Assessment of the Significance of Impact of Development on … · 2020-07-16 · Significance of...

Wentlooge Farmers Solar project – ASIDOHL2 | 1

April 2020 | Project Ref 01384A

Assessment of

the Significance

of Impact of

Development on

Historic

Landscape of

Historic Interest

in Wales 2

_________

Wentlooge Levels,

Newport


Project Number: 01384A

Authored by: James Meek and Dr Paula Jones

Date: April 2020

Document version M:\Archaeology Collective\Projects\Projects 1001-1500\Projects

1301-1400\01384 - Land at St. Brides Wentlooge\01384A\Reports\01384A - Wentlooge

ASIDOHL V1.docx


Contents

1. Introduction ........................................................................................ 5

2. Aims and Objectives ............................................................................ 9

3. Historic Landscape Background ......................................................... 11

4. ASIDOHL Process .............................................................................. 18

5. Stage 4 - Evaluation of Relative Importance ....................................... 29

6. Stage 5 - Assessment of Overall Significance of Impact ...................... 41

7. Bibliography ...................................................................................... 45

8. The Gwent Levels Historic Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in

Wales ................................................................................................ 48

Figures

Fig. 1 ZTV plan prepared by WYG

Fig. 2 ZTV plan prepared by WYG with Historic Landscape

Character areas which lie within the proposed development

area

Fig. 3 ZTV plan prepared by WYG with Historic Landscape

Character areas lying within 4km of the site boundary

Fig. 4 ZTV plan prepared by WYG with Scheduled Ancient

Monuments and Registered Parks and Gardens with 4km

overlaid

Fig. 5 ZTV plan prepared by WYG with Conservation areas and

Grade I (bold) and Grade II* listed buildings indicated


1.0


1. Introduction

Project Background

1.1 This Assessment of the Significance of Impact of Development on Historic

Landscape of Historic Interest in Wales 2 (ASIDOHL2) has been prepared by James

Meek of Archaeology Collective and Dr Paula Jones of Heritage Collective for the

proposed Wentlooge Farmers Solar Farm project in southeast Wales within Newport

City Council (and area of c.162ha centred on SS 27645 81850. This report covers

all stage of the ASIDOHL2 process, using information initially put together by Dr

Paula Jones for Stages 1 – 3 of the ASIDOHL2 process and updated within this

report.

1.2 The Wentlooge Farmers Solar Scheme lies within the Gwent Levels landscape

included within the Register of Landscapes of Historic Interests in Wales (Ref

number HLW(Gt)2), The development boundary partially covers two character

areas within the wider Gwent Levels HLW: Western St Brides (HLCA No 16) and

Maerdy (HLCA 21).

1.3 The scheme has been subject to the preparation of a previous Heritage Statement1

and ES chapter2 by Savills, both of which have been updated this year. The

Heritage Statement describes the development proposals as follows:

‘The proposed development will be a Renewable Energy Hub comprising ground

mounted solar panels and battery storage units (160 units) with a combined

installed generating capacity of up to 125MW.

‘The proposal includes a ground mounted solar farm with arrays set out in rows and

mounted on a framework system which is either screwed or driven in to the ground.

The proposals will be temporary for a period of 40 years after which the site would

be returned to its current condition. Sheep would be grazed between the panels in

order to provide additional income for the landowners and serve to maintain the

grassland.

‘The proposed development includes supporting infrastructure comprising inverter

cabins, transformers, grid connection hub, stock proof fence, CCTV, underground

cabling, temporary vehicle tracks, access and landscaping.’

1.4 These reports considered the full historic environment, which for the purposes of

planning policy in Wales, is defined as ‘All aspects of the environment resulting

1 Savills 2020a, Land at Wentlooge, Newport – Heritage Statement March 2020 2 Savills 2020b, Chapter 6 Heritage and Archaeology for the Environmental Statement


from the interaction between people and places through time, including all surviving

physical remains of past human activity, whether visible, buried or submerged, and

deliberately planted or managed’.

1.5 and The guidance defines a historic asset as ‘An identifiable component of the

historic environment. It may consist or be a combination of an archaeological site, a

historic building or area, historic park and garden or a parcel of historic landscape.

Nationally important historic assets will normally be designated (Welsh Government

2017).’

1.6 Further guidance on how the planning system considers the historic environment

and assets during development planning, preparation and decision making on

planning and Listed Building (LBC) applications can be found in. Planning Policy

Wales: Technical Advice Note 24: The Historic Environment (Welsh Government

2017; available online).

