![LLUEST](webphotos/lluest.jpg)
LLUEST
GRID REFERENCE: SN 787750
AREA IN HECTARES: 95.4
Historic Background
This area lay within Strata Florida Abbey’s Cwmystwyth
Grange. Upon the Dissolution, its unenclosed character ensured that the
Crown claimed it. In the late 18th and early 19th century squatters began
to occupy portions of this unenclosed Crown land. Part of the land was
subjected to an Enclosure Act of 1860 (Chapman 1992, 53). The map drawn
up for the award (NLW Card CC Deposit 6) depicts the encroachments made
upon Crown land by the squatters. Those that had been in occupancy for
more than 20 years were granted freehold; those less than 20 years were
given the option to purchase their holdings. It is clear that the squatters
were partially dependant for their livelihood on employment in the metal
mining industry. Decline in the industry had a concomitant affect on these
settlements, and the 20th century has witnessed widespread desertion.
However, in recent decades many of the houses have experienced an upturn
in fortune, and have been renovated or rebuilt.
![LLUEST](webphotos/lluest2.jpg)
Description and essential historic landscape
components
This area comprises the high open upland valley of the
Nant Gorlan lying between 280m and 400m. Buildings of the dispersed settlement
pattern comprise smallholdings, cottages and houses. Local stone is the
traditional building material, which is usually cement rendered on houses,
with slate (north Wales slate) used for roofs. Dwellings almost entirely
date to the mid-to-late 19th century, are relatively small, of one or
two storeys and in the typical Georgian vernacular style – gable
end chimneys, central front door, and two windows either side of the door
and one above – but generally vernacular traits are present, such
as low eaves, small windows and one chimney larger than the other. Many
houses have been extensively modernised or rebuilt. Several ruined houses
are present. Where present stone-built outbuildings are generally confined
to one or two small ranges, with some attached and in-line to the house.
There are very few modern farm buildings, and where present they are quite
small.
Annexed to the dwellings are small paddocks or fields,
usually of improved grazing. Dry-stone walls provide the boundaries between
fields, but earth banks and stony banks are also present. Many of these
older boundaries are now redundant and wire fences have replaced them.
There are several deserted cottages in this area, and the sites of several
more are evident. Between settlements the landscape is one of unenclosed
very rough grazing, with rushy and peaty land in hollows. Small conifer
plantations have been established across the centre of the area, but apart
from these and occasional trees close to dwellings, this is essentially
a treeless landscape. There are minor remains of the metal mining industry
- tips and levels - on the eastern side of this area.
Apart from extant and abandoned dwellings, and the remains
of the metal mining industry, the only other significant archaeological
site in this area is a possible Bronze Age ring barrow.
This is a distinctive area, though its boundaries are
not sharp. To the north and east lies high unenclosed moorland, and to
the south and west lower-lying enclosed farmland.
![LLUEST MAP](webphotos/lluestmap.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 |