Llais Rhian Issue 23

Issue 23

May 2018

Thumbs up from the children of Croesgoch!

Congratulations to the Ysgol Croesgoch School Orchestra on their success at the Urdd Instrumental Eisteddfod. They now go on to represent the school and Pembrokeshire at the National Eisteddfod in May.

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More news from Ysgol Croesgoch ....

Congratulations also to Cerys Witchell and Alannah Hull on their performances at the County Urdd Eisteddfod. Cerys will also go forward to the National Eisteddfod in Builth Wells. Pob lwc blant!

And we have a short story by Sam Kelly from Year 5 – a budding young writer for the future!

Jeff the talented dog “DECLAN!!!” a voice came booming down the stairs.

“Yes mam,” I replied in a shrill voice.

“Tidy your Lego up, it’s doin’ me head in.”

Looking up from the miniscule screen of my phone, I cried “I’ll do it after tea.”

“Alright, just pack your spaceship up it’s been there long enough.”

I heard a weird clicking sound. It sounded like it was coming from the basement.

That didn’t worry me though because I was pretty sure it was just rats.

By the time I had come off the phone it was already teatime. I strolled into the crowded kitchen. My two sisters were already sitting down but Mam and Dad were busily juggling pots and pans. The delicious smell of freshly made spaghetti bolognaise pervaded the cramped room. I sat down on the oak chair. It was as cold as ice. Most of the meal was spent in silence until Mam started a conversation. By this time, me and my sisters had finished our food. She gave us permission to leave the table as long as I would go upstairs to clean up the Lego.

I went upstairs to clean up the Lego but when I got there half of the bricks were missing but at least the spaceship was still there. I wondered if my two sisters had taken it. It did seem like they had a joyful aura following them around the dinner table. The missing bricks didn’t worry me that much though. Anyway I just wanted to relax for the rest of the evening.

When I woke up the next morning the spaceship had disappeared! I went looking for it. I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find it and then I realised where I hadn’t looked. In the basement! The door was opened a crack and the light was on. I slowly approached the door and with my right foot pushed the door open.

CREEEAAAAAKKKKKK! And to my amazement I saw Jeff my dog lifting up the 2

antenna from my spaceship with his teeth and with caution planting it on top of a Lego Eiffel tower….

And here we are three years later. Now Jeff has nine Lego associated world records to his name and he has even learnt how to play ‘Lego worlds’ on the Play station. And he has now become a YouTube sensation.

And on to intrepid achievements on the coast: Ras Dewi Sant – Coastal Marathon and Half-marathon 2018 Postponed from the snowy weekend in March, the Man-Up coastal marathon, Ras Dewi Sant, along with the half marathon and 10K run, eventually took place on Saturday 7th April.

March snow was replaced by April mud!

We recount the experiences of some of our readers who survived the mud to tell the tale…..

First the daunting challenge of the full marathon: An early start as the intrepid runners left Mathry at 8 in the morning to begin their 26-mile challenge along the coast from Abercastle to Whitesands, round to Caerfai, and back up through St Davids, finally climbing the cathedral steps to the Square, and a welcome massage!

Ieuan Jenkins and Meirion Williams were stoically representing the Llais Rhian area and we caught up with them (not literally) as they came through Abereiddi, still looking fresh though mud stained! They completed the course in just under 7 hours….no mean feat!

Chris Tilley, from Trefin, tells us how he got back into ‘senior’ running, and after his success in the Ras Dewi Sant half marathon, he is now keen to take on more challenges: ‘When I’m 64’ The Beatles iconic song was playing in the background three years ago when my son Jamie, a keen triathlete, challenged me to do the ‘Beast Bach’ run over the Preseli mountains. I had just a year to get my body and mind back into fitness and at 64 that was a challenge!

I have always kept reasonably fit, but hadn’t done any running for over 20 years, so it was a slow, painful road, often very hard going running the Pembrokeshire coastal path in wind, rain and ankle-deep mud – what was I thinking?!

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Nonetheless I persevered and tamed the ‘Beast’. Several 10k runs followed, including the Snowdonia Trail 10k which was gruelling to say the least. Cheered on by my wife Rose and my two grandsons, it was the hardest thing I have ever done.

My next challenge was to complete a half-marathon (13 miles) and with St. Davids just up the road, the 2018 ‘Ras Dewi Sant’ was an obvious choice. I booked my place and continued to push up my mileage and believe me there were times during those months of rain & snow that I would have been happier in front of the fire with a pint and the paper!

Snow led to the race being postponed, which gave me a few more weeks in the gym and on the path. Being prepared and up to fitness is very important when you’re a senior runner. I am very fortunate to have a Sports Podiatrist and advisor for a son, because your feet really do need all the care and support they can get, never mind your knees, hips and back!

Winning 1st place in my category of ‘over 60’s’ in the Ras Dewi Sant half-marathon was a great reward and encouragement to continue doing what I enjoy. Retiring from work in June, I’ll need to keep running and training, or my wife will find me jobs to do! No longer 64, I’m nearer 67 now and have no plans to stop running any time soon.

I’m training now for the Preseli ‘Beast Bach’ in May and will be raising money for ‘Llanrhian Carers Group’, a great local cause.

If you would like to sponsor me or find out more about the Carers group, please give me a call – 01348 837649.

But perhaps not quite so much planning and training for the youngsters involved - Ella Sutton from Tretio tells us how she and her brother Ben came to be in the race …. and it wasn’t a 100% voluntary decision by him!

Ben and I have competed in the Ras Dewi Sant for several years. This year we were both happy when the ‘Beast from the East’ meant it was postponed to a date when I was back from university and Ben back from trekking in Nepal, supposedly with all the altitude adaptations!

Friday evening came, and we still hadn’t booked. I texted Adam, a friend from tetrathlon, and he agreed to run, which meant we all were, like it or not!

I signed us all up, much to the disappointment of Ben who was lying on the floor complaining that he’d eaten too much!

We all slipped and fell our way around the course. Ben and Adam both finished well under the 2-hour mark and I was not too far over. I think it was fair to say Ben and I 4

may have benefitted from some more training judging by our recovery aches and pains, but no doubt we will be back to do the next one too!

Congratulations to all who ran in the 10k, half and full marathons and thank you to all the organizers who run it and to those who officiate - it is much appreciated.

Ella and Adam are doing another half-marathon in Swansea in June along with their Welsh Tetrathlon teammates, raising money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of their close friend and team mate Issie, aged 19, who passed away unexpectedly at the end of January. If you would like to support them, you can donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/walestetrathlonteam

Changes at Abereiddi…

Abereiddy Update - this statement was issued, as you can see, in March. You may have seen it on Facebook and many people will by now be aware of the new proposals and arrangements, but we have reproduced the statement to clarify the situation: Abereiddy Update March 2018: New Parking System from Easter 2018 ALL ENQUIRIES: please call The Man-Up Management Team: 07855 954702.

It cannot have gone un-noticed that the land utilised as the beach ‘car park’ at Abereiddy has been significantly reduced in size as a result of severe winter weather, particularly by the exceptional storms of 2013. Less than 50% of the original car parking area now remains, and as well as its diminished capacity, the remaining surface of the land is in a very poor state and largely unsuitable for vehicle parking.

Abereiddy, the Blue Lagoon, Coast Path and general area remain ever popular with day trippers and tourists. An increase in visitor numbers to this popular spot has resulted in the road network to the beach and the much-reduced parking area becoming stretched beyond usable and environmental limits. The congestion and ad-hoc ‘free for all parking’ seriously affects user experience of the area and can have a negative impact on the day trippers and tourists, whose financial support to the community is a major asset to the local economy.

In response to the deteriorating situation at Abereiddy, meetings have been held for a number of years with key stakeholders - including local residents, neighbouring landowners, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Pembrokeshire County Council, to find a safe and appropriate solution to the issue.

The assistance and support of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum at meetings organised by Mr Paul Renfro of the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter and chaired by former Member of Parliament, Mr Nick Ainger, have been invaluable.

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During the main summer holiday period of 2017, it became more apparent than ever that providing unattended parking at the site has become untenable due to the advanced erosion and congestion, resulting in reports of: - Vehicles being stuck in and damaged by the poor surface; - Motorists being blocked in for a number of hours by inconsiderate parking; - Motorists being stuck in traffic jams in and around the car park for up to 40 mins.

- Road rage incidents resulting from inconsiderate parking and jams; - Vehicles being bumped by cars manoeuvring in confined spaces; - And worryingly, near misses of persons almost being hit by vehicles.

Additionally the number of motorists intent on squeezing their vehicles into the car park has caused serious ecological damage by stretching the boundaries of the parking area thereby destroying vegetation, and blocking public footpaths, road ways and residential access points.

The area has become renowned as a haven for adventure sports - for individuals, private groups and professional companies. These activities come with the increased risk of incidents and accidents occurring and potentially requiring the need for emergency services to attend. It is therefore imperative to ensure that access to any response vehicle is made as easily, quickly and safely as possible.

Under the current circumstances this is virtually impossible.

In 2017 a replacement car park was opened on the approach road to Abereiddy, some 400m from the beach. This car park alleviated much of the congestion with many of the visitors opting to park there, pleased not to have to negotiate the poor surface of the former beach parking area and the associated traffic problems of reaching there.

During August however, many people still insisted on cramming into the remains of the beach car park meaning that whilst the problem was reduced, it was not totally resolved. This year’s winter storms have reduced the former parking area by a further 1.5m (5 ft) and there is an increasing likelihood that the sea will claim the whole area in the near future.

The time has come to follow up on the 2017 pilot replacement parking area and build in contingencies to ensure that whatever Mother Nature has in store, Abereiddy will remain open to the public for their enjoyment and the continued benefit of the local community, businesses and tourist trade. “Therefore, to ensure the beach "Car Park" is able to accommodate the early season visitors in a safe, pleasant and ecological friendly manner, emergency work will be carried out immediately on the surface and boundaries of the land. In conjunction with this work, we will also be working with the appropriate authorities to find and agree long term and sustainable options, which will help keep this great location open and accessible to businesses and the public for years to come".

To ensure the car park is managed in a safe and responsible manner for the benefit and safety of all users, a local company (Man-Up UK Ltd) has been appointed to ensure that parking restrictions are maintained and upheld.

Funding for this project and the ongoing parking supervision will be raised by means of parking fees being put in place from the beginning of the Easter weekend to 31st 6

October each year.

To help ensure this has an even more positive effect for local residents, a yearly parking pass will be issued “free of charge” to all residents within the Llanrhian Council Ward, valid for both the beach parking area and the replacement car park.

Details of how to obtain your pass are at the bottom of this notice.

The management of the beach parking area will mean that capacity will be reduced, and vehicles directed to the replacement car park as necessary. This arrangement will make the area a better experience for local residents and visitors alike, thus promoting it positively as well as providing additional local employment.

You can obtain your free residential pass by emailing manupukevents@gmail.com or calling 07855 954702 or by visiting the beach. You will need to provide your name, address and car registration.

The Curious Case of the Pembrokeshire Dangler (no, not someone who might initiate a police hunt, but actually a strange weather phenomenon) You may remember a few occasions early last winter, particularly at the end of November, when we in North Pembrokeshire were pelted with repeated heavy hail showers, while the rest of the UK remained dry. Cold, but dry.

Why was that?

Well, all down to the effect of a weather system called the ‘Pembrokeshire Dangler’.

A phenomenon described in Wikipedia as a persistent narrow band of showers in the Irish Sea. The band of showers often sits over Pembrokeshire – hence the term ‘dangler’.

What causes it? Well, when a northerly wind blows down the Irish Sea it maintains its original direction whilst it is over water, but when it encounters land, friction causes the wind to change direction a little to NNW or NNE. And as this wind over the land collides with the northerly winds over the sea, it forces the air upwards.