1.7 As the development will have a direct physical impact upon the Gwent Levels

Registered HLW area Stages 1 to 3 of the ASIDOHL2 process were previously

undertaken by Savills in 20183, these have been updated and included in the report

below in collaboration with Dr Paula Jones (formerly of Savills and now Heritage

Collective).

1.8 This report includes Stages 4 and 5 of the ASIDOHL2 methodology; its wider

impacts on the setting of other elements of the Gwent Levels HLW towards Cardiff

and on the eastern side of Newport. The report will be used to support the

planning applications for the proposed solar farm development.

1.9 The scope of this ASIDOHL was agreed with Neil Maylan, Senior Historic

Environment Planning Officer, Cadw in April 2020.

1.10 Cadw agreed that indirect visual impacts be assessed on Registered Historic

Landscapes and Registered Parks and Gardens lying within a 4km buffer from the

site edge. This buffer is referred to as the HL Study Area (Figure 12.16). A single

Registered Park and Garden lies within the HL Study Area.

1.11 The full description of the Gwent Levels Registered Historic Landscapes and its

Historic Character Areas (HCAs), is contained below in Section 8.

1.12 This report should be read in conjunction with the other documents to provide a full

assessment of the impact of the proposed solar farm on the Historic Environment of

the Gwent Levels, including designated historic assets (Scheduled Monuments,

registered Historic Landscapes, registered Parks and Gardens, Grade I, II* & II

3 Savills 2018, Wentlooge, ASIDOHLs Assessment Tables report


Listed Buildings) and non-designated historic assets recorded on the regional

Historic Environment Record.

1.13 This report concentrates on the impacts of the proposed Wentlooge Farmer’s Solar

Farm project on designated historic assets within a defined area around the Site. It

has been determined that due to the low level development height of the Solar

Farm and its southern orientation (avoiding glare or reflector enhancing visibility to

the northwest, north and northeast) that a 4km zone around the Site would be

sufficient on which to base impacts. The Zone of Theoretical Visibility that has been

prepared by WYG (Figure 1), demonstrates that the extent visibility where the

majority of the solar farm would be visible diminishes rapidly to over 4km,

especially to the west and east, although patches of visibility will be present on the

higher ground directly to the north.

The Site

1.14 The proposed solar farm Site covers an area of around 162ha, lying around 6km to

the southwest of the centre of Newport and 10km northeast of the centre of Cardiff.

The village of St Brides lies 800m to the east, Peterstone/Llanbedr 950m to the

southwest and the settlement of Marshfield is around 500m to the northwest.

1.15 The Site comprises agricultural land on the low lying Wentlooge Levels some 600m

to 1km northwest of the northern bank of the Severn Estuary. The Wentlooge

Levels form part of the larger Gwent Levels that run along the northern bank of the

Severn Estuary from the River Rhymney in Cardiff in the west to the River Wye at

Chepstow on the Wales – England border to the east.

1.16 The site is bounded by the Broadway Reeve to the east, the South Wales Main Line

railway to the north, Hawse Lane to the east and the line of the B4239 between St

Brides and Peterstone to the south. The area is subdivided into a number of fields

separated by water filled ditches (‘reens’), characteristic of the Gwent Levels,

associated with reclamation of the land from the Roman period through to the

present day.

The British Geological Survey records the underlying bedrock of the Site as ‘Mercia Mudstone

Group – Mudstone; Sedimentary Bedrock formed approximately 201 to 252 million

years ago in the Triassic Period. When the local environment previously dominated

by hot deserts’4. Superficial deposits comprise ‘Tidal Flat Deposits - Clay and Silt;

Superficial Deposits formed up to 2 million years ago in the Quaternary Period when

the local environment previously dominated by shorelines’5.

4 BGS website: https://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html accessed 26/04/2020 5 Ibid

https://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html


2.0


2. Aims and Objectives

Assessment of the Significance of Impact of

Development on Historic Landscape of Historic Interest

in Wales 2 (ASIDOHL2)

2.1 This ASIDOHL was undertaken with reference to and in accordance with the revised

second edition of the Guide to Good Practice on Using the Register of Landscapes of

Historic Interest in Wales in the Planning and Development Process (Cadw 2007).

