PEMBROKESHIRE’S last surviving tŷ unnos is set to undergo essential repairs after the county council’s Museum Service secured a £20,000 grant.

Penrhos Cottage, near Llanycefn, Maenclochog, is a rare surviving example of an overnight cottage — a type of building deeply rooted in Welsh cultural history.

Tŷ unnos were traditionally said to have been built on common land between sunset and sunrise, often with the support of the local community, to provide shelter for those in need.

The grant from the Pilgrim Trust will fund specialist conservation work on the exterior of the historic cottage, including repairs to the traditional thatched roof, restoration of lime mortar walls, limewashing, and improvements to the immediate surroundings.

The first phase of work is expected to begin in June.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “This is great news for Penrhos Cottage and the wider county, adding to the historical and cultural offer provided by the Museum Service of Pembrokeshire County Council.

“This is an important project and hopefully an important step towards opening the cottage in the future.”

Cllr Simon Wright, who represents the Maenclochog ward, said: “The grant from the Pilgrim Trust is a fantastic amount to receive for the much-needed improvements to Penrhos Cottage.

“The Maenclochog Community Council has fought long and hard to access funds along with the Friends of Penrhos. They will be extremely happy to hear the good news and eager to see the works start.

“It is just a start also, as more grant aid will be needed, and I look forward to working with Maenclochog Community Council and the county council to secure those funds.”

Built in the early 1800s on the edge of moorland in the Maenclochog area, Penrhos Cottage was first intended as a modest dwelling and was later rebuilt in more durable materials.

It remained a family home until 1968 before being acquired by the local authority and opened as a museum in the early 1970s.

In recent years, financial pressures have made it increasingly difficult to maintain the building and operate it as a museum. In response, the Museum Service began working with the local community in 2023 to explore new ways of managing and sustaining the site.

The restoration project, called Hidden Gem: Penrhos Cottage: restoring Pembrokeshire’s last surviving tŷ unnos, aims to secure the future of the building while developing it as a valued museum and community asset.

The Museum Service is working with Maenclochog Community Council and the Friends of Penrhos Cottage group to support the long-term care, presentation and reopening of the site.

Peter Nicholas, of Friends of Penrhos, said: “I am delighted that funding has finally been secured to allow these essential repairs to be carried out at Penrhos Cottage.

“This crucial work will help safeguard the future of this iconic, traditionally built thatched cottage, ensuring it can continue to be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations.”

Maenclochog Community Council said Bwthyn Penrhos was one of north Pembrokeshire’s hidden gems, offering an irreplaceable window into the past.

A spokesperson added: “We are thrilled that urgent expert repairs are now underway. Its preservation is not only vital for historical integrity, but also for the education and inspiration of future generations.

“Bwthyn Penrhos has the potential to become a vital community resource, creating opportunities for volunteering, partnership and shared learning.”

The work marks the first stage of a wider vision for Penrhos Cottage. Future phases, subject to funding, could include restoring the interior to reflect early 20th century life and reinstating the original cottage garden.

The long-term aim is for the cottage to open more regularly to visitors, supported by local volunteers, while remaining under the overall management of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Museum Service.

Local historian and author Hefin Wyn also welcomed the work.

He said: “Penrhos Cottage is very much an iconic part of the area’s heritage. Its presence, with its whitewashed walls, its thatched roof, its furniture and hearth, have been kept as they were when the last occupants lived there, thus reminding us of our history.

“It all reminds us of a way of life familiar to our forefathers.

“Indeed, some of the older generation still remember John Williams, Penrhos, and his family and will gladly relate the stories. As a result, Penrhos represents a visible link with our past.

“Poets and authors such as E. Llwyd Williams and Derfel Rees have heralded its distinctiveness.

“From the point of view of heritage, we are keen to preserve the cottage as it was, to be handed on to future generations, as testimony of what once was.”

FOUR PEOPLE RESCUED AS RIP CURRENTS AND OFFSHORE WINDS HIT PEMBROKESHIRE BEACHES

RNLI lifeguards in Pembrokeshire rescued four people and assisted six others in the water during a busy bank holiday weekend, as hot weather and May half-term crowds brought large numbers of visitors to the coast.

The charity said lifeguards had been kept busy at Whitesands and Newgale, where rip currents, offshore winds and swell caused several incidents involving children, bodyboarders and surfers.