This upward motion of air causes big clouds, which give showers of rain, hail or snow. This usually happens in autumn or winter when cold Arctic air moving over the warm Irish Sea gives the best conditions for these clouds to form.

Only in Pembrokeshire, we’re told – and North Pembrokeshire at that. We always knew we were special!

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Celtic Quest Coasteering - Coasteering is almost synonymous with Abereiddi these days. We asked Cleopatra Browne to tell us a bit more about it: What do I do as part of Celtic Quest Coasteering...?

I absolutely love my job - essentially, I get paid to play in the sea!! Not only am I able to spend my days adventuring on the stunning Pembrokeshire coast but I also get to share that adventure with visitors.

Often described as extreme rock-pooling, coasteering involves exploring a stretch of coastline in the zone where sea meets land. Imagine kayaking without a boat, surfing without a board or bungee jumping without a bungee.

Some days we have rough seas and liquid sunshine (rain). What better place to be on a wet day than exploring the impact zone, that point where sea meets land.

Waves make the coastline come to life, giving us the option to take a spin in the water features (washing machine and toilet flush being two of my favourites!). In summer we get days of blazing sunshine, blue sky and crystal clear still waters as we work our way along a stretch of coastline, cliff jumping, adventure swimming, exploring caves and often meeting the local wildlife, including giant spider crabs and Atlantic grey seals.

The variety of sea and weather conditions combined with the diversity of our visitors means my job is never boring. No two coasteering adventures are ever the same!

Why should people visit Pembrokeshire and take part in all the activities we offer...?

The birthplace of coasteering, Pembrokeshire’s coastline is a natural water park, ideally suited to our sea-based activities. We welcome the challenge of introducing everyone over 8 years of age to an unforgettable adventure. No matter what swimming ability or indeed fitness level, we can tailor an experience to suit. If someone is willing to give it a go, the only compulsory bit is getting wet, everything else is optional. We supply all the kit and equipment, including wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets.

It's not just about the cliff jumping and adrenalin. Coasteerers get access to stretches of the coast that are otherwise inaccessible and see Pembrokeshire from a unique perspective. People are encouraged to join a guided group which not only has safety advantages, but also taps into the expert’s knowledge of the environment. We at Celtic Quest are keen to educate visitors with marine and environmental trivia, sharing the importance of sustainable adventuring.

Why Abereiddy......?

I've been a professional Coasteering Guide for 20 years this year! Having worked for a number of other organisations over the years, I saw an opportunity to really make coasteering accessible to all. Not just the extreme adrenalin enthusiasts but also 8

'normal' folks - families, non- swimmers and people with disabilities. The majority of our clients are just normal people looking for an adventure at their own level and pace.

Abereiddy Bay is ideal for all levels of adventurer. It's super sheltered from even ferocious storms - the northern coastline in particular is great. With our intimate knowledge of that stretch of coast and its behaviour, we are able to adventure at all states of tide and often in quite rough conditions. The calm waters of the Blue Lagoon afford us the opportunity to introduce people with disabilities to water-based adventure. Many of these are wheelchair users, so the accessible coast path is vital.

Sustainable tourism is one of our top priorities. As such, we encourage visitors to stay on track when venturing to and from the coastline, fully aware that the number of visitors we bring to the area could have a massive impact. That said our numbers have not increased, we've found a happy work/life balance. I have managed a small team of 6 Guides for many years now. One day, Rodney, we'll be millionaires, but it won't be through coasteering!

We conduct a #2minutebeachclean with every adventure and an annual 'big' beach clean. Many of our visitors walk in or catch the coastal shuttle bus, and those that don't are encouraged to park responsibly (the top field is ideal for this purpose).

Pop over and say hello if you're visiting the beach! We love chatting with locals, gaining insight into this little oasis at the west end of Wales.

Celtic Quest Coasteering 01348 837337 www.celticquestcoasteering.com

The Rock Lady of Porthgain Nestling under the cliffs at Porth Ffynnon, just west of Porthgain, is this rock lady, clearly visible from the coast path - once you’ve seen her, you can’t miss her.

But she doesn’t appear to be too happy at having been discovered!

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Jack the Ripper in Porthgain? (taken from a story printed in ‘Pembrokeshire Life’ magazine in February this year) You would not expect Porthgain to be associated with someone like Jack the Ripper. But in 1880, a young Porthgain girl became married to an apparently handsome and flamboyant man, who later turned out to be a mass murderer and a prime suspect in the notorious Ripper killings.

Marie Deeming was born in 1854, one of four daughters of John James, a Porthgain quarryman who lived in one of the cottages in The Street.

Like many young girls at the time, she could barely read or write when at age 19, she left her home in Porthgain to go into domestic service, finding employment in the Birkenhead area. She went on to meet Fred Deeming, a good looking and wellspoken man who was regarded as ‘a good catch’ by Marie’s family and friends.

After their marriage, Fred frequently left his new wife, to travel alone. But despite rumours of his involvement in violent robberies, she eventually went on to join him in Sydney in Australia. Children followed, but Fred was never far from crime, adopting aliases and covering his tracks by keeping on the move, settling for a while in Cape Town, where his long-suffering wife and young children again went on to join him.

His life was filled with fraud, theft, bankruptcy and swindling, and with the net closing in on him, Fred Deeming sent his wife and family back to England, following on himself in 1889. And it was in that year that it appears he decided that they should all take a trip to Porthgain to visit Marie’s father, sisters and brother.

With people unaware of Fred’s reputation, which he had kept from the family, there was great excitement in the village prior to Fred and Marie Deeming the visit, with everyone anxious to meet the rich and handsome gold mining engineer who had married a local girl. And they were not disappointed with Marie’s flamboyant husband who ‘favourably impressed the village folk with his apparent pleasing disposition’.

After the family left Pembrokeshire and went on to settle again in the north of England, things continued as before with Fred living a life of deceit, constantly disappearing as crime followed him around with a series of extraditions, prison sentences, deceptions and swindling. Then when he courted and bigamously married other women it couldn’t continue and, one night, poor Marie was murdered 10

by Fred, along with her children, with their bodies buried in concrete under the kitchen floor of their home in Rainshill, Merseyside.

He covered up their disappearance with stories of overseas travel, but after a new wife in Australia met the same fate, Fred Deeming’s crimes eventually caught up with him.

However, what had seemed like a simple murder case in Melbourne soon took on an international dimension, and smart detective work led to the excavation of the house in Rainshill, where the bodies were discovered of poor Marie Deeming from Porthgain and her four children.

Fred Deeming was hanged for the murder of his second wife in Melbourne in 1892, but he was known to have committed many more crimes, not least the Rainshill murders. It has been suggested several times that he was linked to the Jack the Ripper killings in Whitechapel in 1888. He was certainly thought to have been in London at that time.

The press had a field day with the case, with headlines in the New York Times, and Madame Tussaud’s creating a waxwork effigy of Fred Deeming.

Sadly, the one place the news was slow to reach was Marie Deeming’s home village of Porthgain. The reporter who eventually travelled there was faced with breaking the news of her murder to her father and sisters.

‘When I reached The Artramont Arms in Croesgoch, I found that Mr and Mrs Deeming were well known there, but, much to my surprise the people had not heard a sound of the terrible tragedy. I then ordered my driver to proceed to Porthgain.

The foreman of the Quarry and Brickworks informed me that tidings had only just reached the murdered woman’s family. He very kindly volunteered to accompany me in the direction of the cottage in which they lived. John James, Mrs Deeming’s father, appeared so dumbfounded at the news of his daughter’s and grandchildren’s fate that he could scarcely reply to anything’.

It had been a tragic life and death for the young girl from Porthgain, at the hands of someone who was just possibly Jack the Ripper.

And more intriguing tales from the 19th century……

‘A Remote Corner of Wales’– the life and death of the controversial Major Hewitt in Llanrhian in the 1860’s as described by Simon Morgan: The ongoing controversy about the opening of the Premier Inn in St Davids, has caused division, with opposing sides including NOPI and YEPI debating the varying merits of preserving the uniqueness and special character of the area, versus moving forward and modernisation.

It is interesting to note that over 150 years ago there were similar conflicts in the Dewisland area following publication of an article in ‘Bentleys Miscellany’ entitled “A remote corner of Wales” and referring specifically to the Dewisland area.

The article was written by a certain J.F.N. Hewett, a newcomer to the Llanrhian parish, but certainly one of the more controversial characters of the time.

On the 23rd August 1861 the Pembrokeshire Herald carried an advertisement for 11

“THE LEASES of the valuable SLATE &FLAG QUARRIES, known as the BARRY ISLAND SLATE WORKS, situate in the parish of Llanrian” The whole was offered in four lots comprising the “Aberiddy Quarry, Porthgain Quarries, Velindre House and Trwyn LLwyd Quarry”.

This advertisement clearly caught the eye of a Captain John Frederick Napier Hewett, son of Col. J. P. Hewett, Deputy Lieutenant of Glamorgan, of the Tir-Mab Ellis estate in Glamorganshire, as, later in 1861, he acquired all four leases.

Captain Hewett was only 28 years old when he acquired the quarries. How capable he was in developing the industry is not clear. However there was very little production in the quarries with a total of only 12 workers employed in 1861.

Captain Hewett had served several years in the army and had been stationed with his regiment in Africa.

He wasn’t afraid of controversy: The year after he moved to Llanrhian, a book of his was published entitled “European Settlements on the West Coast of Africa” in which he exposed the slave trade and expressed very unfavourable opinions about the dissenting missionaries he had come into contact with.

Captain Hewett moved to Felindre House with his wife and children and was promoted to the rank of Major a few years after arriving in Llanrhian.

He played an active role in the local hunt scene, but it appears did not really focus on the quarries. Indeed within 3 years of purchase, the quarries were passed over to the United Slate and Slab Company for a tidy profit, and it was only then that investment in the quarries took place.

Captain (now Major) Hewett had not been long in Llanrhian when he published an article in ‘Bentleys Miscellany’ signed J.F.N.H. The article was entitled “A remote corner of Wales” and it certainly caused controversy in the Dewisland area, as it appeared to ridicule both the area and its people which, needless to say, did not go down well.

Major Hewett recognised the popular interest in remote areas, and, as with the Premier Inn debate, he drew parallels between St Davids Peninsular and areas like Cornwall and Scotland. Whether he was trying to promote the area in which he now lived, or not, is not clear!

The introduction read: To be out of the world is considered in these days to be distant from a railway or from the metropolis and if this dictum holds good, three places in Britain are preeminently distinguished for remoteness and these are John o’ Groats, the Land's End and St David's; three of the four corners as it were of the island.

As tourists penetrate to the extreme north of Scotland, and the Land's End has lately attracted more attention than formerly it obtained, the third place of the trio, being inaccessible by rail and en route to nowhere is, perhaps, the latest visited of all. As this particular spot boasts a noble cathedral, and the inhabitants still converse in their primitive tongue and cling to their ancient costume, a brief sketch of the district and its people may not be altogether uninteresting.

However the article that followed was, in places, far from complimentary…..

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The females almost universally adhere to the Welsh costume, but they lack that comeliness which is generally possessed by the Welsh women.

It has even been said that Queen Elizabeth offered a reward to those who should marry any one of them.

He didn’t hold back either when describing the church and clergy..

Service is too often performed in some of the churches in a manner, I will not say irreverent, but slovenly, and I have seen a clergyman robe in the pulpit and comb his hair with his fingers, and when administering the holy sacrament produce a black bottle and give it a shake, or hold it up against the light, in order to see if the wine is sufficient.

The area itself also wasn’t always reported favourably. Perhaps some things haven’t changed that much since; there is reference to the Croesgoch to Haverfordwest road (the current B4330) …..

