Plynlimon (central) - Royal Commission on the Ancient and ...

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Uplands Initiative – Nant y Moch & Pumlimon Fawr / <strong>Plynlimon</strong> 20047 RESULTS OF FIELD SURVEY (see drawings in Appendix I)The following section relates the results of the field survey by topographical area for ease of description.Only key significant sites will be mentioned in this section. For further sites and details within areas seeGazetteer and Map Index Sheets.Area 1. DrosgolWith regards prehistory in this area, the cairns atop Drosgol have been much disturbed over the centuries,so much so that the southernmost cairn is now a small circular shelter or sheepfold. The presence of a ringof stones is between the two cairns. Whether this ring is the remains one of the disturbed cairns or else alater modification is unknown. The northernmost cairn however still remains as a stone pile. At the time ofthe field visit it was generally a fairly calm day, however once at the summit of Drosgol the wind was sostrong as it drove up the Rheidol valley from the south, that standing upright was a task.No new prehistoric sites were discovered on or on the slopes of Drosgol, except for a possible burial cairnat the far north (NPRN: 282176), however this mound because of its close proximity to an enclosure and apossible early Lluest site (NPRN: 282714), is more likely a clearance cairn.In the main this area is dominated by post medieval industrial sites and features, in the form of the remainsof Camdwr Lead Mine on the southern slopes of Drosgol by the edge of the reservoir, and mine shafts andspoil heaps running in an NE-SW direction across Drosgol following a fault line. With regards CamdwrLead Mine there is not much to see today as much has now been either flooded or else washed away by thewaters of the reservoir.On the north facing side of Drosgol is the remains of Drosgol farmstead (NPRN: 282548). This desertedfarmstead is now in complete ruin with standing remains only to a height of approx. 1m. The ground plan ofthe house and byre is still fairly evident, but both are heavily covered by vegetation within the interior. Aseries of sitka spruce have also been planted in the small rear enclosure of the house garden. Surroundingthe main house are two small sheepfolds alongside the stream that runs to the west of the house. The mainhouse is surrounded to the north and east by a series of high field banks forming large enclosures. These arestill in fairly good condition. The farm of ‗Maesnant‘ to the east on the other side of the Rheidol is in clearview of Drosgol House.No new sites were noted on the east facing slopes of Drosgol.Area 2. Nant y Moch ReservoirThis area is represented by the Nant y Moch Reservoir and as such all sites in this area are now submergedbeneath its waters. However along the banks of the reservoir a few sites have managed to survive. At the farnorth of the reservoir are a few remains of the former Bryn-y-afr Lead Mine. These consist of formerenclosures, sluice channels, a level, a shaft and parts of the foundations of the former crushing and jigginghouses (NPRN: 282563). These latter however are merely footings, as the greater part of these structureshave been submerged.Also in this northern area much of the former South Cambrian Lead Mine has suffered the same fate asBryn-y-Afr Lead Mine, in that nearly all of the mine complex is either beneath water or else has been underwater at some time, and as a result the majority of the structures are now absent.Along the west banks of the reservoir, the field survey discovered the remains of a possible long hut,possibly one of those mentioned by Lewis Morris (NPRN: 282810). The building ground plan is whollylost, but there is with the ‗eye-of-faith‘ a possible entrance at the north end with two internal rooms and a<strong>central</strong> hall. Very close to this feature is the remains of a small hut (NPRN: 282811), 8m x 4m with twointernal divisions at the south end.71CAP Report No: 355
