Valero donation helps secure historic ‘Memento Mori’ treasure found near Uzmaston

A RARE Tudor gold ring dating back more than four centuries has been added to the collection at Haverfordwest Town Museum, thanks to a donation from Valero Pembroke Refinery.

The 6.38-gram gold ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at Uzmaston and Boulston in 2021 and has since been formally declared treasure.

Stylistically dated to between 1550 and 1650, the ring bears the inscription ‘Memento Mori’ – the Latin phrase meaning ‘Remember you must die’ – alongside a small skull motif filled with cross-hatched detailing. Such rings were commonly worn during the Tudor and early Stuart periods as a symbolic reminder of the brevity of life.

Museum curator Dr Simon Hancock said the piece offers a rare and personal glimpse into the beliefs of the period.

He explained: “Such rings, worn by a merchant or member of the gentry, reminded the wearer of the shortness of life. This was a very popular theme during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

“The ring was declared treasure and we are very grateful to Valero for providing a grant towards the treasure valuation, allowing us to secure it for the museum and the people of Pembrokeshire.”

The acquisition ensures the artefact will remain in the county where it was found and will go on public display as part of the museum’s growing local history collection.

Pictured are Ted Sangster, chair of Haverfordwest Castle CIO; Lesley Turner, museum treasurer; Tim Evans, chair of trustees; Stephen Thornton of Valero; Dr Simon Hancock, curator; and Bethany Hope, museum volunteer and social media manager.

Milford Haven tug master’s son recalls chaos, courage and family legacy thirty years on

THE EDITOR of The Pembrokeshire Herald has spoken on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast about his family’s connection to the Sea Empress disaster, thirty years after the tanker ran aground off Milford Haven.

Tom Sinclair appeared on the morning programme between 8:00am and 9:00am, reflecting on how the 1996 oil spill unfolded both as a major national story and as something happening outside his own front door.

Sinclair told listeners how he first learned of the grounding while on a school trip abroad, switching on the television in a hotel room to see Milford Haven dominating international news coverage.

He also described how his late father, Thomas Sinclair, was directly involved in the response.

At the time, Mr Sinclair was a senior tug master with Cory Towage and remained at sea to assist with the salvage operation alongside other local crews.

Speaking after the programme, Sinclair said the disaster had always felt “very personal”.

“Our house overlooked the Haven, so everything was happening right in front of us,” he said. “Dad was out there working on the tugs while we were watching it on the news at home.”

He recalls aircraft flying low over the water to spray dispersants and the constant anxiety ashore as storms battered the stranded tanker.

As a teenager, he also helped his father prepare documents relating to escort towing procedures in the aftermath of the incident, typing reports on a home computer in the family attic.

“It was strange talking about it on the radio,” he added. “Dad can’t be here to tell those stories himself now, so it felt like an honour to share some of those memories.”

The Sea Empress spill, which released tens of thousands of tonnes of crude oil, remains one of the worst environmental disasters in British waters and had a lasting impact on Pembrokeshire’s coastline and maritime operations.

A HISTORIC lifeboat which saved forty lives around the British coastline is set to begin a new chapter in Pembroke Dock next month when she is formally handed over to the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society.

The 1957 Watson-class vessel, RNLB Pentland, will be transferred to her permanent home at the West Wales Maritime Museum during a public ceremony on Saturday, March 7 at 1:00pm.

Organisers say the event will mark the end of the boat’s private stewardship under Mike Brotherton MBE and the beginning of her preservation as part of Pembrokeshire’s maritime heritage.

The handover will include the lowering of the Blue Ensign and the raising of the Red Ensign, symbolising the lifeboat’s move into museum care, followed by a short presentation recounting her operational history.

During her years of service at Thurso, The Mumbles and Workington, Pentland was launched into some of the worst conditions the coast could throw at her crew, helping to save dozens of lives.

Trustees say bringing the vessel to Pembroke Dock will ensure that future generations can see first-hand the type of lifeboat that protected coastal communities for decades.

Visitors attending the ceremony will also be able to tour the museum’s restoration workshops and view other ongoing heritage projects, including work on the Charterhouse lifeboat.

Refreshments, including burgers, bacon rolls, tea and coffee, will be available before and after proceedings.

Entry to the museum and boatyard is free, although donations to support preservation work are welcomed.