About one third of the way towards Fishguard is a cross country road to Haverfordwest which is bounded on each side by high hedgeless banks and is frequently more like a water course than what is generally understood as a road. Six bridgeless brooks run across the way and ditches are almost unknown. The consequence is that a person driving a dog cart fast is almost certain to be thrown out or to break his shafts. Cattle appear to frequent the roads more than the fields.

It is true to say that the article was not well received locally. There followed a series of critical letters in ‘The Pembrokeshire Herald’ from local inhabitants.

Eventually in 1865 Major Hewett felt obliged to respond and (sort of) apologise: The article was declared to be hostile to the “remote corner” and the “Pembrokeshire Ladies”. The public took their cue from this and followed suit with the diatribes without having read the article. I did not say, and never intended to convey the idea, that the Pembrokeshire ladies are not good looking, and nothing could be further from my thoughts and I am sorry a harmless and ancient joke should have been so misconstrued. The offence if any lies at the door of the interpreters.

Major Hewett was highly esteemed by the members of society with whom he socialised, and he was recognised as a keen sportsman and Master of the Hunt.

However, not least because of his ‘Remote Corner of Wales’ article, he was, perhaps, less well regarded by the rest of the local inhabitants. He was accused of being “tinged with strong antipathies of this remote corner of Wales and of Pembrokeshire ladies in particular”.

It was probably true therefore, that there may have been mixed feelings when a notice appeared in the Herald less than a year later announcing the death of Major Hewett on 11th September 1866 at the age of just 33 years.

The inquest was reported in the Herald on 21st September 1866: 13

Mrs Hewett deposed that her late husband immediately before he went to bed, on the previous Monday night (11 Sept 1866) about ten o'clock, took some morphia pills, which he was in the habit of taking occasionally for the purpose of inducing sleep. Between eleven and twelve o'clock, observing him groaning and uneasy, she sent for Dr Williams, his usual medical adviser.

Dr Williams deposed, that he found the deceased in a state of stupor, and too far overcome by the poison to be roused to a state of consciousness that he stayed with the deceased till he died between two and three o'clock in the afternoon of Tuesday. Death had been caused by an over dose of morphia, incautiously taken medicinally by the deceased.

Soon after his death, the family moved back to Glamorgan, and a couple of years later Major Hewett’s father died leaving the Tir Mab estate to Major Hewett’s eldest son.

I am sure that Major Hewett’s early impression of this “Remote Corner of Wales” was that the area was in need of “civilisation” and “modernisation”, but I believe that, in the short time he was here, he came to recognise that the remoteness and uniqueness could be regarded as assets.

The closing paragraphs conclude…

The tourist will find the natives of Kimes and Dewsland civil and obliging to a degree, and so honest that to lock the house door at night is an unnecessary and frequently unpractised precaution.

The yeomen and farmers are intelligent and well to do, and both classes exercise towards the stranger or traveller that simple and unpretending hospitality for which Wales has been celebrated.

His comments were not all negative, and I guess the final statement should be considered complimentary…

In conclusion I may say that there are many localities which bear a high reputation amongst tourists much less interesting than Dewisland, the district under notice.

Major Hewett’s time in the Llanrhian parish was short, but he certainly made his mark in the five years he lived here.

The Watch - A brief history of its inhabitants – from the current owner, Alexandra Tilley Loughrey The Watch, or Watch Cottage, in Llanrhian is one of the area’s iconic buildings, as it remains mainly unchanged as a single storey, stone built ‘bwthyn’ with a traditional cement washed roof.

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It’s featured in beautiful paintings by John Knapp-Fisher and Alun Davies (as well as many others).

The deeds only go back to the early 1900’s. In 1920 Ezer Owen (of Brynhyfryd) left it to Annie Harries. By 1947 it was mortgaged to David and Kathleen Evans of Newcastle Emlyn, along with Jenkin Thomas, a retired colliery weigher from Glamorganshire, who sold it to Barbara Jenkins (wife of Elliot Jenkins) of Llanrhian in 1950. In 1961 Hotelier John Lavis (later of Felindre) bought it to use as a weekend cottage for his family. In 1977 it was sold to Diane Bradley from Buckinghamshire, who I assume used it as a holiday cottage, as I stayed there in the 1980s. In 1991 it sold to Jenny Nicholson-Heathcote who lived there until 2001 when we bought it during the foot and mouth outbreak.

I’ve been visiting Pembrokeshire since 1967, when I used to stay at Beach Cottage, Abereiddy and with a Welsh great grandfather, I was always keen to put down roots locally.

The visitor’s book (we’re onto book four) is full of 18 years of anecdotes of people who love it. Many come back year after year and as well as the local walks, beaches, the Sloop and the Shed, they love the incredible views and the cottage’s character – the walls are so thick that even in the loudest storm, you can’t hear a sound!

The main building is split by a wooden wall to create one bedroom and a living room. The smaller ‘extension’ now houses a shower room and galley kitchen (with a little row of ‘Porthgain’ bricks inserted as a lintel for the tiny window overlooking the lane), but up until the 1970s this was just an ‘outhouse’ used to store coal and an Elsan toilet. Mr Lavis’s advertising flyer from 1966, when it first started being let as a holiday home, describes the cottage as ‘over 200 years old and completely modernised.’ The shopping information states that ‘there is a post office and general store in the village, where all main groceries can be purchased. Meat and milk can be purchased at the door.’

When we redecorated the cottage in 2001, the wall separating the living room from the bedroom revealed about five decades of wallpaper, probably dating back to the 1940’s – starting from dainty little pink and blue flowers, to the quite garish orange designs of the 1970’s. We managed to salvage a piece of the earlier paper, which is now framed on the wall.

I know there are tales of one family of ten living there in the past, but we certainly surpassed the animal resident quota this Easter, as we stayed with our usual family of four, our two dogs and this time eight 5-week-old puppies (thankfully we left the cat at home). I must admit that at times, it was a bit of a squeeze!

A couple of years ago I was in contact with Rhys Davies on Instagram – who lives in Brisbane but said his Mamgu was born and lived at the Watch. Her maiden name was Wilcox, but he said there are also Jenkins in his family. We’d be thrilled to hear any anecdotes of past residents, as well as any photos, so that we can add it to the Watch’s history.

Alexandra Tilley Loughrey alexandra.tl@btopenworld.com 15

Still on the Watch cottage…

Many people have spoken of ‘Willy the Watch’. Meirion Williams passes on his father’s recollections: John ‘Caerau’ recalls a couple living in the Watch Cottage - Mari and Willy (Williams he thinks) - they are buried in Croesgoch cemetery. He was not the tallest of men, a simple soul and known as ‘Willy'r watch’ (Willy of the watch). He would help out when the thrashing machine worked its way along the Penparc to Llanrhian road to smallholdings during hay-making time of the year, when everyone would join in and help one another (those were the good old days!).

Willy would go along with his pitch fork (two-pronged fork) that he kept specifically for hay making. It was immaculate. Willy was very often seen wearing clogs, corduroy trousers, woollen shirt, waist coat and a neckerchief. He called in on the Caerau family often and would bring back the empty milk churn from the top of the lane. His pockets were full of various pieces of string and rope that he used for carrying things, milk churn included). Whenever he walked in to the Caerau cottage he would go straight to the cast iron oven in the sitting room and open the oven and have a look in to see what was on the go. He'd always say ‘Beth sy'n cwcan ma heddi?’ - what's cooking here today? - which would annoy the pants off Dad’s grandfather, Owen Williams (1856 - 1950)!

More from Meirion after the piece in the last issue about the circus coming to Croesgoch….

Fair comment My dad (John Caerau) and Suzelle’s dad (Myrddin Griffiths) remember the circus well, and where it was located very clearly. They were only kids, but they still talk of it fondly. Myrddin recalls elephants walking along the main street! Not sure if that’s correct or whether he’s been on a bit too much aspirin – so weird to hear it now some 50 years on. Must admit I’ve never heard anyone talk about a circus in Croesgoch before.

All I can remember locally is the annual fairs at St Davids, Mathry and Letterston, but they were small compared to the autumn fairs that Mathry once had – so I have been told by my dad today.

It’s a shame they’ve gone as they marked particular points in the year. Mathry fair (Ffair Cytuno – to agree) was on 10th-11th October.

Letterston was one week later.

Landeloy also had a fair just after Mathry.

Another fair in Llandeloy was called Ffair Cwsberis (Gooseberry Fair – Mud (mid?) summer), also a Ffair Rhedeg (running).

Many of the local fairs were tied into the farming calendar, so I’m told. For example, a farm worker would go to Mathry to find work for the new season and agree terms 16

with his, or her, new employer (a farmer usually). A week later was Llandeloy’s Ffair Rhedeg – running fair, where the worker would have a chance to break the agreement if they had second thoughts about the job or the employer or the money – or even if they had found a better job. It gave them a chance to ‘run’ to another job!

If anyone has anything to add to all this, let us know....... llaisrhian@gmail.com Daisybus Gardens – open to the public, April to September. Sarah Wint explains how she and her husband came to open the ‘Daisybus Gardens of Wellbeing’ in this little corner of Pembrokeshire: Over the spring and summer of 2015, I travelled the country in my yellow campervan ‘Daisybus’ to collect stories about how gardens have affected people’s lives.

Having personal experience of how gardening helps with depression and bereavement, I knew there would be other gardeners who could tell similar stories to mine. I had 400 invitations to visit gardens all over the country and had to spend several weeks planning and whittling them down to around 50, before setting off in the bus.

Fairly quickly the novelty of sleeping in the bus wore off – if I’d been 25 not 50 it might not have been so bad, but I’m getting soft in my middle age, and hot water, electricity and a loo are things I don’t want to be without again.

Nevertheless, I love my Daisybus and when you drive one of these campervans you can’t help but be happy as people are always pointing and smiling and waving at you - something that can cause a certain amount of embarrassment when attempting a three-point turn (no power steering) in a blocked Glastonbury High Street.

She never let me down though, and I did 10,000 miles in her, visiting gardens from Cornwall to Norfolk to the Lake District to West Wales, meeting lovely people with amazing gardens and wonderful stories. Over the following winter I wrote up my adventures and published the book Sunshine Over Clover: Gardens of Wellbeing (available on Amazon or, cheaper, in the tearoom of the garden!)

Then I moved here, with my husband William, to my beloved Pembrokeshire and made a garden based on my findings in the book. We’ve made fourteen small themed gardens and mini meadows telling the stories of the ways in which gardening helps people and planet. We garden with wildlife in mind and have been accepted as a ‘Bee Friendly’ location with the Wales Action Plan for Pollinators scheme.

We are proud to be working with Sarah Beynon at the Bug Farm through being a part of the new St David’s Pollinator Trail and are also collaborating with other local 17

growers, gardeners, compost makers and suppliers – I’m a big fan of small businesses.

We are indebted to our neighbour, Picton Morris, who made it possible to open the garden just nine months after starting it, due to his skills with a mini-digger.

Between the three of us we’ve made something I’m proud to share with everyone even though it is still a young garden.

Local builder Chas Thompson, helped by Dave Hill (Chas & Dave - still makes me chuckle!) made a nice tearoom out of an ugly extension.

I am incredibly happy to be here on the St David’s Peninsula – somewhere I have longed to live for years.

Just before we arrived I discovered the word Hiraeth which so perfectly described how I felt about moving here so I’ve squeezed in a ‘Hiraeth Garden’ amongst the others which represents a tiny bit of the Pembrokeshire Coast – my journey’s end.

The Daisybus Gardens of Wellbeing are open April-September Thursdays-Mondays 10am-5pm. Entrance is £2.50, children free and dogs on leads welcome. Between Middle Mill and Llandeloy - follow the blue daisy signs www.daisybusgardens.com Perennial Nursery Many people have fond memories of tea and scones, sunshine and flowers at the Perennial Nursery, for many years owned and run by Philipa Symons. The good news is that it has now re-opened, under new owners, Gill Lewis and Philippa, known as Pippa, Allen: much confusion between Philippas has ensued - and their respective spellings!

