News

Ancient New Year celebrations still ring true in hidden corner of Pembrokeshire

Published

1 month ago

January 12, 2026

WITH New Year celebrations safely packed away with the tinsels and baubles for another 12 months, a quiet corner of Pembrokeshire is once again preparing to herald in the New Year with gusto.

Cwm Gwaun near Newport is one of the few places in Wales that continues to adhere to a centuries’ old tradition by celebrating Hen Galan tomorrow, January 13, in line with the old Julian calendar, which was used since the time of Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire. When the calendar was reformed in 1752 and superseded by the Gregorian calendar, the people of Cwm Gwaun refused to play ball. And 2026 will be no exception.

Once again this year the children of Cwm Gwaun will go from house to house collecting ‘calennig’ – a new year’s gift – from their neighbours. After wishing the householders good fortune for the rest of the year with a new year’s greeting, usually in song and verse, the children are then given a small gift of money or sweets. Originally, this was food to help sustain families through the hard months of winter. Anyone who has the audacity to ignore the children’s good wishes is destined a year of bad luck or, as the Cwm Gwaun community labels it, ‘llond ty o fwg’ (a houseful of smoke).

The Gregorian calendar modified the use of leap years as a means to keep more accurately to the revolution of the Earth around the sun. Catholic countries were more inclined to accept the reform while Protestant Britain clung to its traditions until the middle of the 18th century.

As the Julian calendar gained a day every 128 years, by the mid 18th century Britain found herself 11 days ahead of her continental neighbours which naturally resulted in confusion and complications for trade and diplomacy.

So from 1752 onwards, the Calendar Act resulted in the new year starting on January 1 rather than on March 25, as had previously been the custom. The tax year, incidentally, which begins on April 6, is the old date for the previous new year of March 25, with the missing 11 days added on.

Another ancient Welsh custom to mark the Julian new year is the Mari Lwyd, where a horse’s head is paraded around on a pole decorated with ribbons and bells. In bygone years, this would have been a real horse’s skull, whereas in more recent years it is a wooden effigy covered in white cloth.

‘Mari Lwyd’ is translated as ‘grey mare’, connecting the traditional to the heritage of the pale horses in Celtic and British mythology, many of which crossed over to the underworld.

Main photo: Stuart Ladd/Herald

Crime

Man who threw corrosive liquid at guest and fled abroad jailed

Published

49 minutes ago

February 18, 2026

Court Reporter

A BUSINESSMAN who threw a corrosive liquid into a guest’s face during a row at a spiritual retreat before fleeing the country has been jailed for 18 months.

Dean Mayze, aged 38, from Abercrave in Powys, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm following the attack at his Hafan-y-Coed retreat in December 2022.

Swansea Crown Court heard the assault happened after an argument with guest Keifer Price, who had complained about the condition of his accommodation, including a lack of heating and washing facilities.

During the confrontation, Mayze produced a blue container and threw its contents upwards into the victim’s face.

The liquid — described as smelling like ammonia — entered Mr Price’s eyes, nose and mouth, leaving him in severe pain and struggling to breathe.

Medical evidence confirmed injuries consistent with a chemical burn to both eyes. He suffered abrasions, a corneal defect and the loss of the outer corneal layer in one eye, requiring significant treatment to prevent permanent sight loss. He has since recovered without lasting injury.

Fled across Europe

Following the attack, Mayze fled the UK, triggering an international search.

The court heard he travelled across several European countries, including Ireland, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece, before eventually being arrested in Romania in 2025.

Despite being on the run, he remained in regular contact with police by text and email, at one point telling officers he would not be returning to Wales.

His partner initially claimed responsibility for the assault and later received a suspended prison sentence after admitting perverting the course of justice.

Previous conviction

The court was told Mayze has a previous conviction for wounding involving a corrosive substance in Kent in 2013.

Defence barrister Andrew Taylor said his client had experienced harsh conditions while detained in Romania, including contracting scabies without treatment, and described him as remorseful.

However, Judge Geraint Walters said it was “pure luck” the victim had not suffered permanent injuries, describing the attack as a “particularly wicked way of inflicting violence”.

Sentence and order

Mayze, who appeared via video link from prison, had previously denied a more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and made subject to a three-year restraining order.

Crime

Police appeal after man injured in St Davids incident

Published

6 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE are appealing for witnesses following an incident in St Davids which left one man injured.

The incident happened in Nun Street at around 11:10am on Tuesday, December 30. The injured man was taken to hospital for treatment.

Officers confirmed that a man has been arrested on suspicion of assault in connection with the incident.

Police are now asking anyone with information, dash cam footage, or CCTV that could assist the investigation to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police online at:
https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us-beta/contact-us/

Alternatively, email [email protected], send a direct message via social media, or call 101 quoting reference DP20251230094.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.

Crime

Sexual assault allegation to be tried

Published

7 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Tamsin Mathias

Accused granted conditional bail

A SEXUAL assault allegation has been listed for trial following a hearing before magistrates.

David Fletcher, 45, of Chestnut Way, Mount Estate, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, appeared before magistrates in Llanelli on Thursday (Feb 12) charged with sexual assault, contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

The charge alleges that on March 16, 2025, at Johnston, Pembrokeshire, he intentionally touched a woman aged 16 or over and that the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

The matter was adjourned for trial and Fletcher was remanded on conditional bail.

The trial is listed for March 9, 2026 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court. Bail conditions prohibit him from entering a specified premises in Johnston, from contacting directly or indirectly the complainant or any prosecution witnesses, and from posting any information relating to the investigation on social media. The conditions were imposed to prevent further offending and to prevent interference with witnesses or obstruction of justice.