On Saturday, lifeguards at Whitesands, St Davids, assisted three children who were swept out to sea in a flash rip current. They responded quickly on a rescue board and advised the children to swim parallel to the shore to escape the pull of the current, allowing them to return safely to the beach.

On Monday afternoon, two further rescues took place at Whitesands. At 2:25pm, lifeguard Tom Rogers entered the water with a rescue tube to help a child on a bodyboard who had been caught in a powerful rip current at the north end of the beach.

Around an hour later, lifeguard Jake Rogers entered the water on a rescue board after a woman became trapped in the same rip current. She was also brought safely back to shore.

At Newgale Beach, lifeguards rescued two surfers at around 2:00pm on Monday after they were spotted more than 400 metres out to sea and drifting rapidly towards the south end of the beach.

Lifeguard Harry Nichols saw from the tower that the surfers were fatigued and struggling against the wind. Lifeguards Dafydd and Arthur paddled out on rescue boards, reached the exhausted pair, and helped them return safely to shore.

Later in the afternoon, at around 4:00pm, lifeguards dealt with several incidents involving children on bodyboards who had found themselves out of their depth due to strong offshore winds and swell. They were assisted back to shore by lifeguards on rescue boards.

Senior Beach Lifeguard Dafydd Ridgeway said: “With it being a bank holiday weekend, the May half-term and very hot weather, beach numbers have risen a great deal, with lots of visitors coming to the coast.

“We would like to remind everyone to swim between the red and yellow flags and be aware of offshore winds that can blow you out to sea.

“Our orange windsock marks when there are strong offshore winds and we advise against the use of inflatables, as you can easily be blown out to sea.

“We would also like to remind people to keep an eye on their children due to the numerous incidents over the weekend where children became quickly out of their depth.”

The RNLI said that, despite the warm weather, sea temperatures remain cold and cold water shock is still a real risk.

Anyone who gets into difficulty in the water is advised to Float to Live by tilting their head back with their ears submerged, relaxing, trying to breathe normally, and using their hands and legs to stay afloat. Once breathing is under control, they should call for help or swim to safety.

Anyone who sees someone in trouble at the coast should call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard, tell the person to float, and throw them something that floats if it is safe to do so.

RNLI lifeguards in Pembrokeshire are currently operating at Tenby South, Newgale Central and Whitesands from 10:00am to 6:00pm every day for the remainder of half-term.

After Sunday (May 31), Newgale Central will return to weekend-only lifeguard cover, while Tenby South and Whitesands will continue to be lifeguarded every day until September.

CALLS for an M4 relief road around Newport have been reignited after First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said he wanted to find a “roads-based” answer to congestion on one of Wales’ most important transport routes.

The Welsh Conservatives said the comments must now be followed by a firm commitment to deliver a new relief road, warning that businesses and motorists had waited decades for action on the M4 bottleneck around the Brynglas Tunnels.

The issue has long been one of the most controversial infrastructure debates in Wales. A previous relief road scheme was scrapped in 2019 after around £157m had already been spent on planning and associated costs.

Supporters argue that congestion around Newport damages the Welsh economy, discourages investment and causes daily delays for commuters and freight. Opponents have previously raised concerns about cost, environmental damage and the impact on the Gwent Levels.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, said: “The Brynglas Tunnels are among the most congested stretches of road anywhere in the United Kingdom.

“The previous Labour Government, backed by Plaid Cymru at the time, scrapped the M4 relief road after spending £157 million of taxpayers’ money on planning its delivery.

“Vague words about finding a ‘roads-based solution’ are not enough. We now need a clear commitment from the First Minister to deliver an M4 Relief Road and other vital infrastructure needed to grow the Welsh economy and ease pressure on motorists.”

Newport and Islwyn MS Natasha Asghar said people in south-east Wales had heard “broken promise after broken promise” over the M4.

She said: “The First Minister must now deliver for the people of Newport and Islwyn, warm words alone are not enough.

“If Plaid Cymru is serious about tackling traffic problems in South East Wales, it must commit to delivering an M4 relief road to ease pressure on drivers, attract investment and boost the economy.”

The M4 is a key route linking Wales with England, ports, manufacturing sites and distribution networks. Congestion around Newport has repeatedly been cited by business groups as a barrier to economic growth.

The First Minister has not yet set out what form any new road-based proposal would take, how much it would cost, or whether it would revive the original relief road route.

The debate is now likely to become an early test of the new Plaid Cymru Government’s approach to transport, economic development and environmental policy.