The Perennial now is an umbrella (or perhaps we should say Pergola) for a café, farm shop and garden, selling plants, cut flowers and gardenalia. However, the aim is to give every visitor the same enjoyable experience as before.

Gill began with a career in academic botany in various parts of the world, but has been a gardener all her adult life, a garden designer in Pembrokeshire for the last two decades and used to work at the Perennial Nursery as the ‘Saturday girl’. Pippa also has a first degree in botany but was not able to get a job in this field, went on to get her masters and PhD in economics and currently is commuting between here and Swansea University. She has an unruly and interesting garden, keeps bees and cats, and loves a challenge.

Both were inspired to set up a new business together, to enjoy the challenges of putting life-learnt skills into practical use, putting something back into the local community through employing and training younger staff, adding to the St Davids visitor ‘offer’ and supporting the best of local food producers.

The environmental impact of the business is important to us. On the garden side we use all organic and peat-free composts, because bees matter and most commercial composts contain neo-nicotinoids and other pesticides. We generate most of our own plants for sale and grow salads and cut-flowers organically in real soil, not rockwool/hydroponics. We will re-use any clean plastic pots that people want to leave with us, rather than taking them to the tip.

We are selling salads to shops and restaurants within 10 miles of us, and of course in our own Farm Shop on site. The Farm Shop also sells locally reared beef and lamb from Rhosgadw Farm just two miles down the road.

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The Cafe serves many Welsh blended, baked or bottled goodies and of course home-baked scones for cream tea treats. We have speciality teas and coffees, and there are sandwiches and a daily-changing selection of cakes served as well. The cafe is warm and colourful with gardening books to browse. There is plenty of outdoor seating too (....in use already this year!) in the yard or garden, and a special sofa corner in the warmest polytunnel is dubbed ‘The Mock Orangery’ where citrus trees make a green seclusion for relaxing over coffee with a good book.

Plant-wise our collection is small but beautiful - specialising in scented-leaf Pelargoniums, succulents, border perennials and herbs. The garden is looking somewhat bare after a revamp and then the terrible cold and wet this winter but will be buzzing and alive with colour by mid-summer.... we promise!

We will be having a series of skills days here, starting with Simple Design for Smaller Gardens in mid-May and Garden Willow Structures on May 25th.

Please get in touch for further details.

We are open every day except Mondays, 9.30am to 5.30pm.

More details on our web site www.perennialstdavids.co.uk Fascinating Furze, Glorious Gorse…did you know….?

Our Pembrokeshire hedges and cliffs are ablaze in spring and summer with the golden yellow blossoms of this very familiar plant, known by a variety of names in different parts of the British Isles – gorse, furze and whin being the most common, eithin in Welsh, and, more poetically, ‘Fingers and Thumbs’, ‘Honey Bottle’ or ‘French Fuzz’. Two types of this plant are most usual in Wales: Common Gorse and the smaller Western Furze. Common Gorse usually grows to a height of 1-2 metres, and flowers most profusely in April, although there may be a scattering of single flowers throughout the year. Western Furze grows usually under 1 metre, and flowers from July to October.

Gorse flowers are nectar-less. The bees which pollinate them are attracted by their strong perfume of coconut and their bright yellow colour. A bee must literally ‘break in’ to the flower to search for nectar, forcing the petals apart. The bee leaves the flower, having been dusted with its pollen, which gets transferred to the next flower.

If you look carefully, you can spot the damaged flowers that have had a bee visitor.

Gorse provides an important home for wildlife – birds such as the stonechat and linnet nest in it, and caterpillars of several moth species feed on it, creating the communal webs we sometimes find festooned on a branch.

In the old days, gorse was a valuable fuel, burning hot and leaving little ash. Lime kilns were fired by it, and communal bakers’ ovens too. Villagers were permitted to gather gorse from the common land, but only as much as they could carry on their backs.

Another important use for gorse was as fodder, especially in winter when grazing was scarce. It needed to be chopped and crushed to make it edible for the livestock.

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At first this was done by hand with mallets, then by watermills, until the Victorians invented specialised machines to do the job.

The versatile gorse was also rotted or burnt for use as fertiliser, used for hedging, fencing, animal bedding, as a foundation for haystacks, made into walking sticks and umbrella handles, even as a road foundation.

Medicinally, an infusion of gorse flowers was used to treat everything from jaundice to kidney stones, scarlet fever, heartburn and hiccoughs.

Henry VIII enjoyed a glass of gorse wine, and the flowers and bark are still used in a dye which colours traditional tartan cloth.

The magical properties of gorse were believed to protect against evil spirits, and branches would be laid on windowsills or fastened over cottage doors to protect the inhabitants.

And remember… ‘When the gorse is out of bloom, kissing’s out of fashion’!

Left in the Sloop!

We always appreciate ideas for Llais Rhian, and someone suggested we should ask about all the things that had been left behind in the Sloop over the years.

Mmmm, we thought, I bet many and varied - and we were right.

And often of no mean value......surprising what a few pints does to the memory!

There were the obvious coats, hats, gloves and scarves – numerous and frequent.

‘You’ll always get it back’ they say, which is true, but only if you remember and go back for it! Many items are never claimed and over the years, have ended up slipping into the wardrobes of grateful bar staff. One of the perks of the job, perhaps.

Shoes too, and a pair of trainers.

A crutch (just one) and walking sticks (often) – perhaps no longer needed after the owner had experienced the healing powers of a beverage in the Sloop.

A pushchair (no baby though, unlike in the case of a certain prime minister). That stayed there for several days before it was claimed.

But there was a child left behind once – an 8-year old boy, poor lad.

He must have wondered what he’d done wrong!

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But no, the two car loads of his family and friends each thought he was with the others! Thankfully not long before he was claimed....

Numerous phones, but also purses, wallets and handbags. And always with their contents intact and complete when their grateful owners returned for them - even the handbag containing a very large pair of Bridget Jones style bloomers!

Cameras. Sometimes, in the days of old film cameras, with a few extra mysterious shots added by the time the owner retrieved it…

Cash too, sometimes not an insignificant amount, has on occasions escaped from its owner’s pocket on the way into the pub. £200 once, on the steps outside on a Friday evening - reclaimed a few hours later by an extremely relieved young man.

If you’re going to lose something, lose it in Porthgain – you’ll always get it back!

And more news from the Sloop....it was not only the well-known chicken fast food outlet who, last February, suffered at the hands of the delivery company who failed to deliver their rather essential ingredient.

The same company also fell short with the beer supplies at the Sloop – a mix-up of barrels led to a shortage of Carling...CRISIS! It was rumoured that their most regular lunchtime customer almost went into meltdown at the prospect.

Changes at the Ship Inn, Trefin... landlady Meriel reflects on the last two decades…

Thank you to owners Jackie and Brian Maddocks for believing in me twenty years ago. When I got my licence, I was at that time the youngest landlady in Pembrokeshire. I’ve had twenty amazing years here and I can’t thank all my staff enough - without them we wouldn’t have made the pub what it is: my parents Eileen and Bertie, my partner Mike, my son Max, my brothers – we’ve all worked so hard together.

Meriel when she started at the Ship So many lovely people have supplied us with our ingredients: Chris and Viv Prior with free range eggs and lovely logs for the fire, Caerhys Organic Farm with salad and sausages, Rob Rees with potatoes, Solva Seafoods’ Jonno and Sandy with fresh crab, Dewi James our butcher, and Pembrokeshire Foods, Brake Bros and Castell Howell.

Thanks to our local micro-breweries Mantle, Bluestone and Gwaun Valley who have helped keep the beer flowing, along with our main beer rep Tony Jones at Coors.

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There are so many memories, it’s hard to know what to pick in a short piece: - Beautiful sunny days doing the pub garden, and then seeing it full of happy customers during the summer - The day we brought Max home in July 2001, to be greeted by a welcome party of locals - Wedding parties, birthdays, christenings, funerals – sharing significant times in local lives.

- One of the best memories was of seeing in the new Millennium, as just for that one day licensing laws were relaxed, and after an all-night opening we watched the sun rise on that special morning along with our hardy customers!

My working life now is as relief manager for Jason Slater’s company, which owns 13 pubs across the county. I’m excited to be facing this new challenge and looking forward to meeting lots of new people.

Mike is continuing his grass-cutting and gardening services, and can be contacted on 07904 943147 Max is studying Business at Pembrokeshire College and assisting the chefs in the Allt Yr Afon kitchen.

Whilst our lives have changed a lot now we have left the pub, we have not gone far, as our new home is in Penparc.

I’m thankful for the years I’ve had at the Ship and wish Mari-Anne all the very best as she takes over the reins there.

Contact: Facebook Ship Inn Trefin or please call 01348 831445 And now to our other locals…

Artramont Arms, Croesgoch Pub is open seven days a week.

Good Real Ale and Real Good Food cooked to order.

Wednesday to Saturday 5pm - 8.45pm.

Artramont Chip Shop - using local potatoes and housebattered top-quality fish. Also home-made curries.

Eat in or takeaway. Phoning ahead is advised!

Children and dogs welcome.

Post Office in the Artramont Tuesday 2 - 4 pm, Fridays 12.30 - 2.30pm.

Tel: 01348 831309 Farmers Arms, Mathry Open 11am-11pm ‘A great traditional pub with fantastic food and a friendly atmosphere’.

Pembrokeshire Herald ‘Pub of the Year 2018’.

Booking advisable.

Tel 01348 831284 email DesriD@hotmail.co.uk or Facebook Farmers Arms Mathry.

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Square and Compass Inn Traditional family run pub.

Accommodation & Function Room (available for hire) Dogs welcome. Sky Sports.

Friday Steak Night Sunday Carvery from 12.00pm – booking essential.

Tel: 01348 831420 It’s Good ‘Look’ Sloop! – do you want to know what was going on at the Sloop while it was on shutdown all that time in early 2018? Well here goes.....

‘Yes of course - yes we can’ became a reply of the past as the estimated 6 to 7 weeks work at the Sloop began in January. With Mother’s Day about that time away, it became something to aim at for completion.

The work consisted of – - Dig up the old concrete floor in the top restaurant and replace with reclaimed oak floor boards - Refit north end toilets and decorate - Take out the old fitted seats - Clad walls with old once used boards - Sand down and stain the floor in the bottom restaurant - Kitchen stripped clean of all old fittings and start again with new floor covering - Stainless steel sheets on all kitchen walls with white plastic cladding on ceiling - New extractor fan from the kitchen cut through the ceiling and out through roof - Then a new oven was fitted - a ‘Gas Rationale’ oven which works off steam and that needed an outlet. So a trench 15” deep and 15” wide had to be dug by hand right across the kitchen floor for the drainage pipe. Plus a new gas oven with a six burner hob on top and an electric induction hob.

- A new cookline in the kitchen, and a new Head Chef, Sarah Skeate.

- A new potato rumbler fitted in the new little ‘roof only’ extension at the back of the pub.

This was a huge job requiring a lot of planning, and needless to say meticulous project management by the owners, with several weeks of commitment from Oliver in particular, before and during the whole project.

The work was carried out with a very small workforce – Ian Robbins did all the carpentry with his assistant, the Sloop’s very own redundant kitchen assistant, Michal. Simon Rees and his team did the electrics, Gareth and Rhys Price the plumbing and John from Letterston the painting and decorating. With our own Mark helping out whenever he could – doing all the bits no-one else wanted to do!

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However Mother’s Day came and went without a chip being served......but the work did eventually reach completion on Tuesday 20th March – just in time for the Easter holidays!

