Uplands Initiative Great Rhos Archaeological Survey
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Uplands Initiative Great Rhos Archaeological Survey Report by: Trysor For: The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales March 2008 Uplands Initiative Great Rhos Archaeological Survey By Jenny Hall, MIFA & Paul Sambrook Trysor Trysor Project No. 2008/113 For: The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales Royal Commission Ref. No. RCS 1/2/65 March 2008 Cover photograph: The northern end of Harley Dingle, at the heart of the Great Rhos study area, viewed from the east. CONTENTS 1.1 Crynodeb 3 1.2. Summary 4 1.3 Introduction 5 Extent of area covered in km2 Previous Fieldwork Methodology 2. Analysis of Sites recorded in the Survey Area 11 Number of sites Summary of sites by Broad Class Summary of sites by Period Summary of sites by Type Summary of sites by Altitude Significant new sites 3. Value of AP mapping to the field project 20 4 Great Rhos History and Archaeology 22 4.1 Characteristics and comparisons 22 4.2 Prehistory 24 Evidence in adjacent areas Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments Significance of the prehistoric archaeology 4.3 Early Medieval 26 Shepherd’s Well Dyke 4.4 Post Medieval Settlement & Farming 27 Enclosure and Cultivation The significance of Post Medieval settlement & Farming 4.5 Post Medieval Industries 29 Quarrying Peat Cutting Radnor Range Leisure The significance of the Industrial Sites 5 Conclusions 34 6 Sources 35 1 7 Recommendations 37 Detailed site analysis and buildings survey Sites for inclusion on Ordnance Survey mapping Sites for pollen analysis and other environmental sampling 8 Site Gazetteer 39 Appendix A – Site Type Summary 65 Appendix B – Period Summary 67 Appendix C – Contour Summary 69 Appendix D - Uplands Initiative Air Photo Mapping Great Rhos 71 Figures Figure 1: Location of Study area 6 Figure 2: Study area showing areas not covered by transects 9 Figure 3: Distribution of sites by Broad Class 12 Figure 4: Distribution of sites by Period 14 Figure 5: Distribution of sites by Altitude 18 Figure 6: Features plotted by the RCAHMW from aerial photographs 21 Tables Table 1: Broad Class 11 Table 2: Sites by Period 13 Table 3: Sites by Type 15 Table 4: Sites by contour band 16 Table 5: Bronze Age funerary monuments 24 2 1.1 Crynodeb Yn ystod haf 2007, cyflawnwyd arolwg archaeolegol manwl o ardal astudiaeth Great Rhos gan gwmni Trysor. Gwnaed y gwaith fel rhan o Fenter Uwchdiroedd y Comisiwn Brenhinol ar Henebion yng Nghymru. Gorwedd ardal yr astudiaeth yng nghanol Fforest Clud (Fforest Maesyfed), ychydig i’r gogledd o fwrdeistref hanesyddol Maesyfed Newydd (Trefaesyfed gynt). Mynydd Great Rhos, sy’n cyrraedd 660m, yw’r man uchaf o fewn y Fforest Clud. Ardal astudiaeth cymharol fechan yw Great Rhos, sy’n mesur tua 9 cilomedr sgwâr yn unig. Cynhwysir rhyw 5.5 cilomedr sgwâr o fewn ardal yr arolwg maes, gyda’r prif ffocws ar y tir uchel, lle ceir porfeydd mynyddig heb eu gwella, gan fwyaf. Roedd tua 5.5 cilomedr sgwâr arall yn syrthio o fewn ardal maes saethu’r “Radnor Range”, safle sydd ym meddiant cwmni preifat lle gwneir arbrofion ar fwledi. Nid oedd modd cael mynediad i diroedd y maes saethu oherwydd cyfyngderau a roddwyd mewn lle yn 2006. Fel canlyniad, arolwg pen fwrdd yn unig a wnaed o’r ardal honno. Dim ond 56 o safleoedd archaeolegol a gofnodwyd yn yr ardal astudiaeth gan y gwaith maes a’r arolwg pen fwrdd, y rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn safleoedd digon dinod. Yn rhyfedd iawn, ychydig iawn o enghreifftiau o’r mathau o safleoedd archaeolegol mwyaf cyffredin ym mynyddoedd y Canolbarth a welwyd. Dwy garnedd yn dyddio i Oes yr Efydd ac un clawdd sy’n dyddio i’r Oesoedd Tywyll, o bosib, oedd y safleoedd pwysicaf a nodwyd yn yr ardal. Roedd y rhan fwyaf o’r safleoedd a gofnodwyd yn dyddio i’r cyfnodau ôl-ganoloesol neu fodern a ni chyfrir hwy i fod o bwys mawr. Maent yn cynnwys nifer o safleoedd sy’n gysylltiedig â’r maes saethu ei hunan. Mae prinder o safleoedd archaeolegol, yn enwedig safleoedd anheddu, yn hynod ddiddorol. Fe all hyn fod yn ganlyniad i’r ffaith mai tiroedd hela brenhinol oedd y fforest yn ystod y canol oesoedd, statws fyddai wedi bod yn rhwystr i anheddu a bob math o weithgareddau eraill yn yr ardal. Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r dirwedd o few ardal yr astudiaeth yn dir mynyddig, garw, ac wedi derbyn statws Safle o Ddiddordeb Gwyddonol Arbennig oherwydd amrywiaeth a chyfoeth ei bywyd gwyllt a phlanhigion, yn enwedig ei adar. Yn ddi-os, mae’r bryniau o gwmpas Great Rhos, llawer ohonynt yn dir comin cofrestredig, wedi cael eu defnyddio fel porfeydd mynyddig ers canrifoedd, gan ffermydd sy’n gorwedd yn y cymoedd cyfagos. Heddiw, mae ardal Great Rhos yn boblogaidd iawn gyda cherddwyr am ei fod yn cynnig lle ardderchog i gerdded, gyda golygfeydd arbennig ar draws tirwedd drawiadol y Fforest Clud a rhannau mawr o’r Canolbarth. 