Pembrokeshire has said goodbye to its most legendary landlady, as 93-year-old Bessie Davies died peacefully this morning.

Landlady of the Dyffryn Arms, in the Gwaun Valley, known by all as Bessie’s, the much-loved publican spent 72 years of her life working at the famous hostelry.

She began in 1950, helping her mother-in-law, Mary Howells, to run the pub before becoming landlady herself in 1972.

For the last decade she was ably assisted by her children and grandchildren in running the pub, which famously serves Bass straight from the barrel, hand poured and delivered through a serving hatch into Bessie’s front room.

Bessie’s has become a mecca for countless visitors from many different countries.

Bessie received numerous celebrity visitors including TV journalist and broadcaster Jamie Owen, classical singer Shan Cothi, 80s TV presenter Timmy Mallet and even Prince Charles, who dropped in to see the 1910 picture of his great uncle.

The pub suffered a fire in 2019 but reopened to the delight of locals and visitors with many of the pub’s favourite features remaining intact including the painting of a young Queen Elizabeth and much of the antique Welsh furniture.

Bessie’s family confirmed that the legendary landlady died peacefully earlier today .

“As a family we would like to inform you that Bessie passed away peacefully this morning,” they said in a post on the Bessie Appreciation Society Facebook page.

“We would appreciate privacy at this difficult time. We will be closed until Monday. Diolch.”