Thanks to all our locals for being so understanding and patient. We hope to have you all back soon to try our new menu!

From all the gang at the Sloop – Diolch! (whisper it......there’s a bit more work to be done after Easter, but that won’t affect the kitchen though!)

Check out Sloop Inn on Facebook for our latest news!

Tel: 01348 831449 Email: eat@sloop.co.uk or www.sloop.co.uk

The Shed, Porthgain –a relaxed and informal fish & chip bistro, serving locally caught fish and shellfish, landed daily and served within hours.

All of our dishes are made in-house, with two menus running alongside each other fish and chip and à la carte.

Summer opening times: From May onwards, open lunch and evening every day, for bistro dining and takeaways.

Teas, coffees and homemade cakes served 10am – 5pm Always best to book. www.theshedporthgain.co.uk Tel: 01348 831518 or email: bookings@theshedporthgain.co.uk

Mill Cafe and Gallery, Trefin Open for breakfasts, teas, coffees, cakes and lunches.

Summer opening hours: 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

9am to 4pm Sunday.

Afternoon tea from 2pm Exhibitors for the coming season: May - Jennie Shales June - Maria Motowylczyk July - Andrew Warren August - Maddie Janes September - Kate Kelly October - Charlotte ter Haar November/December- Tez Marsden The Mill is now doing Sunday lunches – always best to book!

Tel: 01348 831650

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Afternoon tea at the Mill

Siop Fach, Mathry Opening hours 9.30am – 4.30pm, Closed Mondays.

Serving breakfasts 9.30am - 12.00pm, lunches and main meals throughout the day.

Afternoon teas from 2.30pm, booking advisable.

We offer a wide variety of sandwiches, baguettes, baps, paninis, puddings, cakes and ice creams, including gluten-free options.

Teas, coffees, milk shakes, soft drinks, bottled beers, ciders and wines available.

Afterwards, enjoy browsing in our interesting antiques and collectables shop.

For bookings, please phone Stephanie or Richard on 01348 83110 MamGu Welshcakes MamGu Welshcakes is pleased to announce the opening of their new premises in Solva. Thea and Becky (whose parents live in Trefin) have recently taken over the Old Printing House and have spent the last few weeks turning it into a place for all to come and relax, catch up, have some homemade food, sample the delicious drinks and of course eat their infamous traditional and alternative welshcakes hot off the griddle. They are open all year round serving breakfast, lunch and eventually afternoon teas.

Becky and Thea are excited to welcome everyone to their new venture.

Whether you are looking for a place to relax after a stroll along Solva harbour or a venue for a special occasion, make sure you pop down and say hello!

Clwb Criced Llanrhian Cricket Club A pre-season assessment from Fraser Watson: It’s that time again!

After a winter of weather-related discontent, it is hard to believe that cricket season is nearly upon us at Llandigige.

But sure enough, our ever reliable and seemingly ageless ground-staff team of Alun ‘Ush’ Davies, Morgan ‘the moon’ Miles, and Colin ‘the sensible voice’ Holness have managed to find enough respite from the snow and rain to prepare the pitches.

With both sides facing another Sunday start before switching back to Saturdays in May, players have been preparing at St Davids Leisure Centre with weekly net sessions.

The First XI will again be led by Richard Reed in Division Three, with the Second XI under the new guidance of Iwan James in Division Four.

Both sides endured difficult seasons in 2017 with relegation, but a more competitive campaign should now await both.

And it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Firsts last season, with the emergence of promising youngsters like Karl Davies, Ryan and Rob John, Tom Clarke, and Llion Williams. They were just a few to step up and not look out of place – and it is hoped others will join them as the club looks to build for the future.

But there will still be plenty of experience on board with the likes of Mathew Bennett, Ben Jones (the Porthgain and Croesgoch versions) and Jack Jones available again.

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Last season Jack became the first player ever from the club to win the Thomas Carroll PCCC Player of the Month award following a string of super displays after returning back to the local fishing boats from Australia.

The Seconds meanwhile will contain the usual eclectic mix of youngsters, middle aged men, and the downright ancient.

RV Jones will be as competitive as ever after another decent year with the bat in 2017 and Tony Kitchell, after four successful years as captain, is home from Madeira and will again be pivotal with bat and ball.

A permanent fixture at Llanrhian this summer, along with the loyal cows, will be umpire Tony Walsh, who will alternate between officiating the Firsts and Seconds each weekend.

And on the junior front, last season’s under 12’s will become this summer’s under 13’s, and they have six fixtures scheduled, while Rick Walton of Cricket Wales will run the All Stars programme for 5-8 year olds in the area.

At last, the future is looking that little bit brighter.

The committee will again be led by club stalwart David Halse, with meetings conveniently taking place at The Sloop Inn on a monthly basis.

And it’s that same venue where players will congregate every Saturday night, win lose or draw, with the enjoyment and camaraderie again every bit as important as the wickets and runs themselves!

The cows are ready, and so are we!

Fraser Watson - fraser.watson@gwent-wales.co.uk

Porthgain Rowing Club Pre-Scillies intensive training...?! Ruth Woodage explains what they’ve let themselves in for: A casual mention by Tom (sometime during the dark depths of winter training) of a possible trip to a Western Scottish Isle in springtime for some rowing, walking and sampling of local foodstuffs sounded so inviting that we decided to try our best to make time to get there. So, after some serious arm-twisting and rescheduling of various arrangements, a trip to the Isle of Carna was duly booked up.

A house on the isle will be our home for a week in April, with time for bike rides around various lochs, Corbett bagging (not quite as high as a Munro!), birdwatching and sampling local beef, venison, lamb and fish (and hopefully cake) - and of course, a spot of rowing.

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But it was only when we had all definitely committed to the trip that Tom nonchalantly mentioned ‘intensive pre-Scillies training’ - but we won’t let a little matter like that spoil our fun - we’ll just pack some extra blister plasters and let you know in the autumn how it went!

And then no sooner back, it’ll be off to the Scillies at the beginning of May...

If you’d like to give rowing a try, (not intensive training, just fun!) turn up at the quay in Porthgain about 6 o’clock any Monday evening in summer – mid May onwards.

You’ll be very welcome.

Visit the Porthgain Rowing Club Facebook page, email: porthgainrowingclub@outlook.com or phone Tom Sutton on 01437 720026

Llanrhian Community Council Grants available from Second Homes Premium Your Community Council is seeking ideas to form into applications for our share of the Second Homes Premium. Do you have any suggestions? Please contact us so we can start to identify potential projects to benefit our community.

The scheme is in the first stages of being delivered and we are very keen for our community to benefit.

Quote from PCC information: “The Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant aims to fund projects addressing the mitigating issues of second home ownership in the County while adding value to local communities. The County Council currently levies a 50 per cent Council Tax premium on the 3,974 second homes in Pembrokeshire.

Applications for Enhancing Pembrokeshire grant funding will be accepted from 1st April.”

More information is available on PCC website.

Community Dog Watch Scheme We are investigating if there is a need to set up a Community Dog Watch Scheme.

This initiative has been developed by PCC as part of their review on tackling dog fouling. Do you know of any problem areas? Would you be interested in being involved in a Community Dog Watch Scheme?

Please contact us for more information and to highlight any problem areas.

Community Councillors needed.

We are looking for two councillors to join the Community Council. Anyone is welcome to attend. If you are interested, please contact our Clerk Vanessa TyrwhittWalker.

Meetings are held at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of the month in Trefin Village Hall. Our minutes can be viewed at www.pembstcc.co.uk Any concerns, comments or queries to the clerk: Vanessa Tyrwhitt-Walker 01646 601335 vanessa@mabws.net

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Report from County Councillor Neil Prior By the time you are reading this column, I will have had the privilege to serve as County Councillor for the Llanrhian ward for a year. It’s been an exceptionally busy but rewarding time and I’m pleased to have been asked to write my second article for Llais Rhian to bring you up to date with what’s happening across our small part of North Pembrokeshire.

February brought the snow, and afterwards burst water mains which saw a number of people without water, in some cases for up to 6 days. A few people contacted me asking for help, and I’m pleased to say that by liaising with the Council’s Emergency Planning team and with senior people at Dwr Cymru, we were able to get over 20,000 litres of bottled water to our community. By establishing impromptu distribution points at Croesgoch Farm Stores, the Ship in Trefin and the car park in Porthgain, and through the power of social media, it was incredible to see the community spirit in action and I’d like to thank everybody who played a part in helping to get water to those who needed it over what was a very challenging few days.

Residents also received compensation, and although I had to chase up a few payments for people who asked for my help, I’m hoping that everyone who was without water has by now received their £75.

Education is important and so I was delighted to be able to join the Governing Body of Ysgol Gymunedol Croesgoch when a vacancy arose. Those in the know will recognise that the school has had a difficult couple of years, but the Governing Body are confident that the corner has been turned. We have a new Head Teacher starting for the new Academic year and good progress is being made under the leadership of the new Chair of Governors.

Road maintenance and safety also matters to people, and so a speed survey was undertaken at Croesgoch. Without going into too much detail here, the results showed that the majority of motorists were within the speed limit, and although there is some evidence of speeding the data does not suggest that it is a high priority area. This has been referred to the Speed Safety partnership and I’m continuing to work with Highways to identify any possible solutions. Over in Castlemorris, meanwhile, I’m working with Highways to look at when we can repair the badly worn road surface from the crossroads towards Letterston, and in Mathry we are reviewing the effectiveness of the one-way system.

Something else that is high on the agenda, and will continue to be, is the ongoing situation at Abereiddi. Locals will know that there is a significant history here, with multiple stakeholders and strong, often polarised opinions. There is also increased demand to access and use the beach and Blue Lagoon but increasing rates of 28

erosion. My role in this is that I am in dialogue with the various parties and I am working with those parties to try to support a long-term solution.

I continue to serve on Llanrhian Community Council, and attend Mathry Community Council, believing that it is important to build and maintain strong relationships between both layers of local democracy, in particular working with both groups to consider how the local community might benefit from the ‘Enhancing Pembrokeshire’ fund recently announced. On an individual level I’ve been able to help residents get issues resolved from missed bin collections to planning queries, although some issues are simpler to fix than others. As your local county councillor, I have built strong relationships within County Hall so if there is an issue that needs my attention, I am happy to help.

My role is not just within the community though, and as a member of PCC’s ‘Cabinet’ I am in a position where I can have an influence on how the council operates. My portfolio is ‘transformation’, which means that I am tasked with helping to set the direction for the council to change given the huge financial and demographic pressures it is under. I’m pleased to report that we are making progress in this area, and although the pace of change can be frustrating, I have set out a clear plan in this area.

The first year of elected life has flown by, and I can honestly say that it has been the most demanding year of work I’ve ever experienced. As a Council we’ve had to make some unpopular decisions to protect services, and the reality of the financial situation facing local government really is grim. Against this backdrop we are trying to make the right decisions to balance both the immediate short and long-term situations, and I’m happy to discuss decisions that have either been taken, or are imminent, with local residents. Local Government is a complex beast, but it does provide many services that we take for granted day in, day out, and we want to protect these services as best as we can.

No two issues are the same, and I’m sure that not all decisions taken will be met with unanimous approval, but I do commit to do my best, be available, listen and support where I can. I’m available via email at neilprior@outlook.com, you can call me on 07834 093181, or for those who are more inclined to use social media, I’m on Facebook at @CllrNeilPrior or on Twitter @PriorNeil (where I post updates from time to time). Or of course, you can write me a good old- fashioned letter (address details on www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk). Please do get in touch!

Until the next time, Neil.