2.2 This document (ASIDOHL 2) should be consulted in conjunction with this

assessment and is available as a pdf at:

www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/histland/asidohl/asidohl2.pdf

2.3 The objectives of the project are to complete the ASIDOHL process:

• to undertake work in accordance with national best practice and guidelines;

• to provide an assessment of the impact of the development proposals on designated

historic assets within a 4km area surrounding the Site;

• to produce a written account to an appropriate level of detail to include drawings,

• to disseminate the findings of the work in an illustrated report to support the planning

application.

http://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/histland/asidohl/asidohl2.pdf


3.0


3. Stage 1 - Historic Landscape

Background

Historic Landscape Gwent Levels

3.1 The majority of the followings section is taken from the Heritage Statement

prepared by Savills in 20206 to place the Site within its archaeological and historical

contexts. This report should be read in conjunction with the other documents to

provide a full assessment of the impact of the proposed solar farm on the Historic

Environment of the Gwent Levels, including designated historic assets.

3.2 Additional information has been summarised from the detailed Landscape Character

Assessment by Chris Blandford Associates in 2017 as part of the Living Levels

Landscape Partnership project . This study covered the entire area of the Gwent

Levels from Cardiff to the Welsh border to the east, but provides an excellent

assessment of the Wentlooge Levels area which has been used within this ASIDOHL

assessment.

3.3 Savills 2020 describe the Gwent Levels as ‘low-lying, mostly being less than 7.5m

above OD. They are generally at their lowest near their boundary with the solid

geology further inland. The southern boundaries of the Levels are protected by

seawalls and banks. Without the sea defences the Levels would be subjected to

frequent flooding. The area is criss-crossed by drainage channels known locally as

‘reens’.

3.4 ‘The area in which the Scheme sits is level throughout and divided by reens of

various sizes; some are open although the majority are flanked on one side by a

mature hedgerow. The Site comprises a number of agricultural fields, which have

been opened up from earlier strip fields during the later 1900s.

3.5 ‘The majority of the landscape is under pasture with a smaller area of other

agricultural practices such as orchards. Interspersing this rural landscape is a

series of small nucleated and ribbon villages that have their origins in at least the

medieval period: the majority of settlement is confined to the sides of the largely

sinuous minor roads that weave across the area. These include St Brides to the

east and Peterstone / Llanbedr to the west.

6 Savills 2020


3.6 ‘The northern boundary of the Levels has seen significant modernisation,

particularly around the Steelworks and M4/south Wales rail line corridor, which are

clearly visible in views to the north. Uskmouth power station provides a similar

industrial backdrop to western views across the landscape, whilst the numerous

power lines and pylons crossing the levels segment the majority of views from the

Scheme in any direction.

3.7 ‘The Levels have accumulated during the post-glacial period (Holocene) and are

largely composed of estuarine alluvium deposited through sea-level rise. These

soils are of the ‘Wentlooge Series’ and generally consist of brown-grey, moderately

friable, silty clays, becoming more grey in colour and heavier in texture with depth.

The Wentlooge Series can be divided into Upper, Middle (a peat layer) and Lower

Formations.

3.8 ‘Artefacts and structures dating to the Bronze Age are associated with the Middle

Formation. The Upper Formation was laid down from the Iron Age through to the

post-medieval period. The present landscape represents human efforts to drain the

saltmarshes and to hold back later rises in sea-level.

3.9 ‘The historic landscape character of the study area around the Scheme comprises

the following features:

• major reens resulting from natural watercourses;

• major reens which are wholly artificial (dating to the medieval period);

• field ditches surrounding every field which discharge water into the reens;

• grips (rectangular arrangements of shallow ditches on the surface of the fields which

discharge into field ditches);

• inland abandoned sea banks whose origins are obscure;

• sea walls probably originating in the 16th century;

• gouts where reens meet and coffer gouts where they cross;

• pills where the major reens discharge either into tidal channels or into the estuary

itself;

• bridges across the reens;

• roadways built upon embankments;


• green lanes, sinuous with roadside waste in the east and straight without waste to the

east; and

• the distinctive and characteristic field patterns belonging to different phases

of enclosure, represented by a patchwork of small fields, sinuous in the west and

rectilinear in the east, and largely marked by hedgerow vegetation which includes well-

cut hedges, scrubby hedges, mature trees and pollards.’

3.10 The CBA report includes a very useful illustration to demonstrate the various

elements of drainage systems of the Gwent Levels:

Illustration 1: Drainage components creating the general landscape of the Gwent Levels7

3.11 The Savills report continues ‘The Site lies wholly within the Gwent Levels

Outstanding Landscape of Historic Interest, as noted on the non-statutory Register

of Historic Landscapes in Wales which has also been designated as a non-statutory

Archaeologically Sensitive Area by Newport City Council.

