Gateholm facts for kids
Gateholm from the north-east. Skokholm is in the distance
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 Gateholm
Location in Pembrokeshire
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Marloes |
| Coordinates | 51°43′05″N 5°13′53″W / 51.71806°N 5.23139°W |
| Administration | |
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Wales
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| County | Pembrokeshire |
| Community | Marloes and St Brides |
Gateholm or Gateholm Island is a small tidal island located off the southwest coast of Pembrokeshire, in Wales. It is about 8 miles (13 km) west of Milford Haven. This island is well-known for its ancient remains from the Romano-British period. Gateholm is owned by the National Trust, a charity that protects special places. It is part of their Marloes Sands and Mere estate.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name "Gateholm" was first recorded as Goteholme in 1480. It comes from the Old Norse language. In Old Norse, it means "goat island" or "street peninsula."
Island Geography
Gateholm is found at the western end of Marloes Sands. You can only reach the island when the tide is low. This means it is a "tidal island."
The island rises to a flat area, or plateau, about 40 metres (131 feet) high. This plateau covers an area of about 4 hectares (10 acres). The island is made of steeply-sloping rock called Old Red Sandstone. These rocks are very old, dating back to the Prídolí Epoch of the Silurian period.
Because the rocks here are so clearly visible, Gateholm and the nearby Albion Sands are very important for geology. They are considered for protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This helps to protect the special geological features.
Protecting Gateholm
The National Trust's Role
The National Trust bought Gateholm in 1981. This was part of a big project called Enterprise Neptune. This project aims to buy and look after parts of the coastline. The goal is to keep these areas natural and protect their wildlife.
The National Trust already owned much of the Marloes Peninsula. They had received land donations since the 1940s. With Gateholm and other nearby areas, the Trust could manage the entire coastline. This area is now known as 'Marloes Sands and Mere.'
Special Protected Areas
Gateholm and its coastline are part of several protected areas. These areas help to keep the natural environment safe.
- The 'Marloes Mere' inland area is a SSSI.
- Parts of the coast are also SSSIs, like 'Dale and South Marloes Coast' and 'St Brides Bay South'. These give legal protection to the whole coastline.
- The Gateholm coastline is also within two European protected areas:
- The 'Pembrokeshire Marine' Special Area of Conservation protects bays, reefs, and grey seals.
- The 'Skomer, Skokholm and the seas off Pembrokeshire' Special Protection Area protects large groups of breeding seabirds.
Discovering Ancient Life
What Archaeologists Found
Archaeologists have found many old structures on Gateholm. The island once had about 130 roundhouses. There were also rectangular huts. These rectangular houses were often lined up in rows. They had small courtyards around them.
In 1910 and 1930, people dug up some of these hut sites. They found proof that people lived there during the Roman period. Some of the items found included:
- Pottery pieces
- Old coins
- A small bronze stag statue
One very interesting find was a bronze pin. It came from Ireland and dates back to the 6th century. This shows that people on Gateholm had connections with other places.
How People Lived
The houses on Gateholm were built using turf, which is like grass and soil. They had stone fronts. The roofs were held up by a main pole between posts. Experts have different ideas about what this site was. Some think it was a settlement where local people lived during Roman times. Others believe it might have been an early monastery.
Gateholm on Screen
Gateholm has even appeared on television and in movies!
- The island was featured in an episode of the British archaeology TV show, Time Team. It was in Series 19, episode 01.
- Gateholm was also a big part of the 2011 film Snow White and the Huntsman. A castle was added to the island using computers after the movie was filmed.
