A Welsh county of coast, history and evolving frontier
Haverfordwest Castle in Pembrokeshire is closed for restoration until 2028, with grounds to host open-air events for 500 people. The project aims to drive regeneration, expand biodiversity, and provide a school programme and volunteering opportunities. Pembrokeshire Council expects around 63,000 visitors in the first year.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has announced that the coastguard search for two missing crew from the French-registered trawler Maranello has ended after an intensive operation southwest of the Eddystone Lighthouse. Three others were rescued and hospitalised; the vessel has sunk. The rescue effort continues to coordinate cross-border support.
A new, peer-unreviewed analysis reconstructs Conquest Man’s life and origins, suggesting a complex, cross-Channel heritage. The skeleton from Barton-upon-Humber indicates continental ancestry with Scandinavian links, dating from pre-conquest to post-conquest periods, and hints at long-standing connections across the North Sea. The study frames a more nuanced picture of 11th-century England.
A fossil from 324 million years ago suggests insects had more legs than today and may reshape understanding of early arthropods during the hexapod gap.
The theft of a narrow-headed ant nest from Chudleigh Knighton Heath reserve in Devon has been reported. The nest holds thousands of ants and long-lived queens. Conservationists say the loss threatens the last England population and could set back years of work. Police are investigating and urge public information.