7 CBA 2017, p34


3.12 ‘The GGAT HER describes the Gwent Levels Historic Landscape as follows:

“The Outstanding Historic Landscape of Gwent Levels comprises three discrete and

extensive areas of alluvial wetlands and intertidal mudflats situated on the north

side of the Severn Estuary represent the largest and most significant example in

Wales of a 'hand-crafted' landscape. They are entirely the work of man, having

been recurrently inundated and reclaimed from the sea from the Roman period

onwards. The areas have distinctive patterns of settlement, enclosure and drainage

systems belonging to successive periods of use, and a proven and possibly quite

vast potential for extensive, well-preserved, buried, waterlogged, archaeological

and palaeoenvironmental deposits surviving from earlier landscapes.”

3.13 ‘Within the Gwent Levels, the landscape is further divided into Historic Landscape

Character Areas (HLCAs), which provide further information regarding the specific

historical values of the landscape at a more local level. The Site is located across

two HLCAs, Western St. Brides (HLCA 16) and Maerdy (HLCA 21).’ Full descriptions

are included below (and repeated in Section 7) and are taken from the GGAT

Historic Landscape section of their website.

3.14 The characteristics of Western St Brides, which covers the southern half of the Site

are laid out as follows8: ‘Simple landscape, laid out within a framework of elements

surviving from the Roman landscape.’

‘Regular field pattern of long narrow fields, significant boundaries of probable

Roman origin, drainage features include Peterstone Gout, the old sea wall, and a

number of fen-banks (some ridgeing/surface drainage also survives), limited linear

roadside settlement

‘This landscape area occupies the higher coastal zone east of Peterstone Gout. It

merges with area 15 to the east and Maerdy (area 21) to the north.

‘The principal elements are two NE-SW oriented boundaries which form

continuations of elements in the Roman landscape to the west. However, the small

blocks of long narrow fields between these boundaries are of medieval not Roman

origin.

‘To the north of the main road there are a number of sinuous boundaries that

represent individual episodes of enclosure in the open back-fen moor; these "fen-

banks" were designed to keep freshwater from the low-lying back-fen, from

flooding the old enclosed lands towards the coast. Settlements are restricted to the

main road. The old sea wall and stone gout structure at Peterstone Gout are well

preserved.

8 http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Gwent%20Levels/English/GL_16.htm


‘This is an interesting landscape, at the edge of the area flooded in the post-Roman

period. It is characteristic of the general Wentlooge landscape of long narrow fields

and the process of reclamation of lower-lying areas through a sequence of intakes

from the open moor.

‘The western half of this area has been affected by agricultural improvement and

the construction of a golf course. Most hedges that survive are scrubby, especially

to the south of St. Brides village. Further west the landscape has been extensively

remodelled by a golf course and trout farm. Though not visually intrusive, they

have destroyed the historic fabric of the landscape by removing many reens and

grips.

‘Overall, the integrity and coherence of the landscape are high to the north/east,

but lower to the south/west of this area. The area has suffered from agricultural

improvement and the development of a golf course/trout farm complex. These

developments are not visually intrusive, and the sea wall still affords fine views of

an open landscape. The framework of Roman elements survives intact.’

3.15 The HLCA 21 - Maerdy is described by GGAT as follows9: ‘regular landscape" of

medieval/post-medieval date in low-lying back-fen.

The long narrow fields, though superficially similar to the Roman landscape of

Peterstone, are of different dimensions. This landscape was created through the

enclosure of this block of open moor sometime in the medieval/post-medieval

period. Unfortunately, the creation of this landscape is not documented.

‘Former open moor: regular unified fieldscape of long narrow fields (ie single

operation), drainage features mainly reens, dispersed settlement (includes Maerdy

- medieval Reeve's house)

‘This area is intermediate in elevation between the higher coastal lands to the

south, and the lowest-lying back-fen to the north. The distinct and well defined

block of landscape is bounded by Drenewydd and Percoed Reen to the north (area

20), Broadway Reen (area 17) to the west, and the former fen-banks of St. Brides

to the south and east (areas 15 and 16).

