Community

National Gallery ‘art on your doorstep’ scheme withdrawn

Published

2 minutes ago

February 15, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for life-size artwork reproductions of many National Gallery masterpieces, including works by Turner, Constable and Cezanne, at locations throughout Pembrokeshire’s national park have been withdrawn.

In a Pembrokeshire Coast National Park application to the park’s own planners, permission was sought for the installation of 12 life-size National Gallery artwork prints on various locations in the national park, between June and November of this year.

Of the 12 locations for the ‘Art on your doorstep’ project, 11 would be on existing structures, the last on a self-standing structure at Oriel y Parc, St Davids.

Carew would see four artworks: Constable’s The Hay Wain, at the tidal Mill Bridge; Koninck’s ‘An extensive landscape by a road, with a river,’ in the car park opposite Carew River which overlooks the castle; Hans Holbein the Younger’s ‘The Ambassadors,’ in the national park workshop; and Turner’s The Fighting Temaraire, by the village’s war memorial.

Castell Henllys would feature two works: Cezanne’s Bathers, and Titian’s Baccus and Ariadne.

St Davids’ Oriel y Parc will feature Van Gough’s Wheatfield of Cypresses, and Canaletto’s The Stonemason’s Yard.

Porthclais would host Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, with Claude-Joseph Vernet’s A shipwreck in Stormy seas at Strumble Head.

Rosebush’s Tafarn Sinc would display Turner’s Rain, Steam, Speed, and a site at the skate park overlooking Tenby’s South Beach was planned to host Monet’s Bathers at La Grenoville.

National Park Building Conservation Officer Rob Scourfield made no adverse comments on the proposals, conditional on their removal in November 2026, but added: “Shame the famous Turner painting of Carew Castle isn’t included – not many locals know that he painted the castle.”

However, concerns about the scheme in its current form were raised by historic environment conservation service Cadw, saying the application “is inadequately documented and we recommend that additional information is required to enable a balanced decision to be taken [against planning guidance].”

It added: “It is unlikely that the proposed artwork will have any significant impact on the settings of the above scheduled monuments and any effect will be short-term. However, it should be noted that the location selected at Carew to display the Fighting Temeraire is inside the boundary of scheduled monument PE001 [Carew Castle].

“As such, the applicant should be informed that they need to contact Cadw, giving the precise location and how the picture will be mounted, to determine if scheduled monument consent is required before the artwork can be displayed.”

The application has since been withdrawn.

Community

Local faces appear on BBC Countryfile marking Sea Empress anniversary

Published

53 minutes ago

February 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Programme revisits Milford Haven 30 years after oil spill disaster

TWO well-known Pembrokeshire figures appeared on BBC television on Sunday (Feb 15) as Countryfile marked the 30th anniversary of the Sea Empress oil spill.

Phil Thompson, former public relations manager at the Texaco refinery, and Martin Cavaney, a freelance photographer who regularly works with The Herald, were among those featured during the programme, which looked back at the disaster and its lasting impact on the county.

Presenters Datshiane Navanayagam and Hamza Yassin visited Milford Haven to explore how the area has recovered three decades after the tanker ran aground at the entrance to the waterway while carrying crude oil to the refinery.

The grounding of the Sea Empress on February 15, 1996 resulted in tens of thousands of tonnes of oil being spilled into the sea, contaminating large sections of the Pembrokeshire coastline and becoming one of Britain’s worst environmental disasters.

The programme also featured Mike Ryan, Harbourmaster at the Port of Milford Haven, who explained how the incident led to significant improvements in marine safety.

Ryan, who served for around 30 years in the Royal Navy before joining the port, said the disaster remains part of the waterway’s history and helped focus attention on the need for stronger procedures. This ultimately contributed to the development of modern safety systems, including the Port Marine Safety Code introduced in 2000.

Countryfile also examined the environmental recovery that has taken place since the spill, including work by scientists and conservationists to protect wildlife across Pembrokeshire’s coastline.

The Sea Empress disaster prompted one of the largest clean-up operations ever seen in Wales, involving salvage crews, emergency responders, volunteers and environmental organisations.

The anniversary remains a significant milestone for communities around Milford Haven, where memories of oil-covered beaches and wildlife continue to resonate 30 years on.

The programme is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Community

New corporate member joins Narberth & Whitland Rotary

Published

22 hours ago

February 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NARBERTH & Whitland Rotary has welcomed its first Corporate Member.

On Wednesday (Feb 11), Stephen Vale, Insurance Broker Manager with Lloyd & Whyte in St Clears, was formally inducted at the club.

The induction ceremony was carried out by South Wales District Governor Ian Hughes, following an introduction by Narberth & Whitland Rotary President Robin Bradbury.

Corporate Membership recognises the increasing emphasis businesses place on corporate social responsibility, enabling companies to give back to their local communities through Rotary’s established structures and projects.

Rotary says corporate membership also offers opportunities for staff development, leadership experience, and involvement in fundraising and volunteering activities that deliver tangible benefits to the community.

Pictured (left to right): South Wales District Governor Ian Hughes, Corporate Member Stephen Vale, and Narberth & Whitland President Robin Bradbury.

Community

Second Milford Haven webcam launched after 1.3m views and US TV feature

Published

1 day ago

February 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Twin live feeds from Herald roof now showcase both marina and Milford Haven Waterway

A SECOND live webcam overlooking Milford Haven has gone live from the roof of 11 Hamilton Terrace — home of The Pembrokeshire Herald — expanding the town’s growing global digital footprint.

The original harbour-facing camera, streamed worldwide via EarthCam, has already clocked up more than 1,300,000 views. It even featured on ABC News in the United States, where the Milford Haven view was broadcast live ahead of a national weather forecast.

That first stream — listed on EarthCam as “Wales Waterway” — looks across Milford Marina and the busy lower reaches of the Haven, capturing ferry departures, commercial shipping, leisure craft and the changing light across the Pembrokeshire skyline.

Now, a second camera has been added, offering a complementary perspective further up the Milford Haven Waterway towards the Cleddau.

A global window on Wales’ largest port

The new feed captures daily activity along the largest port in Wales — from the twice-daily Wales–Ireland ferry sailings to petroleum, oil and gas tankers moving more than 60 million tonnes of cargo each year. Thousands of smaller vessels, from yachts to powerboats, also pass through the Waterway annually.

Together, the two cameras provide twin live perspectives of one of the UK’s most strategically significant maritime corridors.

As dawn broke over Milford Haven this morning, the Waterway lay still beneath a clear sky, the first light spilling across rooftops and masts before stretching out over the wide expanse of the Haven.

From the vantage point of Hamilton Terrace, the scene felt both intimate and expansive — a quiet town waking gently while a major working port prepared for another day of movement and industry.

It is moments like these that help explain the worldwide appeal of the EarthCam streams. Viewers tuning in from across the UK, Europe and North America are not simply watching ships pass; they are witnessing the rhythm of tide and trade, the sweep of weather systems, and the subtle beauty of West Wales unfolding in real time.

From dramatic winter steam plumes rising from power station chimneys to calm summer sunsets over the marina, Milford Haven’s live feeds have become a constantly changing digital canvas.