![Capel Bangor](webphotos/capelbangor.jpg)
CAPEL BANGOR
GRID REFERENCE: SN 660800
AREA IN HECTARES: 330.8
Historic Background
The history of this area has not been researched. The
place-name ‘Bangor’ is presumed to refer to a pre Anglo-Norman
ecclesiastical establishment. There is no other evidence to support this.
The maes element of Maes Bangor may indicate the former presence of an
open- or sub-divided field system, although there is no documentary evidence
for this. However, the present pattern of small irregular fields and dispersed
farmsteads may have evolved from such a system in the later Medieval Period
or early modern period. It is clear that by the time of the first large-scale
mapping of the area, the tithe map of 1845 (Llanbadarnfawr parish), the
current settlement pattern of dispersed farms and small fields had been
established. Superimposed onto this agricultural landscape is one of rural
industry and crafts. Capel Bangor village in 1845 consisted of five or
six dwellings at ‘Pandy’, presumably indicating a fulling
mill, and a smithy, with a ‘Factory’ located upstream. A chapel
was constructed here in 1790 (Percival 1998, 517), and later a church
and another chapel. The village continued to develop throughout the second
half of the 19th century and the 20th century. A by-pass has been constructed
to avoid the core of the old village.
![Capel Bangor](webphotos/capelbangor2.jpg)
Description and essential historic landscape
components
This area encompasses a terrace of the Afon Rheidol
at about 30m-50m OD and the lower valley sides up to about 170m. Agricultural
land is almost entirely composed of improved pasture, with hardly any
rougher ground and no arable. The underlying settlement pattern is of
dispersed farms. Included in the area are the early 19th century red-tiled
roofed listed mansion of Glan Rheidol and its historic garden. However,
stone, rendered or left bare, is the main building material, with slate
for roofs. Farmhouses are mainly 19th century in date, stone built and
in the typical Georgian vernacular style of the region. Farms have two
or three ranges of 19th century stone outbuildings and substantial modern
concrete and steel agricultural buildings. Superimposed over this agricultural
pattern is the 19th and 20th century village of Capel Bangor. At its core
along the old road through the village are worker houses, including terraces
of single-storey cottages as well as the more regionally typical two-storey
late 19th century detached and semi detached worker houses of bare stone
with brick detailing. A 19th century Georgian style church, a chapel with
attached house and schoolroom (all listed) also lie in the village. Several
substantial late 19th century stone and brick built gothic villas lie
close to the village core. These seem to be influenced by the buildings
of Aberystwyth, which lies a little distance to the east, and do not have
an obvious agricultural function: they are probably lead mine managers’
or owners’ houses. The old village core has now been by-passed.
Petrol stations and other services, shops, modern houses, small housing
estates and a school have developed along or close to this new road.
Field patterning comprises small irregular enclosures.
The boundaries of these fields are of earth banks topped with hedges.
Hedges are generally well maintained on the river terrace with only a
small percentage neglected. On higher ground they are less well managed
and a larger proportion are becoming derelict. Wire fences supplement
most hedges. Deciduous woodland and individual trees of parkland close
to Glan Rheidol lend a wooded appearance to this part of the area. Remains
of small metal mines lie close to the northern boundary.
The recorded archaeology of this area consists mainly
of post-Medieval domestic and industrial buildings and the remains described
above. Bronze Age finds are the only indication of pre Dark Age occupation
in this area.
This is a particularly difficult area to define as many
of the neighbouring areas contain similar historic landscape characteristics.
To the east the historic landscape character areas are different, though
an exact boundary cannot be drawn. Higher ground of larger enclosures
and less settled land to the north provides better boundary definition,
but again no exact boundary can be drawn. The historic landscape area
to the west has yet to be described.
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 |