Sid Howells, well-known local geologist, was the guest speaker at Lamphey Local History Group's November meeting (writes R.G.).

He is a lively and humorous speaker and his first picture set the tone for a very relaxed evening. He showed a huge wooden hinge and next to it is a picture and Stonehenge. The caption 'Tired of rotting wooden henges? Try our new stone products!' made everyone laugh.

He passed round pieces of spotted dolomite, the famous 'bluestone', for us all to examine and dealt briefly with the ongoing controversy between geologists and archeologists over the origin of the Stonehenge bluestones.

Because Pembrokeshire now relies so heavily on tourism, it often comes as a surprise to know how much mining and quarrying went on here from very early times. Coming in and out of Pembrokeshire by road is only now slowly improving, so everything produced in Pembrokeshire was moved by sea. Often quarries were within yards of the sea, as at Lydstep and on Caldey, but the many quiet little coves with the remains of quays that we have give a clue to our busy past.

The times that geologists talk about - hundreds of millions of years - are difficult for most people to imagine, but a speaker like Sid can show that what was formed in that very distant past has a huge influence over the lives of people living on that land.

Lamphey History Group meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7.30 in the Church Hall - please note, that is not the Village Hall. Visitors are most welcome.