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![Afon Groes](webphotos/afongroes.jpg)
AFON GROES
GRID REFERENCE: SN 692596
AREA IN HECTARES: 375.6
Historic Background
The early history of this area is unclear. It may have
formed part of one of the granges of Strata Florida Abbey, or alternatively
part of the demesne of the abbey. The granges were granted to the Earl
of Essex on the Dissolution, who sold them to the Crosswood (Trawscoed)
estate in 1630. In the late 18th century some of this area was in the
possession of Crosswood, and may have been obtained by this route. John
Stedman acquired the Abbey demesne in 1567. However, Richard Stedman died
intestate in 1746 and the estate passed to the Powells of Nanteos. Nanteos
had considerable holdings here in the 19th century. It is likely that
by the end of the Medieval Period, if not earlier, abbey granges and demesne
were divided into farms that were leased out on a commercial basis. The
end result of this process is a settlement pattern similar to that of
today, as seen in the Caron Tithe Map of 1845. Earlier maps - late 18th
century and early 19th century estate maps (NLW Crosswood Deeds Vol 1,
20 and Vol 2, 1; NLW Vol 45, 54, 55, 69; NLW Crosswood 332) - shed some
light on landscape development. 1819 maps of the area to the east of Tregaron
and around Aberdwr show some interspersed, enclosed fields, and small
strip-like enclosures around Penffordd. This intermixing of holdings and
enclosed strips suggests that the landscape of small irregular fields
evolved out of a subdivided field system, and the 1819 estate maps captured
the very end of this process of evolution.
![Afon Groes](webphotos/afongroes2.jpg)
Description and essential historic landscape components
This area lies across the valley floors and partly up
the lower valley sides of the Afon Groes, Afon Brennig, Afon Berwyn and
Nant Fleinog between 175m and 200m. It comprises scattered farms set in
a matrix of small, irregularly shaped fields. Boundaries consist of earth
banks topped with hedges. Hedges are generally in good condition, though
a few are no longer stock-proof and are reinforced with wire fences. There
are many distinctive trees on the boundaries; these together with the
scattering of small woods across the area give an impression of a moderately
wooded landscape. Farmland is mainly improved pasture, though there is
some unimproved pasture, rough grazing and rushy - brwyn - ground.
Local stone is the traditional building material with
slate (north Wales slate) used for roofs. Walls are either cement rendered
or left bare on houses and always bare on traditional farm buildings.
Older farmhouses/houses that date almost entirely to the mid-to-late 19th
century, are relatively small, of two storeys and in the typical Georgian
vernacular style – gable end chimneys, central front door, two windows
either side of the door and one above. Vernacular traits such as low eaves,
small windows and one chimney larger than the other are present on some
houses. Stone-built outbuildings are generally confined to one or two
small ranges, with some attached and in-line to the house. Several farms
are not now working and their outbuildings are falling into disuse. Working
farms have small ranges of modern steel and concrete agricultural buildings.
Also in this area are a larger early 20th century house, a small listed
1866 chapel and a scatter of late 20th and early 21st century housing,
mostly bungalows, with a concentration close to Tregaron on the eastern
side of this area.
Recorded archaeology consists of just a few sites, and
these are mainly post-Medieval extant dwellings, and other minor landscape
components of similar date. A possible standing stone of Bronze Age date
provides the only time-depth element to the area.
The boundaries of this area are not generally sharp.
However, to the west the town of Tregaron provides clear definition, and
to the north the steep valley side is also a distinct boundary.
![Map of Afon Groes area](webphotos/afongroesmap.jpg)
Base map 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 lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Licence Number: GD272221 |