Churches and Chapels Croesgoch Baptist Chapel Parch J. Geraint Morse Gweinidog Eglwysi y Bedyddwyr Croesgoch a Harmoni Pencaer Gweinidog Eglwysi Annibynnol Berea a Rehoboth Cartref:- 01348 840976 Symudol:- 07805 617555 Llanrhian Church Sunday Service 11.30am 29

News from Llanrhian Vicarage My name is Michael Rowlands, I am married to Ruth, have four children and I have recently been appointed as the new Local Ministry Area Dean of Greater Dewisland.

This innovative change by the church has seen several parishes, with fourteen churches, joining together to develop new ways of serving the community.

I am originally from Merthyr Tydfil and was educated in my local school and then at Llandovery College, Birmingham University, Cardiff University and finally spent my theological training at St Michael’s Theological College, Llandaff.

I initially served as curate in Penarth, then as vicar in Templeton before serving as an Army Padre, returning to serve in the Roch area before this new appointment.

The new LMA will see further development of lay participation, not just in the daily running of the church but also in taking an active role in Sunday services.

I realise that there are challenges ahead and many may well mourn the loss of having a vicar in every church. However, we must be positive and learn to use wisely the best resources available to the church; its members.

I pray we will all work together to best serve our Lord in this part of His vineyard.

May I thank everyone for the warm welcome that my family and I have received since moving to Llanrhian vicarage.

As we look forward to the future together, let us remember the words of Mother Teresa: ‘You can do what I cannot do, I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.’

Contact Revd Michael on 01348 831382 or email mickthevic@btopenworld.com (New arrangements for Sunday services are still being worked out, so we have not been able to include service times for Llanhywel or the Mathry group of churches in this issue).

Llanrhian Church Fete will be held on Wednesday August 8th

Community lunches Community lunches are continuing to be held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (except July and August) - a hot two-course meal with tea or coffee for only £4 and are open to all ages. Dates: 16 May, 20 June, 19 Sept, 17 Oct. We look forward to welcoming some new faces!

Contact Sally on 01348 831454 30

Swinging Sixties return to Llanrhian 25th-27th May - organiser Rose Tilley tells us more…..

Some people have said ‘If you remember the 60’s you weren’t really there’ and no doubt in swinging London life was somewhat different from here in Pembrokeshire!

Yet the 1960’s was a decade of change across all of Britain, economically, socially and technologically.

As a teenager of the 60’s, I know first-hand how rebellious we were! Freedom to dress became a statement of who we were – no longer looking like our parents, wearing their ‘hand-me-downs’ re-stitched to fit. We had our own fashions and our own ideas of how we wanted to live. We were pushing the boundaries of political change too and wanted freedom to be individuals with a voice.

All in all, we had a lot to say, and say it we did. Protests were many, and the youth movement was strong.

One of the defining aspects of this decade was our music – the change from ‘rock and roll’ to British and American rock and pop was a true revolution. Songs often encouraged rebellion against the authorities. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys and others inspired us to believe that change was possible.

The decade of the 60’s is one of the most iconic in our recent history – Mods and Rockers, the sexual revolution, the hippy movement of ‘Peace and Love’ and so much more.

At Llanrhian Church on 25th, 26th and 27th May, we shall be recreating 1960’s life – music, fashion, hippie culture and more. Come along and get in the groove of the ‘Swinging Sixties’ and share memories of mini-skirts, bell bottoms and summers of love!

Entry will be free, tea and yummy home-made cakes available in the hall.

Donations will be to two main charities, Diabetes Cymru and Mind Pembrokeshire.

For more details, phone Rose on 01348 837649 New Group for Carers Llanrhian Carers and ex-Carers group started in Llanrhian Hall in January. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month 1.30 - 3pm.

PAVS and Pembrokeshire County Council have agreed to fund us for a year.

Sessions are designed to be calm and relaxing, a space to take time-out from the sometimes-tough life being a full-time carer.

Over a cuppa, we chat together and pass on any news or information relating to caring that has come in during the month.

We try to have at least two therapists at each session covering reiki, crystal therapy, massage and reflexology to name a few!

Gentle relaxing music plays in the background along with scented candles. Visitors are invited to come and meet and chat with us all to be updated on what is on offer from different organisations.

We have our own nail bar and doodling table and sometimes have a task of the month, never too difficult!

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By the time you read this article hopefully as a group we will have had our first outing to the National Botanical Gardens.

If you require further information, please contact Gill Leese on 01348 831434 or just pop into the hall and join us for a session.

Community Social Group- friendship and fun in Llanrhian Llanrhian Community Social Group meets in Llanrhian Hall each Thurs 5- 6.30pm.

For just £2 per person, we offer refreshments and a selection of games such as table tennis, pool, carpet bowls, darts, badminton, volley ball, and soft tennis: board games and dominoes are also available. Or you are welcome to just sit back and enjoy your tea whilst watching some very entertaining games, all played in good humour but very competitive!

Every six weeks or so we extend the evening and have a social supper together.

Earlier this year, we received a call to say that BBC TV Songs of Praise would like to come and film us as part of the broadcast for St David’s Day. Gill and Andrew Leese from Cwmwdig Water Guest House were interviewed about living with dementia and how it has changed and put their lives on a different path. Then the film crew came down the hall to see us all in action! We had great fun and the team were lovely and joined in with the table tennis as well. It was all very exciting and cheered up a very dull January!

Why not come and join us on a Thursday, you will be made very welcome.

Memories of Capel Bach from Rian Mary Hughes, English translation underneath………

Atgofion Rian Mary Hughes am y Capel Bach slawer dydd.

Pan we’n i’n blentyn, Parchg D T Thomas we’r gweinidog yn Capel Bach Trefin. Dwi’n cofio we dou gwpwrdd bach bob ochor i’r pwlpid ac we ynddyn nhw lyfre i ddiddori y rhai lleia. We un llyfyr a llun iâr a’i chywion wedi dal fy sylw yn fowr. Hales dipyn o amser yn studio’r llyfyr hwn.

Mae’n rhaid mai gwisgo clocs ar fy nhraed wen i bryd hynny. We’n rhaid cerdded i lawr y feidir o’r Caerau, ac wedd hi’n ffordd digon garw. Mae’n siwr mai cario’n sgidie fyddwn i er mwyn newid iddyn nhw wedi cyrraedd y pentre. We sawl dosbarth Ysgol Sul bryd hynny – y rhan fwyaf ar y llawr, ac un ar y lofft. Patrwm y Sul we – cwrdd yng Nghroesgoch am ddeg y bore, Ysgol Sul yn y Capel Bach am ddou y prynhawn, cwrdd nos yn y Capel Bach am whech yr hwyr. We’n rhaid gwishgo ‘dillad Dy’ Sul’ ar gyfer pob un o’r rhain, a ‘newid lawr’ rhyngddynt i safio trochi’n dillad gore. We te dda yn ein haros ni gatre ar ol Ysgol Sul,- bara menyn a jam a jeli a chacen. We ddim pawb yn y teulu yn awyddus i fynd i’r Ysgol Sul, er hynny, ond wedd hi’n reol ein bod ni blant yn mynd pob wythnos. We un brawd yn cerdded i waelod y feidir, ond bryd hynny, wedd e’n pwyllo’n jogel wrth yr afon. Yn wir, wedd e’n dal i bwyllo, gyda’i ben yn y claw’, yn gwylio adar, pan fyddem yn dod nôl am dri o’r gloch!

We nifer fowr o aelodau yn cerdded i’r Capel Bach, o bob cyfeiriad bryd hynny. We cymeriad o’r enw ‘Ben yr Oil’ wastod yn bwrw ei ben heibio i ddrws y Caerau wrth basio ac yn galw ‘Odi ddi’n Sul ‘ma?’ Bydde teulu’r Parce a theulu Mwni Hwnt hefyd 32

yn cerdded i’r Cwrdd ar hyd Feidir Caerau. We digon o gwmni hyd yn oed ar nosweithe tywyll y gaea’.

We wastod Cwrdd Pishys yn cael ei gynnal cyn y Nadolig, a’r plant i gyd yn dysgu unawd neu ddeuawd neu’n adrodd. Bydde’r Cwrdd Pishys yn cael ei gynnal hyd at y 1970au hwyr oleia’. Bydde ‘Christmas Tree’ yn cael ei gynnal i’r plant cyn Nadolig hefyd. Parti oedd hwn a gynhelid yn stafell Yr Hen Ysgol. Wedd hi’n dipyn o dopin, a’r plant yn ecseito ac yn rhedeg yn rhydd. Menyw o’r enw Martha’r Gallod we â gofal y boiler te ar gyfer y ‘Christmas Tree’. Gwisgai hi ffedog fawr wen bob blwyddyn ar gyfer y gwaith.

Pan dyfes i’n ddigon hen i fod mewn gofal dros dosbarth ysgol Sul yn hunan, we’r Parchg John Roberts wedi dod yn fugail arnom. We Siân, Meurig, Phillip, Geoffrey a Colin yn y dosbarth hwnnw, ymhlith eraill. Byddent yn dysgu adnod yn y dosbarth bob tro ac yn ei adrodd wedyn ar ddiwedd y cwrdd. Fel arfer, bydde’r adnod yn cael ei adrodd, ond weithe byddwn yn cochi wrth i ambell un o’r crwts gael sbort wrth newid y geire. We ni’n gymuned glos, ac we’n nhad yn ‘godwr canu’ yn ogystal â bod yn ddiacon. Wedd e’n nabod pawb, a phawb y ein nabod ni. Fe fydde tipyn o dynnu clin pan ddechreues i garu, a’m sboner, (Mervyn, fy ngŵr yn ddiweddarach) yn dechre dod i’m codi am sbin yn ei gar, ar ôl Ysgol Sul yn Capel Bach. Yn wir ar ddwarnod ein priodas, ceson benillion gan Parchg Roberts, yn ein cyfarch, ac yn cofio am yr adeg hapus pan we’r car dierth wedi ymddangos ar brynhawn Sul tu fas i Gapel Bach.

We’r bobol ifanc yn ishte ar y lofft ar gyfer Cwrdd yr hwyr. Cofiaf am Blodwen Harries yn organyddes. We’r amser yn hir pan we rhai o’r hen ddiaconiaid yn y Set Fowr yn mynd i hwyl wrth weddio. We’r rocesi a’r crwts ar y lofft y cael tipyn o hwyl wrth ddrychid lawr ar yr aelodau hŷn ar y llawr. We dwy chwaer, we’n leico gwisgo’n grand, yn ishte gyda’i gilydd bob amser. We ganddyn nhw bobo sgarff blew anifail – cadno neu wenci, am ei gwddge. Mor gynted ag we’r trydydd emyn yn cael ei chanu, a’r bregeth yn dechre, we un o’r ddwy yn dechre cwsgu. Fydde hi ddim yn clywed gair o’r bregeth, ond yn cael hwp gan ei chwaer, i’w deffro, cyn canu’r emyn ola. Bydde hyn yn hala pange o wherthin arnon ni, y rhai ifanc.

We Mr Roberts y gweinidog yn gymeriad addfwyn iawn, - yn rhy addfwyn os rhywbeth.

Pan we un o‘r rocesi ifanc yn cael pwl o ddagre yn y pwlpid, lle we ‘nerves’ wedi mynd yn drech na hi, yn hytrach na helpu’r sefyllfa, fe fydde Mr Roberts yn mynd i lefen gyda hi! Ond Mr Roberts nath fy medyddio i a’m mhriodi i yn 1959.

Pan we mhlant i yn ifanc, a Feidir Caerau yn ffordd y gallem fynd ar ei hyd mewn car, byddem yn mynd mewn Morris Minor bach du i’r Capel Bach erbyn dou o’r gloch ar y Sul. Bydde trigolion Trefin yn aml yn dod a’u ceir i waelod Feidir Caerau i olchi eu ceir yn yr afon. We tipyn o led yn y dŵr a groesai’r feidir, ond we ddim dwfnder, oni bai am wedi glaw trwm. Un Sul, wedi rowndo’r cornel ar y gwaelod, ces syndod o weld yr afon yn frown a golwg wyllt arni. We’r llif yn ddwfwn, ond penderfynais fentro.

