Old Nash Point

The sands at Nash Point are a major hazard to shipping and have contributed to the loss of numerous vessels and lives. A lighthouse was planned for this stretch of the coast, but a new urgency followed the tragedy of the passenger ship, PS Frolic, which foundered on the sands in March 1831 while carrying almost 80 passengers from Haverfordwest to Bristol. There were no survivors. The captain left a widow and nine children.

By 1 October 1831, the foundations for both the planned towers had been laid and the station was completed and exhibited its lights on 1 September 1832, just 11 months later, an incredible engineering achievement. The lighthouse has shone its light every night since, successfully assisting mariners in their safe passages with very few maritime incidences occurring in the intervening time.

Initially both the 37 metre tall High (east) tower and the 25 metre tall Low (west) tower both shone lights but during the 1920s it was decided that the light of the low tower was not required as its function could be taken over by using of red sectors in the High tower and the Low tower lantern and lens were eventually removed in the 1950s.