Description
Q3 - If Classification is "Other", specify here
Q4 - Summary Description / Key Patterns and Elements
- This area is centred on the valleys of the Afon Stewi and Nant Silo, and includes the valley floors and lower slopes. There is a height range of 50m to 110m. The field pattern of small irregular enclosures and regular strip-enclosures has survived intact for at least two centuries. This includes a long, distinctive boundary between enclosed strips and former unenclosed land on the north side of the Stewi valley. Field boundaries comprise earth banks topped with hedges. Close to Penrhyn-coch and on the valley floors hedges are in fair to good condition, but on the higher valley sides and towards the eastern end of the area they are becoming overgrown and derelict. Wire fences augment most hedges. At the eastern end, close to Broginin, dry-stone walls form some of the boundaries. Farmland is now almost entirely improved grazing. There are small stands of deciduous trees, especially on the valley floors, and a small conifer plantation.
The western end of this area is dominated by the village of Penrhyn-coch, which sprawls across the valley floor. There are two older cores to the village. One is centred on a stone-built 19th century church and includes stone and brick built 19th century villas as well as typical late 19th century worker houses. The second is at a higher level and consists of short terraces of rendered stone single storey worker cottages with a chapel as a focus. Extensive (for upland Ceredigion) late 20th and early 21st century housing developments, a school and services now connect these two older cores. Modern housing is also located at Pen-bont Rhydybeddau, but here the historic core of bare stone detached and semi-detached worker houses in the typical regional Georgian style of the late 19th century is still largely intact. Several of these buildings are listed. Other late 19th century worker houses are distributed across the area, but agriculture is the main function of the dispersed buildings. Farmhouses are mid-to-late 19th century, are relatively small, of two storeys and in the typical Georgian vernacular style gable end chimneys, central front door, and two windows either side of the door and one above. Some have several ranges of stone outbuilding set around a yard, but most have just two to three ranges. Some farms are not working now and their outbuildings have been converted to other uses, such as light industry. Working farms have modern agricultural buildings, with very extensive ranges on larger farms.
The remains of Bronfloyd lead mine, including buildings, processing floors and tips are an important component of the historic landscape.
The recorded archaeology in this area mainly comprises post-Medieval extant secular and ecclesiastical buildings and metal mine remains. However, a time-depth element to the landscape is provided by a Roman coin hoard, a Bronze Age round barrow and a Bronze Age burnt mound or hearth.
To the south and north former unenclosed land clearly defines this landscape area. The landscape area to the west has not yet been defined, while to the east the woodland and small fields of the upper valley of the Afon Stewi represent a substantially different character area.
Q5 - If working at level 3, the classification describes the dominant historic pattern, but which other patterns are important to the historical pattern of this area? (Tick all that apply)
- Irregular Fieldscapes
- Other fieldscapes
- Nucleated Settlement
- Non-nucleated Settlement
Q6 - If working at level 4 ,which other 'details' are also significant to the historic character of this area? (Please tick all that apply)
Q7 - If working at level 4 only, which building types prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)
Q8 - If working at level 4 only, which periods prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)
Q9 - If working at level 4 only, which architectural types prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)
Q10 - If working at level 4 only, which traditional walling materials prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)
Q11 - If working at level 4 only, which traditional roofing materials prevail in the area? (select up to three)
Q12 - Which traditional boundary types prevail in the area?
- Hedgerow
- Hedgebank
- Dry Stone Walls
- Post & Wire Fence
- Earth/Turf Bank
Q13 - What is the nature of any archaeological interest in the area?
- Relict-Earthworks
- Buildings & Structures
- Industrial Archaeology
Q14 - Which chronological period is visually dominant in the area?
- Prehistoric
- Post Medieval (1536+)
Q15 - Is this a Historic Landscape Character Area (HLCA)? If yes, provide detail
Q16 - HLCA description url
Q17 - Are there Scheduled Monuments here?
Q18 - Are there Listed Buildings here?
Q19 - Are there Registered Historic Parks and Gardens here?
Q20 - Are there Conservation Areas here?
Q20a - Are there Historic Battlefields here?
Q21 - Are there World Heritage Sites here?
Q22 - Is this within a Registered Historic Landscape (RHL)?
Q22a - Registered Historic Landscape description
Condition
Recommendations
Q26 - Existing management
Q27 - Management recommendations
- Existing management retains the essentially agricultural character of the landscape. Most of the historic landscape components in this area are in a reasonable state of preservation. Continue present management to retain landscape character and traditional buildings..
Q28 - Sector Adaptation Plan
- Historic Environment and Climate Change in Wales Sector Adaptation Plan.
https://cadw.gov.wales/sites/default/files/2020-02/Adaptation%20Plan%20-%20FINAL%20WEB%20-%20English%20%281%29.pdf
Assessment of likely impacts of climate change on historic assets and significance p8-11.
Buildings and Settlements p23
Marginal and upland p26
Marine and coastal p28
Rivers, canals and freshwater p30
Farmland p33
Woodland p36
Industrial landscapes p38
Designed landscapes, parks and gardens p40
Historic landscapes p42
Aspect Area Boundary
Q30 - To what level was this information site-surveyed?
Q31 - At 1:10,000, how much of the Aspect Area boundary is precise?
Q32 - What baseline information source was used for Aspect Area boundary mapping?
Q33 - If OS Data was used, what was the scale?
Q34 - What is the justification for the Aspect Area boundaries?
Evaluation
Q35 - Evaluation Criteria: Integrity
Q36 - Evaluation Criteria: Survival
Q37 - Evaluation Criteria: Condition
Q38 - Evaluation Criteria: Rarity
Q39 - Evaluation Criteria: Potential
Q40 - Evaluation Criteria: Overall Evaluation
Q41 - Justification of overall evaluation
- LANDMAP criteria, supported by field visits and local knowledge.
Information Sources
Q42 - Sources and additional assessments
- Ordnance Survey mapping. Regional HER, AP coverage; HLC description. Questions 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 14/02/25, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
Living Heritage
Q43 - Are there any art/artistic expressions associated with the landscape/area?
Q44 - Are there any folklore/ legends associated with the landscape/area?
Q45 - Are there any events/traditions associated with the landscape/area?
Q46 - Are any famous people associated with the landscape/area?
Q47 - Are there any technical / scientific discoveries associated with the landscape/area?
Q48 - List of Historic Placenames
- https://rcahmw.gov.uk/discover/list-of-historic-place-names/
