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Upland Ceredigion East Historic Landscape Characterisation

Eastern Upland Cerdigion Map

The listings below are summaries, for further information click on the photograph

Base maps reproduced from the OS map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, © Crown Copyright 2001. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may ead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Licence Number: GD272221

Afon Mwyro

A few farms dispersed along the valley floor and lower valley sides, stone- and earth-banks of small fields and a little woodland characterise the landscape of the upland valley of the Afon Mwyro.

Banc Creignant Mawr

Banc Creignant Mawr is an upland forestry plantation dating to the 1960s. The plantation was established over open moorland.

Banc Esgair Mwn & Rhos Tanchwarel

Banc Esgair-mwn and Rhos Tanchwarel historic landscape character area consists of old enclosed land and settlements of cottages and smallholdings, many of which are abandoned. Land-use is a mixture of improved grazing and rougher ground. The remains of the lead mining industry are a prominent landscape feature.

Berthgoed

Abandoned smallholdings/cottages and deserted fields in a landscape of moorland with regenerating woodland on steep slopes characterise the Berthgoed historic landscape.

Blaen Glasffrwd

A 20th century coniferous plantation surrounds Blaen-Glasffrwd - a pocket of upland improved pasture, rough grazing and a single farm.

Brignant

Upland rough grazing and peaty hollows with improved grazing on lower-lying flanks, and small coniferous plantations are the main components of the Brignant landscape. Abandoned farms and cottages and the remains of lead mines testify to a once much more actively populated landscape.

Bryngwyn

Bryn Gwyn comprises an upland coniferous plantation established in the 1960s over unenclosed moorland.

Bryngwyn Bach

Bryngwyn Bach is a large tract of upland characterised by open moorland and occasional farms. Abandoned farms and cottages and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments illustrate that this landscape was once more actively exploited in the near and distant past.

Bryn Tyn- Llwyn

Fields of improved grazing within a small area of craggy, steep slopes characterise the Bryn Tyn-Llwyn landscape. There are several deserted settlements, but no inhabited dwellings.

Cambrian Mountains

The Cambrian Mountains historic landscape character area is the largest in upland Ceredigion and comprises high, open moorland with occasional dispersed farms. Abandoned farms and cottages and Bronze Age round barrows and related monuments attest to greater exploitation of the area in the past.

Coed Bwlchwallter

Large-scale 20th century coniferous plantations established over open moorland are the main components of the Coed Bwlchgwallter historic landscape character area.

Cyneiniog

A single farm, small fields, deciduous woodland and a modern coniferous plantation are the main components of the Cyneiniog historic landscape character area.

Cwm Mynach

Cwm Mynach historic landscape character area lies across the floor and spreads up the lower valley sides of a steep-sided upland valley. Hedges of the small, irregular fields, and stands of deciduous trees, lend a wooded aspect to the landscape. The settlement pattern is of dispersed, upland farms.

Cwmystwyth

Cwmystwyth is an old industrial landscape. The remains of metal mining are spread across the floor and sides of the steep-sided, craggy valley of the Ystwyth.

Dyffryn Castell

Farms dispersed along the lower slopes of an upland valley, the remains of 19th century metal mines, large fields of improved pasture and rough grazing, and the sinuous route of the A44 turnpike are all components of the Dyffryn Castell historic landscape character area.

Disgwylfa

Disgwylfa is an upland historic landscape area comprising moorland on which are found the remains of 18th and 19th century metal mines, deserted cottages and smallholdings and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments.

Esgair Fraith

Esgair Fraith is a very extensive tract of upland 20th century coniferous plantation. It was established over unenclosed moorland. Remains of metal mines and deserted settlements lie in the plantation.

Frongoch

Frongoch is an upland farm set in pocket of small- to medium-sized fields of improved pasture on the edge of open moorland.

Fuches Wen

Unenclosed moorland is the defining characteristic of the Fuches Wen historic landscape character area. Deserted settlements of the historic period and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments testify to a once more settled and more intensively exploited landscape in the past.

Hafod

Hafod is celebrated for its picturesque qualities; Thomas Johnes exploited these in the late 18th and early 19th century. His mansion no longer exists, but some of his buildings survive, as do many of the walks he established. Most of the estate is now under coniferous plantations established in the 1950s and 1960s.

Lluest

The settlement pattern of Lluest originated in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, during which time squatters built cottages and smallholdings on high common land. Many of these settlements have been abandoned, and those that survive are often modernised and extended.

Mynydd y Ffynnon

Mynydd y Ffynnon is an extensive tract of upland coniferous plantation established over open moorland during the second half of the 20th century. There are a few open areas, including Gelmast, an early 19th century farm built by Thomas Johnes of Hafod.

Nantymoch

Reservoirs and associated buildings constructed in the 1960s as part of a hydroelectric scheme form a major component of the Nant-y-Moch historic landscape. Other components comprise scattered hill farms, Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments and the remains of metal mines.

Peraidd Fynnydd

Peraidd Fynydd consists of an extensive 20th century coniferous plantation straddling the county boundary of Ceredigion/Powys. It was established mainly over open moorland, but a Roman fort, abandoned settlements and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments are evidence of a more actively exploited landscape.

Ponterwyd

Many of the elements of the Ponterwyd historic landscape date to the 19th century when the developing lead mining industry and the construction of a turnpike road opened up what had once been a fairly remote area. The village, remains of the mining industry, dispersed farms and abandoned cottages are testimony to this period of expansion and change.

Pumlimon

High open moorland is the defining characteristic of the Pumlimon landscape. Deserted historic settlements, old metal mines and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments testify to a landscape that has been intensively exploited in the past.

Pwllpeiran

Pwllpeiran is a complex area. It is essentially agricultural, with dispersed farms and improved pasture fields divided by banks with hedges and by dry-stone walls. It includes, however, the 19th century industrial hamlet of Cwmystwyth and the large modern experimental farm of Pwllpeiran.

Rhos y Gargoed & Rhos Marchnant

Rhos y Gargoed and Rhos Marchnant is an upland fringe historic landscape character area comprising old fields, now mainly abandoned, deserted settlements, pockets of moorland and coniferous forestry.

Syfydrin

The landscape area of Syfydrin consists of a pocket of improved grazing with upland farms surrounded by open moorland or upland coniferous plantations.

Tynddol

Tynddol is an upland fringe area and consists of a single farm set within a pocket of improved pasture.

Tywi Forest

Tywi Forest is a vast tract of coniferous plantation established in the 1960s over what had been chiefly open moorland. Abandoned post-Medieval settlements and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments demonstrate that this landscape was more intensively used in the past.

Upper Ystwyth Valley

Lying at the head of a steep-sided glacial valley, the Upper Ystwyth Valley historic landscape character area is the last of block of farmland before open moorland to the east. It consists of dispersed farms and pasture fields divided by dry-stone walls and stony banks.

Ysbyty Cynfyn

Small fields of pastures and dispersed farms are some of the main components of the Ysbyty Cynfyn landscape. It was once a more populated landscape, attested by several deserted farms and cottages. The small church of Ysbyty Cynfyn with several standing stones built into the churchyard wall lies in the centre of this area.

 

 

 

 

 

Project contact: Ken Murphy