Communities invited to share historic names of fields, lanes and landmarks

A NEW project has been launched to uncover and protect historic place names across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park — from forgotten fields to little-known lanes — before they disappear from living memory.

The initiative, led by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), will gather local knowledge from communities throughout the Park and record it in the national List of Historic Place Names for Wales.

A series of community workshops will take place during 2026, giving residents the opportunity to share names passed down through generations, including those linked to fields, footpaths, buildings and local landmarks.

All information collected will be compiled by Dr James January-McCann, Place Names Officer at the RCAHMW, and formally recorded to help safeguard this cultural heritage for future generations.

Pembrokeshire’s landscape reflects a rich linguistic history shaped by Welsh, English, Nordic and Flemish influences. Organisers say capturing this knowledge now is vital, not only to preserve local identity but also to support landowners, communities and the National Park Authority in future land management and heritage projects.

Tomos Jones, Community Archaeologist at the Park Authority, said: “This is a fantastic project that empowers local communities to come forward with their place names knowledge. The information can then better inform our understanding of the National Park area and help us develop relevant projects.”

Dr James January-McCann added: “Given Pembrokeshire’s rich linguistic history, this is a brilliant opportunity to discover how strong those influences remain today, and to deepen people’s knowledge of their heritage.”

With the National Eisteddfod taking place in Pembrokeshire this year, the project will also use the festival as a platform to reach a wider audience, including a dedicated talk supported by the Eisteddfod team.

Six community workshops are currently scheduled for 2026, with the ambition to expand the programme in future years.

The first workshop will take place at St Davids City Hall on Wednesday (Feb 18), with members of the public invited to drop in at any time between 10:00am and 4:00pm to share information or speak with the project team. Further sessions will be promoted locally and through social media.

Caption: A series of place name workshops will be held to capture the rich linguistic heritage of the local area.

Update follows major Gordon Street operation reported on Friday

ONE man is due to appear in court today (Monday, Feb 16) following last week’s armed police operation in Pembroke Dock, as officers confirmed that three other suspects have been released on bail.

The Herald reported on Friday (Feb 13) that firearms officers, dog units and multiple police vehicles were deployed to Gordon Street during a pre-planned operation involving several specialist departments.

Dyfed-Powys Police has now provided an update on the outcome of the raids.

Two men, aged 37 and 35, and a woman aged 32 — all arrested during Friday’s operation — have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

A fourth suspect, a 28-year-old man arrested for failing to appear in court, has been recalled to prison.

Officers also confirmed that a fifth person was arrested the following day, Saturday (Feb 14).

Zack High, aged 26, has since been charged with grievous bodily harm and is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court today.

During the initial operation, police said arrests were made for a range of suspected offences including grievous bodily harm, firearms possession, drugs supply, fraud, and possession of a bladed article.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Hughes, of Pembrokeshire CID, previously thanked the community for its patience during the large police deployment and said the action demonstrated that officers would “deal with offenders robustly and efficiently”.

Move to Narberth administrative base described as “growth, not closure”

SANDY BEAR Children’s Bereavement Charity has announced it will relocate its administrative headquarters to Narberth in March 2026, as the organisation approaches its ninth year supporting children and young people across Wales.

Founded in Pembrokeshire, Sandy Bear originally supported around fifty children and young people each year. Today, the charity provides bereavement support to more than 1,000 children and young people annually across multiple regions of Wales.

The move from Milford Haven reflects the charity’s continued growth and its commitment to ensuring resources are used as effectively as possible, allowing greater investment in frontline bereavement services.

The new administrative base will be located at The Old School in Narberth, a community hub managed by PLANED, an organisation Sandy Bear already works closely with through its Carmarthenshire provision.

Lee Barnett, Chief Executive of Sandy Bear, said: “Our priority is, and always will be, the children and young people we support. This move is not about changing who we are, but about strengthening how we work. By using our resources more effectively, we can reach more families across Pembrokeshire and across Wales while staying focused on our core mission.”

The charity has confirmed the relocation will not affect service delivery across Pembrokeshire. Sandy Bear will continue meeting families and running peer support groups in community settings throughout the county and across Wales.

Welcoming Sandy Bear to The Old School, Iwan Thomas, Chief Executive of PLANED said: “When third sector organisations work more closely together, communities benefit. Shared spaces allow charities to collaborate more effectively, unlock new funding opportunities and ultimately increase the impact they can have both locally and nationally.”

Sandy Bear says the move represents a positive and sustainable step forward, ensuring the charity remains accessible, resilient and focused on its mission that no child, wherever they live in Wales, should grieve alone.