News
Uncovering Ancient Connections in Pembrokeshire
FREE guided tours of an archaeological dig in Pembrokeshire are to be offered under a new heritage and arts programme.
‘Rediscovering Ancient Connections – The Saints’ is an EU funded project led by Pembrokeshire County Council uncovering historical stories connecting the Celtic communities of North Pembrokeshire and Wexford in Ireland.
Also involving the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Wexford County Council and Visit Wexford, the initiative aims to form links between the two regions and attract tourists.
The first ‘Ancient Connections’ activity to take place is the re-opening in September of the excavation of St Patrick’s Chapel which overlooks the beach at Whitesands near St Davids.
Little is known about the Chapel, the only historical reference being from George Owen’s ‘Description of Pembrokeshire’ from 1603: “Capel Patrick (is) full west of St Davids and placed as near his country, namely Ireland, as it could well be. It is now wholly decayed.”
Coastal erosion has been a concern at the site since the early 20th Century with regular reports of burials emerging from sand dunes. In 2004 the National Park Authority attempted to slow down the rate of erosion by placing large boulders on the seaward side of the dunes.This was successful until 2014 when severe storms stripped away the boulders exposing burials once again.
Continuing damage to the Scheduled Ancient Monument meant there was an urgent need for excavation to retrieve as much information as possible.
Excavations were carried out in 2014, 2015 and 2016 by the Dyfed Archaeological Trust and the University of Sheffield with support from Cadw, the Nineveh Charitable Trust and the National Park Authority.
Excavation of the cemetery has revealed over 100 burials to date. Radiocarbon dating has shown that the cemetery was in use from the 6th Century to the 11th Century AD. Analysis of the skeletons has revealed a mixed population of men, women and children of all ages.
“We estimate that there may be up to 1,000 people buried at St Patrick’s Chapel”, said archaeologist Ken Murphy.
“They are likely to have been a mixture of local people and sailors, traders, pilgrims and others travelling to St Davids in the 8th to the 11th Century.”
Graves were aligned east to west with the head to the west. In keeping with the Christian burial tradition there were no possessions buried with the bodies.
Some of the skeletons were in cists – graves lined and capped with stone slabs, a burial tradition common across western Britain in the early medieval period.
A unique burial rite was also identified – burials of children with white quartz pebbles placed on the top of the cists. There is still a significant amount of evidence left to excavate, including an intriguing stone structure which pre-dates the burials.
The project is part of the Ireland-Wales programme 2014-2020. European funding has also been obtained for further excavation in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The aim is to continue the research into St Patrick’s Chapel as the archaeological evidence has the potential to transform our understanding of the Christian communities who once lived and died in Pembrokeshire during the early medieval period.
The Dyfed Archaeological Trust will be providing the regular guided tours from 9 to 27 September. There is no need to book and the tours are free.
Crime
Police investigating attempted burglary at Haverfordwest shop
POLICE in Pembrokeshire are investigating an attempted burglary at No.37 Food and Wine shop on High Street, Haverfordwest, at about 3am on Wednesday, April 3.
A window was smashed and the door handle broken.
Police said: “If you have any information that could help enquiries, please get in touch with PC 195 Tayler, either by: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.
“Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.”
News
Don’t forget to vote on Thursday, May 2
THURSDAY, May 2 is your chance to vote for the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner.
Don’t forget to use your vote and head to your local polling station between 7am and 10pm.
They are elected by the public to hold Chief Constables and the police force to account on their behalf.
A Police and Crime Commissioner’s job is to set the police budget and make sure it is spent effectively, appoint the local police forces Chief Constables, set police and crime plans in collaboration with residents and work closely with the local council and other organisations on these plans.
This is the first election in Wales where you will need photographic ID to vote.
Accepted forms of ID include a UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport or drivers’ licence; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.
Or you may have applied for a Voter Authority Certificate which is also accepted.
If you plan on taking your Postal Vote to a polling station or County Hall main reception remember to fill in a vote return form. Without the completed form those postal vote(s) will be rejected.
You can only hand in your own postal vote, and postal votes for up to five other people.
You can find out more about the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections online (opens in new window).
Crime
Banned for sleeping in car whilst over the drink drive limit
A MOTORIST caught sleeping in a BMW in MIiford Haven town centre has appeared before magistrates for being in charge of a motor vehicle when he was over the legal alcohol limit.
Police officers discovered John Steele, 30, soon after 5.30pm on March 9 when he was asleep in his red BMW which was parked in a car park at Hamilton Terrace.
“The engine was running and the lights were on,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told District Judge Mark Layton who was sitting at Haverfordwest magistrates court this week.
“Officers smelt alcohol, he was intoxicated and he was slurring his words.”
Officers were unable to carry out a roadside breath test as a result of them not being in possession of a breathalyser at the scene of the incident. Steele was conveyed to a police custody suite where two samples of breath were subsequently taken, the lowest giving a reading of 44 mcg.
Steele, who is employed as a machine technician in Selby, pleaded guilty to the charge of being in charge of a motor vehicle while he was above the alcohol limit.
He was fined £400 and ordered to pay a £160 court surcharge and £85 costs. His licence was endorsed with ten penalty points.
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