Historic Landscape Characterisation

Modern strip fields looking northwards towards Aber-Brân-fach Farm, with the modern A40 in the foreground,the Aber-bran Bridge crossing the river Usk towards the background. Photo: CPAT 05-C-151.

The wooded hilltop of Coed Fenni-fach viewed from the north-west with Brecon Gaer Roman fort and Y Gaer farm visible towards the lower right, with the straight course of the Roman road running eastwards along the Usk valley to Abergavenny cutting across diagonally towards the top right. Photo: CPAT 05-C156.

Fieldscapes just to the west of Brecon. To the extreme right is the road to Cradoc. To the left of this is the course of the former Brecon and Neath Railway, with relict field boundaries indicating extensive landscape reorganisation in this area in the late 19th century, following the construction of the railway. Running more-or-less parallel with this is the track leading to Pennant Farm which lies on the assumed course of the Roman road from Abergavenny to Brecon Gaer. Further left again is the minor road leading to Fenni-fach Farm, which lies on the bank of the river Usk towards the top left. Newton House built in about 1582 by John Games, High Sheriff of Breconshire lies at the bottom left. Photo: CPAT 05-C-163 Photo: CPAT 05-C-163.

Regular fieldscapes looking eastwards from Aberbrân, with Llwyn-y-merched farm in the foreground. The medieval bishop of St David’s held ploughlands at Aberbrân, noted in the Black Book of St David’s, which may be represented by the strip-field pattern in the area towards the middle. The squarer field patterns on the rising ground to the left possibly represent late medieval enclosure. The line of the former Neath and Brecon Railway runs across earlier field boundaries in the middle distance. The settlements of Battle and Cradoc are visible in the right background. Photo: CPAT 05-C-163 Photo: CPAT 05-C-149.