![Gwar Castell](webphotos/gwarcastell.jpg)
GWAR CASTELL
GRID REFERENCE: SN 724606
AREA IN HECTARES: 175.0
Historic Background
Historically this area seems to have been common land within Cwmwd Penardd,
and was unenclosed, un-settled land until the late 18th century. An 1822
survey (Muckle and Williams 1992, 35) records squatter settlements at
Bryn Lloi, Gwar Castell, Tan Bylchau, Waun Groes, Bryn Coch, Garnwen and
Lluast Abercaeau. Rees (1936) records 11 tai unnos before 1839 and five
after 1839 in the Blaencaron area. By the early 19th century further enclosures,
mostly on higher land to the east of the area, had been added to those
originally enclosed by the squatters. A school was established in 1883
and a chapel constructed to the east served the spiritual needs of the
inhabitants. Only Gwar Castell is now occupied. Other cottages and farms
were abandoned between World War One and World War Two. The area has now
reverted to sheep-walk. Some of the deserted dwellings in this area are
of interest; including a number of sub Medieval type houses, classified
by Smith (1966, 1988) as type ‘B’ regional houses (main chimney
backing on to entry), which continued to be built by poorer farmers into
the 19th century.
Description and essential historic landscape components
This area consists of the valley head and surrounding valley sides of
the Groes Fechan situated between 220m and 420m. The valley is steep-sided
with a narrow flat-bottomed floor. This area was formerly enclosed with
a system of irregular small- and medium-sized fields and a settlement
pattern of dispersed farmsteads. The fields and settlements date to the
late 18th and 19th century. Only Gwar Castell farm is still occupied,
the others are now deserted and in varying stages of decay. Local stone
is the building material. Dry-stone walls and stone-faced banks comprise
the old-field boundaries - no hedges are present. Dry-stone walls are
used to form small paddocks around the farmsteads. All of these old boundaries
are now derelict and most are in an advanced state of disrepair. Wire
fences now divide the area into large enclosures. Most of the land has
reverted to rough grazing with much rush cover, and the derelict farmsteads
are beginning to be submerged beneath rushes and bushes. There are peaty
deposits in hollows and on the valley bottom. Improved grazing within
large wire-fence enclosures has been created on dryer ground on the valley
sides. There are some small stands of woodland and stunted trees in the
yards of the deserted farms.
Apart from a possible Bronze Age standing stone and minor post-Medieval
elements of the landscape, the recorded archaeology consists entirely
of the abandoned settlements described above.
This is a well defined area. To the north, south and east lies unenclosed,
unsettled land, and to the west is lower lying settled and farmed land.
![Gwar Castell map](webphotos/gwarcastellmap.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 |