Ty Llwyd, Llangynidr, Powys Archaeological Excavation

Ty Llwyd Excavations 1

Dr Jemma Bezant Cymrodor Ddysgu Archaeoleg Cyfarwyddwr Cynllun, Prosiect Ymchwil Ystrad Fflur Yr Adran Archaeoleg, Hanes ac Anthropoleg Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant

Teaching Fellow, School of Archaeology, History & Anthropology University of Wales Trinity Saint David Ceredigion SA48 7ED

T. 01570424737 E. [email protected] 2

Contents

1. Non-Technical Summary 3 Scope ...... 3 Acknowledgements . 3

2. Metadata 4

3. Introduction 5 Aims and Objectives ...... 7 Ty Llywd, Historical and Archaeological Back- ground. 7

4. Methodology 11

5. Results 12 Trench T3...... 12 Trench T4...... 14 Trench T5...... 15

6. Discussion 19

7. Bibliography 22

8. Appendix 23 Finds Records . 23 Ty Llwyd Excavations 3

Non-Technical Summary 1. Scope

This report details the methods and results of an archaeological excavation. An interim interpretation of the results is provided but a full analysis of Ty Llwyd remains to be met by future research.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks must be made to the landowner Mrs A Jones and her tenant Mr R Davies. We are indebted to The Cambrian Archaeological Association and The Brecon Beacons Trust for their generosity and to all of the funding bodies that have made this project possible. Special acknowledgement must go to all of the members of the Llangynidr Local History Society (especially those of the excavation team), including David Stephenson, Deb Vulliamy, Peter Seaman, Peter Hodges, Kerry Graves, Jan Bailey, Richard Fisher, Charlene Hutcheson, Rosemary Evans, Tim Evans, Ann Jessop, Sue Ware, Ed Treasure, David Filsell, Jay, Richard and Julie Jones, Rodger Burchell, Bethan Jackson, Nigel Nayling, Margaret Jenkins, Adrian and Sam Wilding, the Richardson Family, the Red Lion Team, Hannah, Bethany and Mike Scott-Archer. Extra special thanks to the employees of Trefor Meredith (builders) who valiantly worked, despite appalling conditions, to back fill the trenches. Apologies for any omissions which are entirely accidental.

Metadata 2. Project Name Archaeological Survey and Excavation at Ty Llwyd, Llangynidr, Brecon, SO 15161911

Survey Purpose To conduct small-scale excavation of a former longhouse.

Spatial Coverage > 5 acres

Country Wales, UK

Duration August 2010

Weather Dry

Soil condition Well drained

Land use Improved pasture

Monument type Earthwork

Monument period Post medieval

Survey Director Dr. Jemma Bezant

Client Llangynidr Local History Society

Landowner A Jones

Excavation Data Site drawings have been scanned and recorded as Tiff files in line with AHDS recommended archiving standards. Finds to be retained by client. Soil samples, GIS map data and shapefile layers to be retained by J Bezant.

Excavation finds Ownership of finds resides with the landowner in the first instance but finds to be retained by LLHS. Ty Llwyd Excavations 5

Introduction

During a three week period in August 2010 five trenches were excavated in order to assess the 3.archaeological character of a set of earthwork features (SO 15163 19115) to the southeast of Pwll Court farm in the village of Llangynidr (SO 1542 1937), Powys. During a previous survey (PRN 117888) conducted in 2009 (Bezant and Bailey 2010), the Llangynidr Local History Society had located and recorded this feature as a level platform enclosure set into the gentle slope of Stile Field, just southeast of Pwll Court (PRN 113876). The survey identified a number of other relict earthworks features within this field, not least a holloway which formerly connected the platform with the Mill Road that runs close by to the east. The excavation was directed by Dr Jemma Bezant of the Department of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, and formed the ongoing annual archaeological fieldwork component deployed by the LLHS.

Location map

Three of the five trenches yielded significant archaeological remains (T3, T4 and T5) and are presumed to be on the site of Ty Llwyd recorded in the tithe apportionment of 1842.

