Monday 7 September 2009

The final day - Monday 7th September

The final day was spent around Pyrgad nearly at the top of the valley. Croft and the school were recorded and we identified at least two farmsteads that have been swallowed up by the forestry. There are still a number of walled lanes in the woods that give access to the higher pasture and the mountainside.

Over the weekend the team looked at the section around Pen-y-garn. This means that the south side of the valley has been surveyed from Pwyll Court to Y Neuadd. This represents about 1/4 of the total land area, so I estimate that it will take at least three more years to complete both sides, if we do just 15 days a year. In the next few weeks I will be putting out e-mails and letters to those who have offered to do a day or so each month so we can continue through the winter. It is easier to see features when the grass is low and we have identified a few places that it may be beneficial to excavate. Look out for news before the end of the month.

Jemma has continued to add records to the Historic Environmental Record. We must be up to 50 by now! Apart from adding to known sites we have also generated some research questions. There is a system of old routes along the valley, apart from the road, and there is a logical explanation as to why these exist. What is not so clear is why there is a trackway fairly close to the road why appears to be very old and passes under some of the field boundaries. It would be easy to speculate about this, but without hard evidence, which could be obtained by excavation, it would be little better than a guess.

I am hoping to organise a summing up meeting in the very near future to let everybody know what has been recorded and to give the opportunity for volunteers, residents and landowners to add anything they think is necessary to collective understanding of this beautiful, peaceful valley.

Thanks are due to everybody who has helped with the survey; the volunteers, residents and landowners. Without this kind of support a project like this would not be possible. If you have not been visited this year, please don't fret. We hope to continue and will include you next year.

Please come back to the blog as I will be adding to it in the future.

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