Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite Carmarthenshire Historic Environment Appraisal and Walk-Over
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Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite Carmarthenshire Historic Environment Appraisal and Walk-over Report by: Trysor For: TGVHydro Ltd June 2015 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire Historic Environment Appraisal and Walk-over By Jenny Hall, MCIfA & Paul Sambrook, MCIfA Trysor Trysor Project No. 2015/448 For: TGVHydro Ltd June 2015 38, New Road Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Ammanford Carmarthenshire SA18 1UN www.trysor.net [email protected] Cover photograph: Looking north, downstream, down the Afon Cwm valley from the intake location. Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire Historic Environment Appraisal and Walk-over RHIF YR ADRODDIAD - REPORT NUMBER: Trysor 2015/448 DYDDIAD 2il Mehefin 2015 DATE 2nd June 2015 Paratowyd yr adroddiad hwn gan bartneriad Trysor. Mae wedi ei gael yn gywir ac yn derbyn ein sêl bendith. This report was prepared by the Trysor partners. It has been checked and received our approval. JENNY HALL MCIfA Jenny Hall PAUL SAMBROOK MCIfA Paul Sambrook Croesawn unrhyw sylwadau ar gynnwys neu strwythur yr adroddiad hwn. We welcome any comments on the content or structure of this report. 38, New Road, Tyllwyd Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Eglwyswrw Ammanford Crymych Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire SA18 1UN SA41 3TD 01269 826397 01239 891470 www.trysor.net [email protected] Trysor is a Registered Organisation with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and both partners are Members of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, www.archaeologists.net Jenny Hall (BSc Joint Hons., Geology and Archaeology, MCIfA) had 12 years excavation experience, which included undertaking watching briefs prior to becoming the Sites and Monuments Record Manager for a Welsh Archaeological Trust for 10 years. She has been an independent archaeologist since 2004 undertaking a variety of work that includes upland survey, desk-based appraisals and assessments, and watching briefs. Paul Sambrook (BA Joint Hons., Archaeology and Welsh, MCIfA, PGCE) has extensive experience as a fieldworker in Wales. He was involved with Cadw’s pan-Wales Deserted Rural Settlements Project for 7 years. He also undertook Tir Gofal field survey work and watching briefs. He has been an independent archaeologist since 2004 undertaking a variety of work including upland survey, desk-based appraisals/assessments, and watching briefs. Contents 1. Summary 1 2. Copyright 2 3. Introduction 2 4. The Development 2 5. Methodology 4 6. Archaeological Overview 7 7. Historical Overview 9 8. Impact Assessment 15 9. Historic Landscape Aspects 18 10. Conclusion 21 11. Reporting 21 12. References 22 Appendix A: Specification for historic environment appraisal 23 Appendix B: Site Gazetteer within 1 kilometre 29 Appendix C: Client plan of development 51 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire, Historic Environment Appraisal 1. Summary 1.1 This historic environment appraisal has been undertaken by Trysor to examine likely impacts on the historic environment from a consented micro-hydro scheme at Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire. 1.2 A walk-over visit was undertaken to examine the location of the intake and outtake to the stream, and the routes of the water pipe and electric cable trenches in order to identify and record previously unknown historic assets. Information was also gathered on the indirect, visual impacts on historic assets within the wider landscape. 1.3 The appraisal has studied the impacts on all recorded historic assets within an area measuring 1 kilometre in radius, focused on SN1690013880, the centre of the consented development. The regional Historic Environment Record and the National Monuments Record were consulted, as well as readily available historical mapping. 1.4 No Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Listed Buildings or Registered Parks and Gardens within the 1km radius would experience any impact from the development. 1.5 The walk-over survey provided no evidence of buried archaeological features at the development site. 1.6 No archaeological mitigation is thought necessary in association with the development. 1 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire, Historic Environment Appraisal 2. Copyright 2.1 Trysor holds the copyright of this report. Further copies may be made of this report without gaining permission to reproduce but it must be noted that Figures 2 and 4 include other copyrighted material and should not be copied. 3. Introduction 3.1 Gemma Samuel of TGVHydro Ltd, c/o CRiC, Beaufort Street, Crickhowell, NP8 1BN has commissioned Trysor heritage consultants to write an Historic Environment Appraisal for a consented micro hydro scheme at Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Whitland, SA34 0NP, Pembrokeshire LPA planning application number 14/0474/PA, see Figure 1. 