News

Llangwm: Restoration of church nearing completion

Published

7 years ago

February 27, 2017

Effigy: Saved from damp

AN AMBITIOUS project involving more than 100 volunteers is finally reaching its conclusion with the completion of restoration work on a historic Pembrokeshire church.

Llangwm’s medieval Church of St Jerome was closed for 18 months for the extensive renovations and is now due to reopen its doors next Monday (March 6).

A re-dedication service will be performed by Bishop John Saxbee, former Bishop of Lincoln.

Not only is the building now free from the damp that was threatening its two 700-year-old effigies, it’s now the proud possessor of a state-of-the art air source underfloor heating system, a first for any medieval church in Britain.

It also has a modern audio visual system which can be used not only for services, but for concerts and other events.

The interior – and the exterior if you know where to look – certainly appear different. The pews have gone, replaced by comfy chairs, there’s new carpet on the floor and modern LED lighting.

The two effigies, now known to date back to around 1300 for the woman and 1340 for the man, were saved from further damage by having damp-proof sheets slipped between them and their plinths.

But perhaps the biggest change of all will be the addition of ‘The Talking Tapestry of Langum’, a five-metre long permanent display telling the tale of Llangwm’s Flemish founders and stitched by 30 Llangwm women who gave more than 2,000 hours of their time.

The tapestry, housed in a side chapel, will be declared open in a special ceremony on March 25 by the Flemish government’s representative in Britain, Nic van der Marliere.

It can be visited by groups between then and Easter, when it will be open to all visitors.

The tapestry will be accompanied by a downloadable app giving the story of the Flemish settlers, spanning almost 400 years from the time the Flemings arrived with William the Conqueror, to the death of the last of the main line of descendants of the original family.

The app will be ‘narrated’ by Mabel the Fleming, who appears with her husband Hugh in Haverfordwest’s extensive 13th century property records – and who 800 years on, has now been given a voice.

But the church renovation wasn’t without its problems.

After removing the floor to install the heating, workmen found bones, thought to date back to the 15^th or 16^th centuries, which had probably been scattered by builders the last time this type of work was carried out in 1835.

A Victorian-era central heating system was also discovered – proving perhaps that nothing is new.

To add to the problems, having removed the cement render from the walls of the North Transept, which houses a chapel thought to have been built in 1349, the walls were in fact found to be standing on nothing more than mud.

One theory is that experienced stonemasons of the time were in short supply, many having lost their lives in the Black Death.

The church renovation and the creation of the tapestry were part of a larger project, backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and others, which also included DNA testing of Llangwm men (which found a link to men now living in Flanders), an archaeological dig, podcasts, extensive documentary research into the history of the Flemings in Pembrokeshire, and a DVD which will be on sale later in the spring.

Crime

Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case

Published

6 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).

On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.

When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.

Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.

Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).

While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.

After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.

The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.

“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.

“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.

“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.

“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

News

Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police

Published

6 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”

In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”

Business

Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’

Published

9 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.

“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”

Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”

“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”

Find out more about careers at the Port of Milford Haven here: www.mhpa.co.uk/about/careers-at-the-port/.