News

The Skomer Island Project

Published

10 years ago

April 28, 2016

Tom Sinclair

Skomer: famed for its wildlife and for the survival of its ancient field systems

AT THE BEGINNING of this month, the Skomer Island Project team returned to Skomer to undertake the latest phase of archaeological research on the Island.

The Herald contacted the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales (RCAHMW) who kindly provided us with an update and photographs of their latest visit to Skomer.

Skomer Island is a highly protected landscape famous for its puffins and other breeding seabirds, but it is also home to some of the best preserved prehistoric field systems and settlements anywhere in Britain.

The Royal Commission began the Skomer Island Project in 2011, together with colleagues from the University of Sheffield and Cardiff University, to find out more about the prehistoric communities who lived once and farmed here.

New airborne laser scanning has allowed detailed mapping of every field and round house while fieldwork has demonstrated that settlement on the island extends back some 5000 years.

This year archaeologists Louise Barker and Toby Driver (RCAHMW), Bob Johnston (University of Sheffield) and Oliver Davis (Cardiff University) were delighted to be joined by geographer and environmental scientist Sarah Davies of Aberystwyth University.

The aims of this year’s work were twofold; to excavate one of the Island’s main archaeological features, a prehistoric field boundary and the continuation of geophysical survey within the improved fields surrounding the old farm in the centre of the Island.

Despite Storm Katie cutting short our planned four days of fieldwork, we managed to achieve our goals in the two sunny and still days we had and were also lucky enough to witness the return of the puffins.

The focus of our small evaluation trench was a substantial lynchet, part of the Northern Field Systems on the Island.

A lynchet is a bank of earth that builds up on the down slope of a field ploughed over a period of time and the resulting earth or plough soil is important for helping us reconstruct the environmental history of the Island, identify what was being cultivated and possibly at what date.

Therefore, the principal focus of the excavation was to recover samples of the soils within the lynchet which will now be carefully analysed over the coming months.

Preliminary results from the geophysical survey also look positive. Within the improved fields surrounding the farm in the centre of the Island, there is little evidence for surviving archaeology; however geophysics undertaken in 2012 did reveal subsurface archaeological features and we wanted to see if this was the case elsewhere.

This was indeed the case, and in the area surveyed directly to the west of the farm, the gradiometer detected a linear feature, perhaps a ditch cut by later cultivation ridges.

As ever the Skomer Island Project team would like to thank the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and the Skomer Wardens for their continued support and help with our work on the Island.

Community

Pembrokeshire Chess Club crowned Welsh champions

Published

22 minutes ago

June 14, 2026

Herald Sport

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.

Charity

Music event to support disabled access project at Dale seafront

Published

5 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CHARITY concert aimed at improving access to the coast for disabled people is set to take place at Dale Seafront later this month.

The event, called Music for Changing Places, will be held on Saturday, June 27, and will raise money for a new toilet and changing facility designed to help disabled people enjoy time on the water and at the beach.

Organisers say the project will support greater accessibility in Dale, helping more people enjoy watersports and the coastline through specialist facilities and equipment.

The afternoon and evening event will feature a range of live music acts, with free admission for visitors, although donations will be welcomed to support the cause.

Music will begin at 2:30pm with performances from the Music for Fun group, followed by the Cleddau Flutes at 3:45pm.

At 5:00pm, the Malva Ukrainian band will take to the stage, before the day concludes with folk music from the Varifolkals folk band at 6:15pm.

The fundraiser is linked to the Dale Changing Places project, which aims to create a specialist accessible toilet and changing facility for disabled visitors, helping ensure more people can enjoy Pembrokeshire’s coastline regardless of mobility needs.

The project also supports accessible water activities, with adapted equipment helping disabled users get onto the water safely.

Organisers are encouraging residents and visitors to attend, enjoy an afternoon of music by the sea, and support a cause designed to make Dale more inclusive for everyone.

Community

Christians gather at Pembroke Castle for day of prayer and praise

Published

5 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

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.

***Faith at the castle:*** **The mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes** **and Town Crier, Cllr Gareth Jones, attended the event**

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.

***Visitors: Mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes, and Pembroke Town Crier, Cllr Gareth Jones, with members of the SCON Korean Christian youth group***

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.”

***Faith at the castle: Worshippers gathered at Pembroke Castle for the Picnic, Prayer and Praise event on Sunday (Pic: Herald).***

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.