Uplands Initiative – Nant y Moch & Pumlimon Fawr / <strong>Plynlimon</strong> 2004With regards prehistoric sites, a possible cairn or else a former round hut was discovered in the north-westarea (NPRN: 282115) and a further one (NPRN: 282255) on the west banks. This latter one is only smalland may in fact be clearance, although kerb stones do appear to be present.Previously recorded on the southern banks of the reservoir was a possible cup marked stone (NPRN:284133), but this was not located at the time of the field visit.Further up the southern slopes of the reservoir was discovered the remains of Lluest y Helfa and LuestFagwr Isgaf (NPRN: 282546 / 284074). Both the sites are in very poor condition and very little remains tobe seen apart from grass covered wall and rubble remains.Area 3. Disgwylfa Fawr & Bryn GwynWith regards prehistory in this area, two bronze age burial cairns (NPRN: 282862 / 282863) werediscovered just northeast of Llyn Syfyddrin reservoir on its northern banks. Both these were oval in formand each approx. 6m x 3m and 0.50m high. Accompanying these two cairns was discovered a smallstanding stone very close by (NPRN: 282861). A further standing stone (NPRN: 282257) was also found inthe area near the ruined farmstead of ‗Bwlchstyllen‘. This was quite small however, approx. 0.70m high x0.50m width. Not standing but a prominent stone nevertheless was that of a boulder of white quartz (NPRN:282832) found on the north-east facing slope of Disgwylfa fawr, alongside the edge of an old trackway orold packhorse track that ascends Disgwylfa Fawr. This stone is likely a way-marker stone marking the edgeof the trackway and can be seen from a distance in the mist. A series of stone piles are also located alongthe edge of the forestry to the north, likely demarcating an old boundary line, possibly that opf Lluest HelfaLas to the north-east.On route to the ruins of Nant Glas House at the far north of Disgwylfa Fawr, is the possible remains of aburnt mound (NPRN: 282143). The mound is approx. 5m long x 2m wide and 1m high and located at theedge of stream.With regards the post medieval period, this area houses the remains of four deserted rural farmsteads, thatof ‗Syfyddrin‘ (NPRN: 282943), Nant Glas (NPRN: 284081) and Bwlchstyllen (NPRN: 282260) and‗Lluest y Cleehir‘ (NPRN: 282895). Each of these sites is in complete ruin and unroofed. The bestpreserved and impressive of the three however is that of Bwlchstyllen, whose walls still stand in places toapprox. 2m high. All of the out buildings are also in ruin. As to ‗Syffyddrin‘, not much is left of hisfarmstead. Standing remains on average are only approx. 1m high. With regards the lluest ‗Nant Glas‘, thissite sits on its own in a very secluded spot tucked up against an east facing slope. Standing remains for thissite are approx. 1m high. Close to and associated with this lluest site, the field survey found a large squarebanked enclosure (NPRN: 282745). Just north-east of Nant Glas house, at the top of a ridge, the field surveyrecorded an area or a ‗pocket‘ of land that appeared to be a natural topographic enclosed area, howeverthere was a vague trace of a possible low bank, implying that this area may have been used at some stage asa naturally formed enclosure, but with an enclosure bank to complete its character (NPRN: 282744).Whether this feature is contemporary in date to Nant Glas or not is uncertain. Further south from here thefield survey also recorded the existence of a likely post medieval prospecting pit (NPRN: 282744).As to ‗Lluest y Cleehir‘, this site is located in a very secluded but impressive spot overlooking the Rheidolvalley. From the records of Lewis Morris and later estate maps and Tithe maps, it would appear that this sitebecame abandoned at around the turn of the 19 th century, or at least before the Tithe Map of 1845, as it isnot scheduled in the apportionments. As such, this site is in a very poor state with grass and reedsoccupying much of the internal ground plan. The walls of the main lluest are approx. 1m high. The entrancefaces east. The site is enclosed by a large enclosure.When standing within the ruined farmstead of ‗Lluest y Cleehir‘ and looking south, a long curvingsubstantial grass bank is visible. Initially it appears that this is an impressive medieval enclosure bankcurving over the hillside and running down toward Disgwylfa Fach, however the OS 1 st edition map impliesthat this bank may have had an association with the Aberystwyth Corporation Water Works pipeline. This isuncertain and this bank needs to be investigated more thoroughly.71CAP Report No: 355
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