3 1.2 Summary An archaeological field survey of the Great Rhos study area was undertaken by Trysor during the summer of 2007, grant aided as part of the RCAHMW's Uplands Initiative project. The area is found at the heart of the Radnor Forest, of which the Great Rhos summit, at 660m, is the highest point. The study area lies just to the north of the historic settlement of New Radnor. Great Rhos was a small study area, only 9km2 in total. Some 5.5k m2 of the area was included in the field survey. This focussed on the highest ground, which was predominantly unimproved mountain pasture. A further 3.5k m2 fell within the Radnor Range, a private ammunition testing complex, which was not accessible due to restrictions put in place during 2006. A desktop survey was undertaken of this area. Fieldwork and desktop research identified only 56 archaeological sites and features within the study area, most of which were of minor importance. Remarkably there are few of the site types commonly encountered in the mid-Wales uplands. Two Bronze Age round barrows and one possible Early Medieval dyke were the most significant sites within the area. Most of the features recorded were minor in nature and of post medieval or modern date. These included many features associated with the Radnor Testing Range. However, this relative absence of archaeology, particularly settlement evidence, is in itself interesting. It may in part be explained by the former status of the area as a royal hunting forest during medieval times, which must have restricted activity within the area to some extent. Most of the landscape within the area is now rough, hill pasture, a large part of which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its rich flora and fauna, particularly its bird-life. Clearly, the hills around Great Rhos, much of which is still registered common land, have been used as upland pasture throughout recent centuries, by farms located in adjacent valleys. Today, Great Rhos is popular with walkers as it offers exhilarating walks and spectacular views across the dramatic landscape of the Radnor Forest and mid-Wales. 4 1.3 Introduction. This field project and related desktop research was undertaken by Trysor during 2007- 2008, grant-aided by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW). Desktop research was undertaken during May and June 2007, and the fieldwork was carried out over 4 days in June to August 2007. The final report was compiled during March 2008. The area was designated as “Great Rhos” and was focused on a small upland block that lies to the northwest of New Radnor. This forms part of the larger upland block encompassed by the boundaries of the medieval chase of the Forest of Radnor, the heart of which is survives as the Radnor Forest. The study area includes the high ground to the north, east and west of the deep valley of Harley Dingle. Altitude ranged from just under 300m on the floor of Harley Dingle, to 660m on Great Rhos, to the northwest of the valley, and 650m on the Black Mixen, to the northeast (see Figure 1). Harley Dingle was excluded from the fieldwork element of the project, but covered by desktop research. Plate 1: Harley Dingle viewed from the north 5 Figure 1: Location of study area 6 1.3.1 Extent of area covered in km2 The extent of the Great Rhos study area is 9.02km2. The core of the area, 3.48km2 was not accessible as it is a private firing range. The remaining area, 5.54 km2 was open access under the CROW Act 2000. Most parts of the study area were accessible for field survey as there were no forests, bogs or bodies of water of significance within the area. Only the steep slopes at the head of Harley Dingle were impossible to walk. 1.3.2 Previous Fieldwork Some archaeological fieldwork had been carried out in the survey area prior to this project which had informed the database records of the NMR and HER. The earliest identified fieldwork was undertaken by the RCAHM prior to 1913, when a series of site visits were made during the preparation of the Inventory of Ancient Monuments for Radnorshire (RCAHM, 1913). CPAT have undertaken earlier Upland Initiative fieldwork in the areas adjacent to the Great Rhos study area (Owen, 1992). This work covered Whimble, Whinyard Rocks and Bache hills to the east of the 2007 study area. To the west of Great Rhos some 12km2 of mostly open moorland was also surveyed.