News

Saint’s ‘potential contemporaries’ unearthed

Published

8 years ago

July 26, 2016

DYFED ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST has revealed that skeletons buried at St Patrick’s Chapel in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park may have belonged to contemporaries of St David.

The Trust carried out a three-week dig as part of their third and final year of excavation at the chapel in Whitesands Bay in May.

The dig unearthed signs that the medieval religious site was used before it was a chapel, and the remains discovered underneath may date back to a time before written records.

A number of the Christian burials found during the excavation are dated back to the early sixth century AD, a time when the now patron saint of Wales, St David, was a bishop.

Supporting the excavation was the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. Cultural Heritage Manager for the Authority, Phil Bennett, said: “Without doubt some of the people buried in St Patrick’s Chapel would have been contemporaries of St David – they might even have known him.

“They were not necessarily compatriots though. Research by the University of Sheffield on skeletons from similar sites in Pembrokeshire revealed that some of the people buried in them were not local but came from Ireland and continental Europe. Initial results from St Patrick’s Chapel suggest a similar pattern, making Whitesands Bay rather cosmopolitan.”

400 years ago, the chapel was in ruins, and nowadays there is no trace of it on the surface. However, harsh storms have regularly exposed graves containing human bones at the site for a number of decades.

In an attempt to make the erosion cease, over twelve years ago Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority placed boulders against the site. This proved a success until the boulders were washed away by massive storms in January 2014, leaving more burials exposed. An agreement was made that declared an excavation on the area of the site most vulnerable to erosion would be the best course of action; any further attempts to protect the site would simply prove futile.

In the relatively small area that has been excavated, nearly 100 skeletons have been unearthed. Some of these were laid in graves lined and capped with stone slabs, a traditional burial design in Western Britain between the sixth and 11th century AD. Christian tradition dictates that the head of a buried body should point to the west, and indeed the remains were found in this manner, aligned east to west.

The archaeologists made a particularly incredible discovery, as they found a stone cross fixed at the edge of one grave; a discovery that marks the first time in Britain that a stone-lined grave has been found in association with an upright cross.

A rather poignant discovery made by the archaeologists found that the majority of skeletons belonged to children.

Director of the Dyfed Archaeological Trust, Ken Murphy, said: “Many of the graves uncovered were those of children and were touchingly decorated with sea shells and shiny quartz pebbles. Two of the children’s grave stones had crosses scratched onto them. You can picture the tenderness felt by those involved with the burial.”

Acidic soil prevalent in most of Wales results in the quick decay of bone, but St Patrick’s Chapel is situated on top of wind-blown sand which has helped to preserve the bones.

Two skeletons were found buried face down, which raises the question if they were criminals or deviants of some sort. However, regardless of those questions, the remains were buried on sacred ground in a Christian cemetery.

Ken Murphy concluded: “This excavation has given us some really important information about the lives, beliefs and practices of people living in Wales over 1,000 years ago.”

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

7 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

7 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

8 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”