CENTURIES-OLD CEREMONY DRAWS FAMILIES TO THE RIVERSIDE

HAVERFORDWEST’S historic Beating of the Bounds returned on Sunday (Jun 14), with boats, music and crowds gathering along the riverside for one of the town’s most distinctive civic traditions.

The ceremony saw the Mayor of Haverfordwest and Admiral of the Port, Cllr Randell Thomas-Turner, lead a water-borne procession along the Western Cleddau to the White Stone, the painted boundary marker of the Borough and Port of Haverfordwest.

He was joined by Deputy Mayor Cllr Adam Benson-Davies, Town Sheriff Cllr Dani Thomas-Turner, Deputy Lieutenant Patricia Porter OBE and her daughter, the Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, the Chairman of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, Reverend Sophie Whitmarsh, Andrew Merfyn Phillips the High Sheriff of Dyfed, and other invited guests.

A flotilla of boats from Neyland, Milford Haven and other parts of the Haven made its way upriver for the ceremony, with civic leaders and dignitaries travelling out to the White Stone.

Upon reaching the marker, Reverend Sophie Whitmarsh, the Mayor’s Chaplain, gave a blessing as the boats gathered around the painted white rock.

Cllr Thomas-Turner then delivered the traditional proclamation, formally reaffirming the town’s ancient boundaries and rights.

He declared: “Let it be known that I come to the White Stone and do this day acknowledge and maintain the ancient bounds and privilege of the Borough and Port of Haverfordwest.”

The ceremony was accompanied by a busy family event at the Quayside Car Park, where Pure West Radio broadcast live from the riverside and crowds enjoyed face painting, bouncy castles, ice cream and food stalls.

Local artist and musician Steve Bartram performed during the afternoon, while children from Vision Arts entertained the crowd with songs from Disney films and musical theatre, including I’ve Got No Strings from Pinocchio.

Milford Haven Town Band also performed, adding a traditional soundtrack to the occasion as the historic ceremony unfolded on the river.

With the Bristol Trader open and people sitting out on benches along the river enjoying the evening atmosphere, the event brought a relaxed summer feel to the town centre.

Security for the event was provided by RM Training and Security Solutions, helping ensure the celebrations ran safely for families and visitors.

First aid cover was provided by St John Ambulance Cymru, with four team members on site throughout the event.

Beating the Bounds is an ancient civic custom, once used to mark and remember parish or town boundaries before modern maps and records. In Haverfordwest, the tradition survives in a particularly distinctive form, with the Mayor travelling by boat to the White Stone to acknowledge the historic bounds and privileges of the borough and port.

This year’s event combined formal civic ceremony with music, family entertainment, river activity and a strong community turnout, helping to keep one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known traditions alive for another generation.

Photos by The Pembrokeshire Herald, Aad Oostermeijer, Cllr Thomas Tudor and Darthy Media

PEMBROKESHIRE Chess Club is celebrating a fantastic weekend after being crowned champions of the Welsh Chess Union Premier League Under-1850.

The club played its final match of the season today, beating Abergavenny to win the league outright.

Earlier in the season, Pembrokeshire recorded wins against Castell Nedd, North Cardiff and Morriston, as well as drawing with Cardiff Tigers.

Although the club previously won the competition online during the Covid period, this is its first over-the-board league title.

A club spokesperson said it was “great to represent the county against teams from across Wales” and congratulated all the players who registered for the competition.

Those involved were Ben Brewer, Martin Jones, Scott Hammett, Mark Paffard, Henry Burton, Huw Jones and Kevin Heady.

Following its recent AGM, the club has now decided to enter two teams in next year’s competition, giving more members, especially junior players, the chance to take part.

It was also a successful weekend for two of the club’s juniors, Jozef Othen and Harry Harling, who played with distinction in an invitation Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire match against Carmarthenshire on Saturday afternoon.

Jozef also competed in an online Megafinals event on Saturday morning, progressing to the Gigafinals.

The club will hold its first ever Junior Rapid Tournament on January 24, with more details to follow.

Pembrokeshire Chess Club also praised FIDE Master Alexis Harakis, who has been coaching and supporting juniors and senior members of the recently formed Fishguard Chess Club.

The club said his involvement would help raise standards and benefit chess across the county.

Pictured are today’s winning team: Ben, Martin, Scott and Mark.

Pembrokeshire Chess Club are the 2026 champions of the Welsh Chess Union Premier League Under-1850.

HUNDREDS of worshippers gathered at Pembroke Castle today for a major Christian event bringing churches together from across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

The Picnic, Prayer and Praise event took place on Sunday (Jun 14), with people invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnics for an afternoon of worship inside one of Wales’ most historic castles.

The event was led by Sound of Wales, alongside local churches, and also included Korean Christians from London who took part in their own distinctive style.

The programme began at 1:00pm, with free entry for worshippers between 12 noon and 5:00pm.

Organisers said the aim was to unite Christians in prayer for Pembrokeshire and Wales, while celebrating faith through music, worship and fellowship.

Castle Trustee Roger Baker previously described the gathering as “an extraordinary opportunity to unite Christians in one of the great castles of Wales.”

He said: “What a way to give Pembrokeshire a united voice of praise to our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The event has become a growing fixture in the Pembrokeshire Christian calendar, with previous gatherings attracting large crowds despite challenging weather.

Today’s event made full use of the castle’s dramatic setting, with worshippers gathering within the ancient walls for an afternoon of praise, reflection and community.