Cwm Prysor (Merionethshire) - Royal Commission on the Ancient ...

ArcHeritage 44.2 MedievalIn the medieval period, the south-eastern part of the survey area was within <strong>Cwm</strong> Cedrynmonastic grange, associated with the Cistercian abbey of Cymer, Dolgellau (Williams 1990).The Afon Gain formed part of the probable boundary of the grange. A possible copperbloomery site at Gelli Goch to the south of Bronaber and southwest of the survey area (HERPRN 5494), may be associated with the abbey. The parish of Trawsfynydd was within thecommote of Ardudwy Uwch Artro in the medieval period. The parish was recorded as one ofthe poorest in the county in the Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll of 1292-3, probably due to acidicupland soils which prevented intensive agriculture (Williams-Jones 1976). Castell <strong>Prysor</strong> (HERPRN 4271) is located on a rocky mound in the valley bottom to the north of the survey area.Little is known about this castle from documentary sources; it is thought to have beenconstructed by the Welsh, and a letter was addressed from Castell <strong>Prysor</strong> by Edward I in 1284.The castle is likely to have been an important base, and was probably the llys of the commoteat the end of the 13 th century. The castle would have dominated the <strong>Cwm</strong> <strong>Prysor</strong> valley, whichwas one of the major medieval routes into the heartland of Gwynedd (GAT 2007).Some of the farms along the southern side of <strong>Cwm</strong> <strong>Prysor</strong>, just outside the survey area, arelikely to have originated in the medieval period (GAT 2007). The deserted rural settlementremains at Ffrîdd Bod-y-Fuddau (NPRN 91976) may relate to medieval settlement, though thisis unclear. In the wider area, medieval building remains have been recorded to the north ofAfon <strong>Prysor</strong>, and to the south of Llyn Trawsfynydd, but apart from the possible settlement atFfrîdd Bod-y-Fuddau, no medieval structures have been recorded within the survey area.4.3 Post-MedievalIn the 17 th century, the land in Trawsfynydd parish was described as being so poor that overhalf the parish was not cultivated. The pasture land was indifferent, though there were bogswith excellent turves and heath for grazing sheep and cattle. Crops grown included oats, ryeand barley (Lhwyd 1911). The 1840 tithe apportionment showed just five 'large' landowners inthe parish, with the majority of farms owned by individuals. The pattern of some of the fieldwalls along the southern side of <strong>Cwm</strong> <strong>Prysor</strong> suggest medieval or early post-medievalenclosure, though the majority of the area is likely to have been enclosed in the late 18 th toearly 19 th centuries. Evidence for possible medieval enclosure is visible in the field walls of YrYsgwyn, Bod-y-Fuddau and Bronasgellog farms, located along the northern edge of the surveyarea (GAT 2007). Houses at Bronasgellog and Yr Ysgwrn are recorded in the mid-17 th century,and the former had an formal garden, unusual in the area, depicted on the 1840 tithe map.The unenclosed land around Moel Ddu and Moel Oernant is shown on the tithe map asLlechwedd Gain Common, with Gallt-y-Daren Common further to the north above Moel UchafDôl-Haidd.The valley of the Afon Gain within the survey area contains the remains of a number offarmsteads, located in relatively close proximity to each other, with around 10 farmsteads andassociated enclosures within a c.3km stretch of valley (Burnett 2006). There are also numeroussheepfolds scattered across the region, with no obvious associations to farmsteads. Theabsence of any cow sheds associated with structures in the <strong>Cwm</strong> <strong>Prysor</strong> survey area suggests<strong>Cwm</strong> <strong>Prysor</strong> Upland SurveyArcHeritage Survey Report Report No 2013/8