This report describes the objectives and results of that archaeological fieldwork andmakes recommendations for relevant future historical and archaeological investigation. 6

Location map. Excavations took place at 25 which was identified as a one of a set of earthwork features during survey in 2009.

T3 T4

T5 ±

0 35 70 140 Meters

Locations of T3, T4 and T5. Llangynidr village in the top left corner, Pwll Court Farm on the far left. Ty Llwyd Excavations 7

Aims and Objectives

In accordance with the IfA’s Standards and guidance for an archaeological field evaluation, the primary objective of this assessment is to gain information about the archaeological resource within a given area or site (including its presence or absence, character, extent, date, integrity, state of preservation and quality), in order to make an assessment of its merit in the appropriate context, leading to one or more of the following:

• the formulation of a strategy to ensure the recording, preservation or management of the resource • the formulation of strategy to mitigate threat to the archaeological resource • the formulation of a proposal for further archaeological investigation within a programme of research

Ty Llywd, Historical and Archaeological Background

Llangynidr is a village in the parish of the same name in Powys some 4 miles west of Crickhowell and 10 miles south-east of Brecon. Llangynidr village core lies to the south of and adjacent to the river Usk and is grouped mainly around the medieval parish church of St Cynidr. A second historic centre to the parish must be noted, forming a core around site of a chapel below Neuadd in the Dyffryn Crawnon to the west of Llangynidr Village. These two cores likely relate to the two townships of Blainey with Dyffryn and Vro noted by Kain and Oliver (2006) although the boundaries remain unknown (careful deliberation of the census enumerators descriptions of their individual districts may shed light on this)

1 REC: 45075A 2 NUM: 45/75A 3 PLA: Blainey with Duffryn 4 CAT: T 5 PAR: Llangynidir 6 APL: - 7 CTY: Brecknockshire 8 NGL: SO150190 9 ONP: 141 10 CEN: 601.2.1 11 SCE: O6 12 REF: - 13 COM: Boundaries not found; NGR approximate. 1 REC: 45075B 8

2 NUM: 45/75B 3 PLA: Vro 4 CAT: T 5 PAR: Llangynidir 6 APL: - 7 CTY: Brecknockshire 8 NGL: SO130130 9 ONP: 141, 154 10 CEN: 601.2.2 11 SCE: O6 12 REF: - 13 COM: Boundaries not found; NGR approximate

Kain and Oliver’s (2006) record for Llangynidr Parish

Llangynidr parish numbered 75A & B cf. Kain and Oliver 2006 Ty Llwyd Excavations 9

Ty Llwyd first appears in the historical record c 1813 where the holding was surveyed for the 1” OS Brecon Sheet 42 which was published in 1832. Parts of Llangnynidr had remained outside of the ownership of the Earls of Worcester so Ty Llwyd was unfortunately was never mapped as part of the Manorial survey in 1587 (NLW Badminton 4). The tithe (1842) map however shows two adjacent buildings with a smaller one between them. The easternmost (‘upper’) building appears to be sited just beyond the enclosed platform and was approached by a now-relict trackway from the southeast. It was this latter building that was targeted for excavation where two trenches were opened. A further trench was located across the trackway. The structure appears to be of the ‘longhouse’ type and was perhaps a domestically occupied structure with finds dating from the late medieval to 18th and 19th centuries.

There are no census returns for Ty Llwyd from 1841 onwards, although a tithe is being paid in 1842. The tithe names the owner/occupier as James Prosser Snead. By 1840, James had inherited Pwll originally built in 1770 by Thomas and Anne Prosser. It was around this time that he evidently moved out of Ty Llwyd and into the extended and remodelled Pwll Court - now a gentleman’s residence that matched his status as magistrate and deputy Lieutenant of Brecknockshire. 10

1844 tithe map showing Ty Llwyd to the southwest of Llangynidr village core. Ty Llwyd Excavations 11

Methodology 4.

