A new project is shining a light on the hidden history of the Pembrokeshire Coast.
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has launched an effort to uncover and protect forgotten place names – covering everything from ‘forgotten’ fields to little-known lanes – throughout the national park.
The scheme, run in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), will rely on community knowledge to rediscover and record names for the national List of Historic Place Names for Wales.
Tomos Jones, community archaeologist at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “This is a fantastic project that empowers local communities to come forward with their place names knowledge.
“The information can then better inform our understanding of the National Park area and help us develop relevant projects.”
Pembrokeshire’s place names reflect a rich blend of Welsh, English, Nordic and Flemish influences.
The project aims not only to preserve this cultural mosaic but also to support future land management and future projects by capturing names that may otherwise be lost to time.
A series of community workshops will be held in 2026 to collect names for fields, footpaths, buildings and lanes.
The workshops will offer residents the chance to share names that have been passed down through generations.
Dr James January-McCann, place names officer at RCAHMW, will compile the submissions for inclusion in the national list.
Dr January-McCann said: “Given Pembrokeshire’s rich linguistic history, this is a brilliant opportunity to discover how strong those influences remain today, and to deepen people’s knowledge of their heritage.”
With the National Eisteddfod taking place in Pembrokeshire this year, the project will use the event as an opportunity to reach a wider audience.
A dedicated talk will be held during the festival, with support from the Eisteddfod team.
The first workshop is scheduled for St Davids City Hall on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, between 10am and 4pm.
