![Frongoch](webphotos/frongoch.jpg)
FRONGOCH
GRID REFERENCE: SN 764664
AREA IN HECTARES: 52.1
Historic Background
In the Medieval Period this area lay within Strata Florida
Abbey’s Pennardd Grange. In common with other abbey lands it is
likely that by the end of the Medieval Period, if not earlier, Penardd
had been divided into farms, which were leased out on a commercial basis.
Frongoch is likely to have originated in this manner. Upon the Dissolution
the granges were granted to the Earl of Essex. Subsequently, in 1630,
they were sold to the Crosswood estate. However, by the 18th century this
area had been incorporated into the Nanteos estate. It is likely therefore
that Frongoch formed part of the abbey demesne - land that was acquired
by John Stedman in 1567 (Cadw 1992) and not by Crosswood - and passed
into the Nanteos estate on the death of Richard Stedman in 1746. An estate
map of 1819 (NLW Vol 45; 62) shows Frongoch as a holding that consisted
of small fields intermixed with those of other farms. Some of these fields
are strip-like. It seems likely therefore that this landscape evolved
from a subdivided field system, perhaps upland shared pasture rather than
arable land. By the tithe survey all evidence of this had gone (Gwnnws
Tithe Map and Apportionment, 1847).
Description and essential historic landscape
components
A small, isolated landscape area on high, gentle west
and southwest-facing slopes above the upper reaches of the Afon Teifi
lying between 220m and 350m. It is centred on the farm of Frongoch and
consists of a block of improved grazing separated into small- to medium-sized
fields. Old boundaries to the fields comprise earth banks. No hedges are
now present and wire fences run along most of the banks. Frongoch is a
typical regional 19th century Georgian vernacular farmhouse with a couple
of ranges of stone outbuildings and very extensive modern outbuildings.
The recorded archaeology consists of a settlement of
Medieval or post-Medieval date.
The boundaries of this area are well defined. To the
northeast, east and south of this area lies a large tract of high, unenclosed
moorland. Rough grazing land in large enclosures and open moorland lies
to the northwest, and to the southwest the land falls rapidly away to
the enclosed land of the valley floor.
![Frongoch map](webphotos/frongochmap.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 |