Trenches were excavated manually using spade, mattock and hand shovel after de-turfing. Recording of the trench was in three formats where deemed necessary:

1. Photographic Record - photographs were appropriated in digital format to a minimum 10 mega-pixel resolution. 2. Drawn record - Site drawings were produced at a scale of 1:20 on drafting film. Finished drawings are related to Ordnance Survey datum where appropriate. 3. Written Records - written records were produced using a continuous numbering sequence for all contexts.

Environmental sampling was not anticipated given the expected nature and character of the archaeological deposits. Any archaeological features were to be tied in locationally to the OS grid and fixed local topographic boundaries. All works were taken in accordance with the IfA’s Standards and guidance for an Archaeological Field Evaluation.

In all, 5 trenches were excavated but only T3, T4 and T5 yielded significant archaeological deposits. 12

Results 5. Trench T3 Was the largest trench, eventually reaching c 36x2m. This narrow slot trench was opened on the eastern edge of the earthwork platform in the assumption that the building in question was located on the edge of the platform itself. It soon became apparent that this wasn’t the case and the trench was extended outwards beyond the platform where structural remains were eventually encountered. The field itself is given to improved pasture and ploughing has not occurred within living memory. A shallow turf and topsoil was removed up to a depth of 20cm. The eastern-most 8m of the trench yielded a deep ploughsoil deposit up to 35cm that corresponded to the top of the platform. This context (1001) was extremely finds-rich comprising domestic ‘midden-like’ material; coal lime, nails and fe frags, glass, ceramics and other fragmented construction material. The westernmost end of the trench (beyond the platform) yielded construction debris and rubble building stone with occasional slate and stone roofing material in a layer up to 30cm in depth. On removing this overburden two parallel

T3 looking west. The trench was opened over the platform edge. Note the rubble fill of cut under scale pole (1m) cuts containing this material ran across T3 some 6m apart. The easternmost cut was well-defined and with a sharp U shaped transition. It measured 80cm across and up to 20cm deep. The westernmost cut remained mostly unexcavated as it was cut into the edge of the platform slope. It measured c 120 cm across and was characterised by some very large irregular rubble stone slabs laid in the base. A strip of cobbling running alongside the easternmost cut measured 120cm across and comprised well- sorted, rounded river cobbles up to c 20cm. Running along the outside of this a narrow slot trench was excavated to a depth of c 80cm where a series of clay drainage pipes remained in-situ. Ty Llwyd Excavations 13

T3 looking south. Rubble fill of western cut under scale pole (1m).

T3 looking south. Partially excavated fill of eastern cut to far right, cobbled strip and drainage channel with pipes 14

Trench T4

Once excavation in T3 had revealed potential structural remains, T4 was opened c 4m to the south of T3 with the intention of recovering internal features and wall returns. This roughly rectangular trench measured c 6x4m and was excavated up to a maximum depth of 80cm at its southern end where it had

T4 looking west with T3 partially visible in the top right hand corner (scales 2m)

The interior of T4. Showing stone floor flags, doorway and external cobbling, scale 1m (Photo P. Hodges). Ty Llwyd Excavations 15

been dug into the slope. The overlying top and ploughsoil was a well-sorted, humic rich brownsoil and contained very few finds beyond fragmented building debris such as plaster, slate and stone fragments. The removal of this rubble-rich layer saw a fragment of dry-stone walling intact at the southeastern end measuring up to 80cm wide with a neatly constructed stop-end at its northern end . The trajectory of this wall continued in a shallow cut up to 10cm deep and 80cm wide and which continued under the northern extent of the trench. No returns were discerned but a quantity of burned, fired material was recovered at the southern end. West of the wall was a strip of cobbling similar in nature to that in T3. To the east of the wall a partial floor surface comprising large laid stone flags survived.

