Quay to mining past is restored

From the archive, first published Wednesday 15th Mar 2006.

Hook Quay, one of the few surviving relics of Pembroke-shire's once thriving coal mining and coastal trading traditions, is being restored.

And it's thanks to the long-term commitment of the Friends of the Pembrokeshire Nation-al Park.

The Friends, a charity which supports the work of the Pembroke-shire Coast National Park Authority, has taken on a major project which will secure the future of the Quay.

A work party of Friends spends one day a week at the riverside quay which once served the nearby Hook Colliery.

National Park archaeologist Polly Groom said the quay owners, Mr and Mrs Brian Wills, contacted the National Park Authority because they were concerned about the condition of the stone and timber structure.

"They offered to pay for materials if we could help with the labour," said Polly.

"We contacted the Friends and they readily agreed to help.

"This quay is an unusual structure and very impressive, but it is not listed or scheduled so has no historical protection.

"Once there were many small quays along the upper reaches of the Haven waterway.

"Hook Quay is on an old site - we know that there has been a quay here since the 1770s."

Vegetation has been removed and the Friends are repairing an area of collapsed stonework before beginning the time-consuming work of repointing the masonry.

The project may take up to a year to complete.

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