3.2 A generic brief supplied by Dyfed Archaeological Trust for appraisals was used (DAT HM, Undated). The specification written by Trysor (Trysor, 2015) was approved as appropriate by the Dyfed Archaeological Trust Planning Archaeologist. 4. The development 4.1 This development consists of an intake on the Afon Cwm at SN1674413326, with a 280mm diameter pipe running to the turbine house at SN1684314180, a distance of about 900 metres, see Appendix C. This pipe will be laid on the ground surface and secured in place through wooded areas and placed in a trench through open agricultural fields. From the turbine house, water will be discharged by to the stream at SN1683414195 and electricity will be exported back to the farm buildings by a cable about 550 metres long. 2 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire, Historic Environment Appraisal Figure 1: Location of the hydro-electric installation, showing the 1km radius of the appraisal area. 3 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire, Historic Environment Appraisal 5. Methodology 5.1 The appraisal has considered known historic assets within a 1 km radius circle centred on SN1690013880, the mid-point of the installation (see Figure 1). This helped develop an understanding of the archaeology of the surrounding area. 5.2 Data from the regional Historic Environment Record held by Dyfed Archaeological Trust was acquired for the 1 kilometre appraisal. 5.3 Historic mapping was consulted. The maps used included 19th and 20th century 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey mapping and the Llanddewi Velfrey parish tithe map of 1842 and accompanying tithe schedule of 1839. 5.4 The main focus of the work was a walkover survey to assess potential for buried archaeology, and assess direct and indirect physical impacts on the historic assets. A site visit was made to the development site, and the surrounding area, on April 15th, 2015, with Gemma Samuel of TGVHydro Ltd. The route of the entire installation from intake to turbine housing and outtake, and back to the farm along the cable line, was walked. Visible archaeological features within the area that would be directly affected by the development were searched for and any other historic assets on which there may be a direct impact recorded. The wider landscape was also studied taking note of topography, vegetation and structures. 5.5 Aerial photographs on Google Earth, dating to 2006 and 2009, were used to inform the appraisal as well as the more recent aerial photographs on the People’s Collection. 5.6 Modern mapping was used to assess current public access. 5.7 All information gathered during the desktop appraisal and site visit was entered into a bespoke database created in Access 2003 to form an appraisal dataset. 5.8 The dataset is the source of the material output in this report, including the GIS mapping which illustrates the location of sites in the area, and the tables and appendices which provide detailed information on the sites within the study area. 5.9 Each of the records in the final appraisal 1 kilometre dataset was assessed for Period, Rarity, Documentation, Group Value1, as well as Evidential Value, Historical Value, Aesthetic Value, Communal Value2. Once these had been considered the significance of each site was 1 Period, Rarity, Documentation and Group Value are criteria defined in the Welsh Office Circular 60/96, 1996. 2 Evidential Value, Historical Value, Aesthetic Value and Communal Value are criteria defined in Cadw’s Conservation Principles publication, 2011. 4 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire, Historic Environment Appraisal determined and scored in accordance with the categories adopted by the Welsh Archaeological Trusts i.e. Nationally Important, Regionally Important, Locally Important, Minor and Features Needing Further Investigation (Unknown), see Figure 2. Full details of this exercise are given in Appendix B. 5.10 As this exercise is an appraisal of the study area, not a full desk-based historic environment assessment, no site descriptions have been included in the appraisal dataset or this printed report, apart from newly recorded features (See Appendix B). 5 Rhyddgoed,Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite,Tavernspite, Carmarthenshire,Carmarthenshire, HistoricHistoric EnvironmentEnvironment AppraisalAppraisal 55 00 0.250.25 0.50.5 kilometreskilometres 1212 1313 1818 44 33 1717 1111 11 1919 2020 66 1616 77 2121 77 22 1515 Boundary of development area 1414 1 kilometre appraisal area Significance of Sites 1010 1010 Locally Important (14) 99 Minor Importance (5) 88 Unknown (2) Ancient and Semi Natural Woodland Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site OrdnanceOrdnance SurveySurvey ©© CrownCrown CopyrightCopyright 2015.2015. AllAll rightsrights reserved.reserved. LicenceLicence numbernumber 100022432100022432 Figure 2: The 1km appraisal area showing significance of sites, labelled with Project ID number 66 Rhyddgoed, Tavernspite,