News
The Skomer Island Project
AT THE BEGINNING of this month, the Skomer Island Project team returned to Skomer to undertake the latest phase of archaeological research on the Island.
The Herald contacted the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales (RCAHMW) who kindly provided us with an update and photographs of their latest visit to Skomer.
Skomer Island is a highly protected landscape famous for its puffins and other breeding seabirds, but it is also home to some of the best preserved prehistoric field systems and settlements anywhere in Britain.
The Royal Commission began the Skomer Island Project in 2011, together with colleagues from the University of Sheffield and Cardiff University, to find out more about the prehistoric communities who lived once and farmed here.
New airborne laser scanning has allowed detailed mapping of every field and round house while fieldwork has demonstrated that settlement on the island extends back some 5000 years.
This year archaeologists Louise Barker and Toby Driver (RCAHMW), Bob Johnston (University of Sheffield) and Oliver Davis (Cardiff University) were delighted to be joined by geographer and environmental scientist Sarah Davies of Aberystwyth University.
The aims of this year’s work were twofold; to excavate one of the Island’s main archaeological features, a prehistoric field boundary and the continuation of geophysical survey within the improved fields surrounding the old farm in the centre of the Island.
Despite Storm Katie cutting short our planned four days of fieldwork, we managed to achieve our goals in the two sunny and still days we had and were also lucky enough to witness the return of the puffins.
The focus of our small evaluation trench was a substantial lynchet, part of the Northern Field Systems on the Island.
A lynchet is a bank of earth that builds up on the down slope of a field ploughed over a period of time and the resulting earth or plough soil is important for helping us reconstruct the environmental history of the Island, identify what was being cultivated and possibly at what date.
Therefore, the principal focus of the excavation was to recover samples of the soils within the lynchet which will now be carefully analysed over the coming months.
Preliminary results from the geophysical survey also look positive. Within the improved fields surrounding the farm in the centre of the Island, there is little evidence for surviving archaeology; however geophysics undertaken in 2012 did reveal subsurface archaeological features and we wanted to see if this was the case elsewhere.
This was indeed the case, and in the area surveyed directly to the west of the farm, the gradiometer detected a linear feature, perhaps a ditch cut by later cultivation ridges.
As ever the Skomer Island Project team would like to thank the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and the Skomer Wardens for their continued support and help with our work on the Island.
Community
Public meeting for Haverfordwest’s new transport interchange
RESIDENTS of Haverfordwest are invited to attend a public engagement event at HaverHub on Thursday, 21st November from 3:00pm to 7:00pm to meet the team behind the upcoming Public Transport Interchange (PTI) development. The event will provide an opportunity for local people to learn more about the exciting project, which is due to start its rebuild phase imminently.
The PTI scheme forms part of the broader South West Wales Metro project, designed to create a modern, integrated transport hub for Haverfordwest. The new facility will bring significant improvements to local transport infrastructure, including enhancements to pedestrian and cycle access, as well as a more efficient and accessible bus station.
Cllr Paul Miller, Cabinet Member for Place, the Region, and Climate Change, said: “This is another exciting step in the extensive regeneration of Haverfordwest, and we look forward to seeing construction start on this important project.”
The new development will include seven bus bays, upgraded passenger facilities, and a multi-storey car park with around 280 spaces. The car park will also feature electric vehicle charging points, with provisions for future expansion, as well as solar panels on the roof. These green features are part of the project’s commitment to sustainability and the promotion of Active Travel, with a focus on walking and cycling.
Cllr Thomas Tudor, County Councillor for the Castle Ward, welcomed the public engagement event, saying: “This is a great opportunity for residents to come together and learn more about the ongoing regeneration projects that will improve the town for everyone.”
The PTI project will also improve car parking provision and local bus access at Haverfordwest railway station, contributing to a more efficient and sustainable transport network for the town.
Jason Taylor, Regional Director at Kier Construction, said: “We are excited to meet the people of Haverfordwest and share the plans for this important project. Kier is proud of its Welsh heritage and thrilled to contribute to the town’s development.”
Kier Construction, which has been awarded the contract to build the PTI, will also have a presence at Riverside Shopping Centre, where residents can drop in for more information once work begins this month.
Please note that the temporary Riverside car park has closed to make way for the development.
News
Police ask for witnesses after single vehicle collision on A477
A SINGLE-VEHICLE road traffic collision occurred on the A477 between Redberth and Broadmoor, Pembrokeshire, early this morning (Thursday, Nov 21).
Dyfed-Powys Police were called to the scene at around 7:10am. One person was taken to hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
The road was closed while emergency services attended, and the vehicle was recovered. It reopened at approximately 9:20am.
Police are appealing for anyone with information, dash cam, or CCTV footage to come forward.
Contact methods:
🖥️ | Submit online
📧 | Email: [email protected]
💬 | Direct message on social media
📞 | Call 101
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
Please quote reference: 034 of 21st November.
News
Using nature-based solutions to ai water quality improvements in Pembrokeshire
A NATURAL RESOURCES WALES project on the Western Cleddau river in Pembrokeshire is harnessing the power of trees to reduce nutrient pollution and improve water quality.
Approximately 6,500 trees have been planted along the banks of the river near it’s confluence with the Eastern Cleddau, to soak up excess nutrients from agricultural land run off.
The corridors of trees, averaging 14metres in width, act as buffer strips between farmland and the river and have been planted on non-productive land. They have been introduced with the full support of the landowner, who was eager to introduce positive environmental change.
As well as providing benefits to the Special Area of Conservation river, the new trees will provide connection with existing natural woodland on the land, benefiting a range of plant and wildlife species.
The trees were planted by contractors Coed Porffor/Purple Trees and the planting operation took five planters five full days to complete.
Separately, the project has also seen over 1000m of new fencing installed to prevent livestock accessing the river.
Andrew Lewis, from NRW’s Marine Projects team said: “The Western Cleddau and Milford Haven estuary are incredibly special places, designated for a range of rare and threatened species and habitats including lamprey, otter, mudflats and marshes.
“We’re grateful for the support of the landowner, who allowed us to undertake such large-scale tree planting on the land. We worked closely with the landowner to develop this project and identify suitable areas of land which were least productive.
“In years to come, these trees will act as an important filter, reducing the amount of excess nutrients reaching the Western Cleddau, that are impacting the Special Area of Conservation river and estuary.”
The Western and Eastern Cleddau rivers converge at Picton Point to form the Daugleddau estuary at Milford Haven. The estuary is designated as a Marine Special Area of Conservation, while significant stretches of its coastline are also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The Western Cleddau faces significant water quality challenges, predominantly due to nitrate, phosphate and sediment pollution. These pollutants contribute significantly to water quality failures in the catchment under the Water Framework Directive (England and Wales) Regulations 2017.
The project has been funded by the Welsh Government’s Water Capital Programme, which supports a number of environmental priorities including river restoration, metal mine remediation, fisheries and water quality.
It supports similar initiatives being undertaken in the area to improve the Western Cleddau, including river restoration efforts undertaken by the Pembrokeshire River Restoration Project.
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