Trench T5

A long narrow (c 8x1.5m) trench was opened some 28m south of the main excavation in order to assess the character of the holloway earthwork identified as part of the 2009 survey. The trench was opened perpendicular to the holloway across a U shaped earthwork surviving up to c 1.5m high in places. The overburden to a depth of c 20cm was removed onto a humic-rich brownsoil that yielded very few finds. Excavated a rubble stone-rich to a maximum depth of c 35cm a hard-packed surface was encountered comprising small pebble gravels laid into a compacted surface. The feature appeared to have been cut into the slope uphill towards the south and the earth thrown up either side to create banks.

The holloway facing south. Note the profile against the back hedge. 16

T3 Ty Llwyd Excavations 17

T4 18

T5 Ty Llwyd Excavations 19

Discussion 6. Ty Llwyd is a longhouse type structure typical of many in the area. This excavation has provided a unique opportunity to investigate such a building that has such a close cultural affinity with rural and agricultural identity. None of the dateable material is much earlier than the late 18th century implying that occupation was late and ended around the middle of the 19th century when the buildings were evidently abandoned for the newer, gentry Pwll Court. The style and layout of Ty Llwyd mirrors that of the traditional vernacular in the area which dates from the late medieval period at least and demonstrates a conservative building tradition right through into the modern era. The fact that it is

Ty Llwyd excavations in the middle distance (by the blue truck). Llangynidr village in the background. built beyond the end of a substantial building platform may indicate that it was secondary and later than any occupation on the platform.

Definitive proof as to whether or not the building was domestic or agricultural in nature remains 20

Ty Llwyd reconstructed. Ty Llwyd Excavations 21

beyond the scope of this excavation. Indeed the excavated structure may have served both or differing functions over time. The reconstructed building measures c 12x6m internally overall and with some evidence for internal division recorded in the floor surface at its southern end. This southern end was built deeply into the slope and comprised highly fired rubble material. Was there a hearth at this end? The east-facing doorway is narrow and implies domestic access but another, wider animal entrance further downslope would fit with this model; though any evidence for this has been lost. A cobbled apron to the eastern front of the building partially overlay a drainage channel to take water from the sloping holloway and away from the building.

The site had evidently been dismantled and all good building stone removed, creating ‘robber trenches’ where stone footings had been laid. Had some of the better stone been used by Prosser Snead in the gentrification of Pwll Court? To accompany this gentrification of the dwelling, a certain amount of emparkment appears to have occurred. Buildings, trackways and field boundaries depicted on the early OS maps were swept away to create a lawned ‘polite’ space that would have been overlooked by Pwll Court that was reoriented to face east towards the village. A curving bank and ditch between Ty Llwyd may have acted as a Ha-Ha and animals would have grazed beneath a large specimen park oak. This valuable and high status amenity within striking distance of the heart of the village must have adequately reflected Prosser Snead’s status as magistrate and deputy Lieutenant.

The relationship of this holding with the manorial estates of the later Duke of Beaufort holds the key to the early story of the development of the medieval core of Llangynidr. Why were certain elements manorial and others not? Mapping and regression of the manorial extents would reveal late medieval landholding patterns. It has been noted by the author that in other areas of rural Wales, clusters of ‘Ty’ place names often occur in areas of medieval bond-holding and are anecdotally ascribed a lower, ‘tenant’ status. In the later post-medieval period, Llangynidr saw explosions in population due to industrial exploitation of upland resources and the arrival of the canal serviced this market. This saw, for a time, Llangynidr’s cultural affiliations swing away for the agricultural market economy and towards industrial south Wales and the tension between agriculture and industry is an interesting setting for the story of Ty Llwyd. 22

Bibliography 7. Wibberley, M. 2000 Shadows in a Landscape. Llangynidr: Evolution of a Community. Llangynidr: Llangynidr Local History Society.

Bezant, J.& Bailey J, 2010 Survey of a Late Medieval Landscape, Dyffryn Crawnon, Llangynidr (SO 1153 1761). Archaeology in Wales 49 (2009): 66-72.

Kain, J.P. & Oliver, R.R. 2001 Historic Parishes of England & Wales. An Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 (CD ROM). Colchester, Arts and Humanities Data Service. Ty Llwyd Excavations 23

Appendix 8. Finds Records prepared by Jan Bailey.