TIDE TABLES will play a prominent part in Guy Anderson's life when he moves into his new Pembrokeshire home.

The engineer intends to live in a Victorian gun tower, a scheduled ancient monument cut off from the mainland by the tide for up to six hours a day.

Guy snapped up the majestic tower at Pembroke Dock from Pembrokeshire County Council for an undisclosed sum.

It was put up for sale last February and attracted interest from 30 potential buyers. Each submitted their sealed bid and Guy's was accepted.

He admits to a love of 'old things'' - he drives a Morris Minor and owns a 1949 motorbike.

Home comforts were not on his list of priorities - the tower's only service is a 4,500 gallon rainwater tank.

With the help of his brother he has started clearing the building, but it is proving a slow and dirty task. Because of its past, everything that is taken out of the tower has to be logged.

'So far we have found some fairly unique lumps of wood,'' says Guy, who currently lives in Pembroke and works for DPS Composites at Ferry Lane, Pembroke Dock.

'The tower is in a fairly horrible state, there was a huge amount of sludge in the basement.''

The building is the only octagonal 'Martello' tower in Britain and the tallest of three in Wales. It was completed in 1851 to defend the Royal Naval Dockyard walls from possible French attack.

Pembroke Dock's second gun tower was built on the other side of the former dockyard and now houses a museum.

Despite their military role, they were decomissioned less than four years into active service before becoming homes to garrison families. During World War Two they became anti-aircraft positions.

Guy has ambitious plans for the tower, but it will all take time and money. 'I think it could take six years before it is in a fit state to live in,' he says.

The Gun Tower off Pembroke Dock - a relic of Victorian times. PICTURE: Martin Cavaney Photography.