Single-handed sailing
The sport of single-handed sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember . The term is usually used with reference to ocean and long-distance sailing, and particularly competitive sailing....
atlantic sailing west to east in 1876 starting from Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
by the Danish born fisherman, Alfred "Centennial" Johnson.
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 limekilnLimekiln
A lime kiln is used to produce quicklime through the calcination of limestone . The chemical equation for this reaction is...
s.
Alfred Johnson memorial
Alfred Johnson landed at Abercastle on Saturday, August 12, 1876 after sixty six days sailing from GloucesterGloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, becoming the first person to make the single-handed Atlantic crossing. Johnson, a Danish born fisherman used a small dory named 'Centennial'. 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 located on the quay wall near the slipway and was unveiled by Alfred Johnson's grandson, Charlie Dickman on October 17, 2003. Local author Rob Morris has also written a book about the crossing called Alfred "Centennial" Johnson.
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,
The courage of Captain Johnson and Centennial’s feat.
Carreg Samson
Carreg Samson, also known as 'Carreg Sampson', Samson's Stone and the 'Longhouse' is a 5000 year old NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
Burial Chamber and the site of over 1000 burials. Located half a mile west of the Abercastle near the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a National Trail in southwest Wales. It was established in 1970, and is 186 miles long, mostly at cliff-top level, with 35,000 feet of ascent and descent. The northern end is at Poppit Sands, near St...
, 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. It is called 'Samson' because of a local legend that Samson placed it in position with his little finger. 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. Excavations in 1968 found an early Neolithic bowl.
Facilities
With the harbour facing north-west, it is sheltered from south-westerly gales and so provides 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. The coastal bus “The Strumble Shuttle” calls at Abercastle.Activities
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 also a good launching site for sea kayaking.Shipwreck
The 3800 ton wreck of the Leysian lies at the on the west side of the harbour, about 50m from the cliffs. As it is at a depth of around 15m the wreck is poular with divers who report lots of wreckage, and a large range of fish, including a large PollackPollack
Pollack is a surname, and may refer to:* Alan W. Pollack, musicologist* Andrea Pollack , swimmer* Ben Pollack , drummer and bandleader* Brittany Pollack, New York City Ballet dancer* David M. Pollack, , American football linebacker...
which lives in the wreck. A small shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
has also been reported nearby.