‘Foot down’, ‘revo’, ac amdani. Ond, yng nghanol yr afon, daeth y Morris Minor i stop.

Rhewodd ‘y nghalon i o sylweddoli y camwri wen i ynddo. We’r tri plentyn ifanca gyda fi, a phenderfynais mai cael eu traed a dir sych we’r peth pwysica. Agorais y drws a chamu mas i’r dŵr wer. Wedi cael y lleia ohonyn nhw i’r lan, es nôl i mofyn y nesa.

Wedi ei rhoi hi gyda’i chwaer, es nôl i mofyn y crwt. Wrth gydio ynddo, troi i weld yr un fach yn fy nilyn tua’r car, a’r dŵr yn ei llusgo fel doli glwt, am lawr. We nghalon yn fy ngwddf erbyn hyn a shwt desim a’r tri’n saff am gatre, sai eitha siwr. Dwi’n cofio 33

rhywbeth am Mishtir Ifans y Sgwlyn yn dod lawr a chael help i bwsho’r Morris o’r afon. Dwarnod diflas we hwnnw!

Llawer gwell yw cofio am nosweithie hyfryd o haf, pan fydde’n nhad yn penderfynu troi trwyn y car am Abereiddi ar ôl Cwrdd yr hwyr yn Capel Bach. Fydde Data yn mynd â ni am sbin i gael gweld yr haul yn machlud yno. Ar nosweithie fel hynny, wen ni’n mynd i’r gwely a chwsgu’n dda. Wedd hi fel petai ni wedi cael mwy o fendith, os we hynny’n bosib - o wbod fod Duw yn ei Nefoedd, yr haul yn noswylio a phopeth yn y byd mewn harmoni.

Memories of Capel Bach in the past by Rian Mary Hughes When I was a child, Revd.D.T.Thomas was the preacher in Capel Bach,Trefin. There were two small cupboards each side of the pulpit and I spent hours reading the interesting books in them.

I walked down the rough lane from Caerau to Sunday School in clogs. There were several classes downstairs and one upstairs. A typical Sunday was 10am service at Capel Croesgoch, Sunday School in Capel Bach at 2pm and a service at 6pm. We wore our Sunday best clothes and changed every time after coming home. As children we had to go to Sunday School every week and enjoyed bread and butter, jam, jelly and cakes after returning home.

People walked to Capel Bach from all directions then. The winter nights were dark but there was plenty of company. A local character called 'Ben Yr Oil' would call on Sundays and we'd walk along Caerau lane along with families from Parce and Mwni Hwnt to Capel Bach.

Christmas time we all attended a special service of singing and reciting and a 'Christmas Tree ' party for the children. Martha who lived at Gallod would always make the tea for the 'Christmas Tree', she wore a big white apron.

I taught Sian, Meurig, Philip, Geoffrey and Colin and others in my Sunday school class. They always learnt a new verse but the boys would change an occasional word for fun. My father was a pillar of the close-knit community, a deacon and led the singing, a popular character in the area. When I met my husband to be, Merfyn, people would love to tease me when he picked me up after Sunday school in his car. Our preacher the Revd John Roberts had composed verses on our wedding day.

The young people would sit upstairs in Capel Bach during evening services, sometimes we were bored when some deacons prayed endlessly. Blodwen Harries was the organist. We'd look down at the older members, two sisters sat together wearing fur stoles. After singing the third hymn one of them would fall asleep during the sermon, her sister would nudge her to wake her before the last hymn. We, the young people would find this very amusing!

Mr Roberts the preacher baptised me and also married me in 1959. When children took part in the pulpit, nerves would sometimes take over and make them cry. Mr Roberts would cry with us, he was such a gentle character.

We'd drive to Capel Bach in a Morris Minor when the road was passable. Some people would bring their cars to the bottom of Caerau Lane and wash them in the river. As I was driving to chapel one Sunday morning, the river was dirty and deep,.....I hesitated..... but I decided to go for it ...put my foot down and hope for the 34

best. My black Morris Minor didn't have 4- wheel drive!! I was stuck. My first instinct was to get my three youngest children on to dry land, one by one. I think Mr Evans the head teacher and others pushed my Morris out of the river. That was a miserable day.

I would much rather remember the long, lovely summer nights watching the sunset in Abereiddi after chapel. On nights like this I really slept well. It was as if we had more of a blessing, if that was possible, knowing that God was in his heaven, the nights drawing in and the world in harmony.

Croesgoch Farm Stores and M&S Transport supporting Prostate Cymru Over the last couple of years CFS and M&S have supported Prostate Cymru in many different ways. Back in November 2017 the stores organised a Big Breakfast in support of the ‘National Prostate Cymru Big Breakfast’ campaign which totally captured the spirit of awareness and support for the charity within the farming community of North Pembrokeshire.

More than 200 breakfasts were served at the stores raising £2270 in the process.

Such was the enthusiastic support for this event, cows were milked earlier than ever, calves, pigs, sheep and poultry were fed and watered in record time and all roads led to Croesgoch Farm Stores. Everyone agreed it was a delicious breakfast and a wonderful gathering of a community which was full of support, not only for the charity, but also for the many men within the area who are currently undergoing treatment for prostate disease.

Earlier this year M&S branded two of their lorries with the Prostate Cymru logo.

Hopefully most of you have seen these lorries in the area with huge posters on the back, drawing attention to the increasing problem of prostate cancer.

Back in June 2016 the annual Croesgoch Vintage Tractor Run, which was based at the M&S yard at Tresewig, attracted 143 tractors and a grand total of £14,300 was raised and presented to Prostate Cymru.

Looking to the future, Meurig (who has recently undergone treatment for prostate cancer) is embarking on a 300-mile charity tractor challenge. In early August he will leave the County Showground at Haverfordwest on a modern tractor and travel through Pembroke Port to Rosslare. Then drive up to Dublin and back through Holyhead. Finally back down the west coast of Wales to Haverfordwest.

The tractor will also be on display for the three days at this year's County Show.

All the proceeds from this latest charity venture will go to Prostate Cymru. Anyone interested in supporting this challenge in the form of sponsorship or donations please contact Meurig or any of the family at Tresewig. Sponsor forms will be available soon at the stores in Croesgoch for all to support.

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The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but it is the most common cancer in Welsh men and more than 500 of them die from the disease every year. The risk of a Welsh man getting the disease is one in eight and if there is family history of the complaint (a father or brother) the risk increases to one in three. Men who are 48 or older and are concerned, should contact their local doctor who will be able to examine the prostate gland and discuss the merits of a blood test. There are many treatment options, but the best results are always obtained when the cancer is detected early.

For more information about prostate cancer, please visit www.prostatecymru.com .

CFS & M&S are grateful for all the help and support they have received from the local community.

Tractor Run 2018 This year’s tractor run will be on Saturday 9th June and will be raising funds for the mental health charity MIND. For more information contact Croesgoch Farm Stores – 01348 831777 National Park update –from Ranger Ian Meopham In Porthgain, the concrete obelisk part way up the track will be the home for a new electricity transformer. The timescale for completion is up to SWALEC – but we anticipate it to be imminent!

Walkers on the footpath up the valley from Porthgain may have noticed that we have been clearing and burning areas of scrub to enable us to access the dreaded Himalayan Balsam later in the year.

At Abereiddi, the parking situation is still evolving (see p5).

Finally, together with the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and the National Trust we have been using Abereiddi for school trips studying coastal processes, coastal adaptation and the impact of climate change.

And now, two coastal creatures you might just find among the rocks at Abereiddi, although these fascinating specimens were spotted recently at nearby Aberfelin…

Snakelocks Sea Anemone The Snakelocks Sea Anemone has longer tentacles than its more common cousin, the Beadlet Anemone.

Snakelocks’ tentacles are green, often with purple tips.

They can give humans a nasty sting.

In Spain they are eaten deep-fried, a delicacy known as ortiguillas fritas, which some people say tastes like oysters!

This anemone reproduces by literally tearing itself in half, creating two clones.

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Sea Slater Ligia pallasi, the Sea Slater is an unusual species to spot because they're usually hidden in rocky crevices during the day. These isopods are scavengers that are most active at night. They look very much like woodlice and grow to a length of about 1¼ inches. Watch for them up high in the splash zone.

Mathry WI The last event of our 100th Anniversary Year was our Christmas Dinner at the Square and Compass Inn. A big thank you to all their staff, who really did us proud and produced a very interesting and delicious menu. The occasion was greatly enjoyed by all.

This year we have had three speakers on widely different topics: Vaughan Thomas gave a fascinating talk on metal detecting, bringing with him a collection of local finds, Karen Saunders from Trefin led an introductory session on yoga, much of which was sitting down, and this month, Vaughan Thomas spoke on ‘The Queen's Horses’ and his involvement with the annual Windsor Horse Show.

We had another afternoon of curling in Mathry Hall. This was great fun and really becomes very competitive! At our May meeting, Maddy James is holding a mosaic workshop, which will cost £5 per head for a piece to take home. In June we have our well-attended Annual Quiz with teams from many other WIs. Our summer trip will be to Dewstow Grottoes and Hidden Gardens near Caerwent in Monmouthshire. These grottoes were only discovered recently and are very interesting. If anyone would like to join us (male or female) we are going on Tuesday 5th July and the cost is £18. There will be chance for a bit of retail therapy at McArthur Glen at Bridgend on the way home.

After two years in office, our president Linda Parker has resigned, as she had sold her house and is moving out of the area. The presidency is now in the capable hands of Viv Millard, a very popular member.

Mathry WI meets the second Tuesday of the month (except August) at 7.30pm in the Community Hall. New members always welcome.

Mathry Community Forum Raffle tickets are on sale to raise funds for both the village hall committee and for the community forum. The draw will take place on August Band Holiday weekend.

Money and other prizes.

The Table Tennis Club is up and running in Mathry Hall, Wednesdays 7-9pm.

All welcome.

We are planning for an Open Gardens event in the Mathry area next year (2019) and will need a committee to support this, plus offers of gardens.

New forum members warmly welcomed.

Contact Barry on 07940 179273 or Anna annacurtis@arcwoodlands.co.uk 37

Flying High – a weighty problem highlighted in a 1913 newspaper!

‘Mrs Emma Griffiths, wife of the vicar of Mathry, Pembrokeshire, made a flight at Hendon on Friday in an aeroplane piloted by Louis Noel.

The lady, whose weight is 19st. 10lb., was some time back refused a flight at Blackpool.’

Angharad’s Health & Beauty, Croesgoch Angharad’s Health & Beauty is the perfect escape from your busy day-to-day life, where you can indulge in a variety of relaxing treatments - be it a relaxing Swedish Massage or a soothing Deluxe Pedicure. Or why not come and try our award winning Lycon waxing which is proven to be kinder and gentler on our skin than most other waxes in the industry.

Gift vouchers available.

Keep up to date on any news, offers or events via our Facebook page or website www.angharadshealthandbeauty.co.uk 01348 837998

Summer Yoga 2018 @ Awelfan Square and Compass Monday: Beginners 10.30am -12pm Intermediate 6.15 pm - 7.45 pm Wednesday: Intermediate 10 am -11.30 am Chair Yoga 2pm - 3.30pm Wednesday: 6 pm - 7.30 pm (Tiers Cross) Thursday: Beginners 7pm - 8.30pm Sunday: 8.30am - 9.30am Flexi (classes must be booked 48 hrs before) Free taster sessions 1st Sunday of each month 6pm-7pm (minimum of 4 required) Meditation: 6pm-7pm 2nd Sunday of every month.

Relaxation: 6pm-7pm 3rd Sunday of every month.

