BERWYN

GRID REFERENCE: SN 711587
AREA IN HECTARES: 87.8

Historic Background

The history of this area is not known. All that is certain is that the current settlement pattern and field system were established by the tithe survey of 1845 (Caron parish).

Description and essential historic landscape components

A narrow area confined to the valley floor and part of a south-facing valley side of the Afon Berwyn, between 250m and 350m. It comprises two farmsteads and a field system of irregular enclosures. The field boundaries consist of stone-faced banks topped with hedges, and dry-stone walls. Hedges are not generally stock-proof and are becoming derelict; wire fences augment them. Some distinctive trees are contained in the hedgerows. Improved pasture is common in the area, though there is much rushy ground and possibly some peat deposits on the valley floor. Land is rougher towards the upper, eastern end of the valley, and some woodland scrub and bushes are beginning to colonise rough pasture.

Buildings are of local stone, left bare, with commercial slate roofs. Houses are 19th century, with two storeys. There is one good example in the regional Georgian vernacular tradition – in this case with strong polite Georgian traits. The other house is modernised and extended. Only one farm is now working and this has small ranges of 19th century stone outbuildings and small modern agricultural buildings.

The presence of deserted settlements in the archaeological record indicates a more populous area through the 19th and 20th centuries. There is no recorded archaeology other than post-Medieval sites.

To the north, south and east steep valley sides and/or forestry plantations define the boundaries of this area. To the west this area fades gradually into its neighbouring area.

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.
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