Chakra workshop series: 10.30 – 4.30pm vegetarian lunch included. £60 per workshop.

• 27th May: Svadhisthana Chakra Yoga and coastal walk followed by meditation.

• 24th June: Manipura Chakra Yoga and creative mandala workshop • 22nd July: Anahata Chakra Yoga and pranayama and meditation workshop.

• 23th September: Vishuddhi Chakra Yoga with chanting and sound workshop.

• 28th October: Ajna Chakra Yoga with Kundalini Yoga • 25th November: Sahasrara Chakra Yoga with Kundalini Yoga www.aruna4u.co.uk e-mail klsaunders1234@yahoo.co.uk or call Karen on 07780 933634 38

Bethan James Jones - Aromatherapy and Reflexology Working from her home in Trefin, Bethan is a fully trained and qualified therapist with over 15 years practical experience. She is a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT).

Gift vouchers are available - a wonderful way to treat someone special.

Please contact Bethan on 01348 831169 or 07811 499162.

Maes y Graig, 18 Ffordd y Felin, Trefin, SA62 5AX

Sam Cox - Somatic Movement Coach & Reflexologist I am a fully qualified Somatic Movement Coach and Reflexologist. I work from home in Mathry, ‘Wholefoods and Healing’ in Fishguard and ‘The Ark’ in Haverfordwest.

Somatic Movement is a simple, gentle and very effective movement technique. It works by releasing muscle tensions which can increase mobility and flexibility and ease aches and pains.

I run regular workshops such as Move with Ease, Walk with Ease and Move…Breathe…Release throughout the year in Fishguard and Haverfordwest. The workshops are all suitable for beginners.

I also teach weekly movement classes from home in Mathry as well as one to one sessions which are more tailored to individual needs.

Reflexology is a very relaxing holistic therapy using reflex points and massage on the feet to help bring about a feeling of balance and well-being.

For further information or to make a booking/appointment contact Sam Cox on 07966 732142.

Trefin Arts and Crafts Established in the mists of time by a bohemian mix of artisans and hobbyists wanting to share their love of, and interest in, all things produced by hand and eye, the society goes from strength to strength. Our quarterly fairs at the Trefin Village Hall allow various members to showcase their skills and sell to the general public.

The number of contributors at each fair is limited only by the size of venue and the number of tables available.

We hold fairs at Easter, May and August Bank Holidays, and October half term with signs placed around the local area. Our remaining dates for 2018 are: 25-29 May, 24-28 August and 26-30 October.

Entrance is free, and is wheelchair accessible, so please pop in to browse and chat to our members who take turns to steward each day.

If you have a talent, a craft related hobby that you would like to share or sell at our fairs or know someone with a particular skill who would be willing to come and demonstrate to the society then please do get in touch.

Membership secretary Magdalena Hughes can be contacted on 01348 837283 or by email at magdi.hughes@gmail.com 39

Gwelliant Trefin Improvement (GTI)- a few words from ‘Old Mayor’ Anthony Daniel…

After a good summer the winter events in Trefin started with the St Martins Fair, where the old mayor of Trefin was ‘decommissioned’, and new mayor Phil Owen was installed. This year’s ceremony was in the Ship Inn, as very windy weather had preventing us from gathering at our usual spot by the pump in the centre of the village. Côr Y Felin gave some delightful singing.

The new mayor can be seen giving ‘surgeries’ on his walks through the village and on the coast path.

We also had Christmas carol singing around the Christmas tree, followed by singing in the Ship Inn. We have also been very busy with daffodil planting and with placing various flower boxes around the village, each one is sponsored and cared for by someone in the village.

Our annual Duck Race, held over the May Bank Holiday, is always a fun event, details on our Facebook page.

The allotments are starting to take shape for this year’s crop of vegetables, so if you fancy trying your hand at vegetable or flower growing, we have one or two spares.

Please give Anthony a ring on 01348837385 e-mail: gwelliantrefin@gmail.com Côr Y Felin – Trefin Community Choir Trefin’s community choir meets on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 in the village hall.

Since the last edition of Llais Rhian we have been very busy learning new songs and have been invited to perform at a variety of venues. During November we provided entertainment for the St Martin’s Fair celebrations and joined with Mathry WI to celebrate their centenary at Mathry Church. At Christmas the choir provided a carol concert at Capel Bach in Trefin and sang carols around the village Christmas tree, although wind and rain led us down to the Ship Inn where we were able to perform without being swept away! We also thoroughly enjoyed performing with Mountain Ash Rugby Club Choir in the Cawl a Chân for St David’s Day in the Ship.

Our members have different levels of musical ability, some can read music whilst others learn by ear, but all share a love of singing. We have a lot of fun during rehearsals and are always on the lookout for new members. So, if you feel like giving it a go why not come along and join us!

Sue Hood Tel: 01348 837476

Square and Compass Filling Station and SPAR Convenience Store The Square and Compass Filling Station and Store is open from 6am to 9pm each day for all your shopping and fuel needs.

Alongside our sister store at Letterston, we’re committed to matching Tesco and Morrisons petrol and diesel prices making both our garages very competitively priced.

Tel: 01348 837766

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John ‘the Post’ - with our village Post Offices gone, and nearly all our local banks following, we went to find out more about what our local postmaster can offer…

Originally from Scotland, John Moverley has been postmaster at Goodwick for 14 years. Before that, his career was in the City of London, working for a big American bank, where he might perhaps sign off on a billion US$ on a Tuesday morning!

Now Tuesday mornings find him in the Mill Café, scales and laptop at the ready.

From there, we can: • • • • • •

post to anywhere in the world, including parcels up to 12kg. buy stamps return unwanted online orders pay most utility bills pay-in cash and cheques to most High St bank accounts make cash withdrawals

Post Office times with John are as follows: Mill Café, Trefin – Tues 11-1pm And John can also be found at the Artramont Arms, Croesgoch – Tues 2 - 4pm, Fri 12.30 - 2.30pm Post Office services for Mathry (provided by Fishguard PO) are as follows: Layby, Village Green, Mathry – Mon 4.30 - 5.30pm, Thurs 12.15 - 1.45pm, Fri 9 - 10.30am

Abercastle Boatowners For information on moorings, please contact Harbourmaster Nev George on 07970 552908 Fishguard Farmers Market Saturdays 9am until 1pm Venue: Fishguard Town Hall Eggs, bread, cheese, honey, butter, poultry, meat, trout, herbs, vegetables, plants, soft fruit, preserves, baked goods, cakes, chutneys, organic produce, herbal soaps and sheepskins Tel: 01348 837004

St Davids Country Market ‘Home made for the freshest & best’.

8am -1pm Thursdays, Cross Square, March to December.

Large range of home-made sweet and savoury baked goods, fresh vegetables in season, jams, knitted goods and assorted craft items.

Tel: 01437 890032

Fishguard Weekly Market Town Hall Thurs 8am – 3pm Tel: 01437 775878 Morgan’s Taxis Local taxi service – 6-seater vehicle.

Local journeys, airport runs, lifts to or from train or ferry, etc.

Tel: 07788 292976 41

Strumble Shuttle Summer coastal bus service 404 runs daily between Fishguard & St David’s.

Llanrhian to St Davids 12.09 St David’s New Street to Llanrhian 09.10 Llanrhian to Fishguard 09.42 Fishguard to Llanrhian 11.10 Operators: Richard Bros tel: 01239 613756

17.19 13.50 14.20 16.20

Waste and Recycling You can recycle all your household plastics at St Davids Civic Amenity Site, using special bags available to buy from Croesgoch Farm Stores at £1.85 for a big sack.

Include as many plastic bottles as possible, as they are the most valuable items, and please, please remember to wash all plastic food wrap items carefully, and not to include any polystyrene. Otherwise, the whole bag has to go to landfill.

Summer opening times for our civic amenity centres: St Davids SA62 6BY Daily 10.15am - 4pm Manorowen SA65 9QE Mon-Fri 8.30am - 5.30pm, Sat-Sun 8.30am - 4pm Learn to play the piano with Sue Hood, Old Cartlett House, Trefin Sue is an enthusiastic and experienced piano teacher offering piano tuition for beginners and more experienced pupils of all ages.

Lessons are tailored to your requirements – study for ABRSM exams or simply play for pleasure, both classical and modern music.

Students learn to play on a beautiful baby grand piano.

If you’ve ever wanted to play, it’s never too late to learn – over the years, Sue’s pupils have ranged in age from 6 to 84!

For a trial lesson, phone Sue on 01348 837476 or email: suehood@btinternet.com

Congratulations to….

Heather Leese from Cwmwdig Water Guest House who has just had her first novel published. In her novel ‘Sessions’, she tells the story of a psychologist, Dr Francesca Draw and a selection of the clients she must help through some difficult situations as her own family life starts to crumble....

‘Sessions’ could be a good read for the summer sunshine ahead!

Available to order from Heather 01348 831434 or on Amazon. and also to …

James Reynolds from Mathry, who has joined the RAF and is in training at RAF Halton near Aylesbury.

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Shed loads of water ........

Here’s one local establishment’s contribution to a cleaner, plasticfree ocean.

The Shed in Porthgain has stopped selling individual bottles of water and offers free fill-ups of travellers’ bottles instead.

Brilliant! (photo and caption sent in by a coastal walker – thanks)

Where to find a defibrillator:

Square & Compass Garage in the porch

Mathry Old Stores in the phone box

Croesgoch Chapel Vestry

Porthgain Counting House under the big gun

Trefin, Ship Inn

If someone you are with is having chest pains, here’s what to do: Call 999 and fetch the nearest defibrillator (or get someone else to go).

Once back with the patient, switch on the defibrillator - its automatic voice will tell you exactly what to do - just follow the recorded instructions.

The defibrillator will decide if the person needs a shock or not, so it’s not possible to hurt someone or do the wrong thing - and it really could save their life.

For more information, or if the defibrillator has been used, contact Gerard Rothwell at Welsh Ambulance Service 01633 471354 mob: 07734 716766 Thank you very much to Llanrhian Community Council, who undertake a monthly inspection of all these defibrillators.

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Regulars Abercastle Boat Owners Angharad’s Beauty Aromatherapy/Reflexology Carers Group Community Council Community Lunches Churches and Chapels Congratulations to...

Côr y Felin Croesgoch School Croesgoch Farm Stores Defibrillators Gwelliant Trefin GTI Llanrhian Cricket Club Llanrhian Social Group Markets Mathry Community Forum National Park Neil Prior, Councillor Porthgain Rowers Post Office Services Pubs and Restaurants Recycling Somatic Exercise Square and Compass Garage Strumble Shuttle Taxi

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Tractor Run Trefin Arts and Crafts Womens Institute Yoga

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Features Abereiddi Capel Bach memories Celtic Quest Daisybus Gardens Glorious Gorse Fair Comment Left in the Sloop Major Hewitt Meriel -The Ship Pembrokeshire Dangler Perennial Nursery Porthgain Ripper Ras Dewi Sant Rock Lady Sea Anemone Sea Slater Sloop refurbishment Swinging 60’s Watch Cottage

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We try to deliver Llais Rhian to as many households as possible, and it is also available from Square and Compass Garage, Croesgoch Farm Stores, Llanrhian Church and the Mill Cafe, Trefin.

Ryn ni'n ceisio dosbarthu Llais Rhian i gymaint o dai a phosib. Mae'r papur ar gael o Garej Sgwar, Stores Croesgoch, Eglwys Llanrhian a Caffi y Felin, Trefin.

Editors: David and Helen Aspden 01348 837070, Sheila Craft 01348 831220, Brigit Thurstan 01348 837102 or email us at: llaisrhian@gmail.com and we are on Facebook.

Thanks to Caro Flynn for her sketches.

Printed by right

price print of Goodwick tel: 01348 875009 44