‘This large area can be divided into four blocks of long narrow fields (divided by

Horsecroft and Summerway Reens, and Hawse Lane). They represent large areas

of open land, enclosed and drained as a single operation. There are two farms;

Maerdy was probably founded when the area east of Hawse Lane was enclosed,

while Hawse Farm, which lies beside one of St. Brides' fen-banks, may have been

responsible for the enclosure of the whole block of landscape to the north. The

place-name Maerdy (medieval Reeve's house) is interesting, the location of Maerdy

9


farm is indicative of the formal control of grazing on the formerly open back-fen

Moor during the medieval period.

‘These long narrow fields are characteristic of Wentlooge. The landscape here was

created through the enclosure and drainage of a large block of open moor, beyond

the old enclosed lands of St. Brides. Two discrete landscapes can be identified,

associated with Maerdy and Hawse Farms.

This is a very open landscape, and the reed-filled ditches give a strong wetland feel,

typical of the lower-lying back-fen areas.

Overall, the integrity and coherence of this area are extremely high. The two

landscapes represent discrete examples of landscape creation. The completeness of

these landscapes makes them of great importance. Walking north down Hawse

Lane gives the impression of the back-fen being lower than the coastal areas to the

south. The area has suffered from agricultural improvement, but remains remote

from visually intrusive development; there are fine views of the relatively unspoilt

uplands.’


4.0


4. ASIDOHL Process

Introduction

As the development will have a direct physical impact upon the Gwent Levels

Registered HLW area Stages 2 to 3 of the ASIDOHL2 process were previously

prepared by Dr Paula Jones whilst at Savills in 201810. The tabulated results of

Stages 2 and 3 are included within this report and have been updated and added to

in collaboration with Dr Paula Jones (Table 2 to 8).

This report also adds Stages 4 and 5 of the ASIDOHL2 methodology; its wider

impacts on the setting of other elements of the Gwent Levels HLW towards Cardiff

and on the western side of Newport.

Determination of which designated historic assets are to be

assessed

The following table lists designated historic assets that have been identified with

the 4km study area surrounding the Site. Based on the Zone of Theoretical

Visibility prepared by WYG the table also includes a statement as to whether the

historic assets are within the ZTV. If it is determined that they are not intervisible

with the site, that historic asset is not discussed further. Grade II listed buildings

have not been included within this list as there relative significance is considered

less than those of Grade II* and Grade I status which, like the other designated

historic assets are dealt with by Cadw, rather than the local authority.

Table 1: Designated historic assets and intervisibility

Reference Site name and reference Does it lie within the ZTV? Does it lie in an HLCA?

Gwent Levels Registered Historic Landscape

Eastern St Brides HLCA 15 Yes, covered by Majority to small amount visible ZTV


Western St Brides HLCA 16 Yes, covered by Majority to small amount visible ZTV and Site


Yes, covered by Majority to small amount visible ZTV

Yes, covered by Majority to small amount visible ZTV


Rumney HLCA 18 Yes, covered by Moderate to small amount visible ZTV

10 Savills 2018



Trowbride HLCA 19 Yes, covered by Majority to small amount visible ZTV


Marshfield / Coedkernew HLCA 20 Yes lies within Majority to small amount visible ZTV


Maerdy HLCA 21 Yes, covered by Majority to small amount visible ZTV and Site

Historic Park and Garden PGW (Gt) 48

Tredegar Park – Grade II* No; does not lie in an HLCA

Scheduled Monument MM022

Gwern Y Cleppa Burial Chamber No; does not lie in an HLCA


Druidstone Standing Stone Yes lies within majority visible ZTV; does not lie in an HLCA


St Mellons Churchyard Cross No; does not lie in an HLCA


Wentlooge Castle Yes lies within small amount visible ZTV; not in an HLCA


Pen-y-Lan Camp Yes, partly in majority visibie ZTV; does not lie in an HCLA


Coed y Defaid Camp No; does not lie in an HLCA


Castell Glass Castle Mound No; does not lie in an HLCA


St Marys Churchyard Lies within area of small amount visible; does not lie in an HLCA

Conservation Area Old St Mellons Conservation Area No; does not lie in an HLCA

Conservation Area Tredegar Park Conservation Area No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 2902 Tredegar House Grade I No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 2910 Orangery and Stables Grade I No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 2932 Church of St Mary Grade II* No, does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 2935 Church of St Michael Grade II* No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 2938 Church of St Peter Grade I No; lies with Peterstone/Llanbedr HLCA 17

Listed Building 2941 Church of St Bridget Grade II* No; lies within Eastern St Brides HLCA 15

Listed Building 13865 Church of St Mellon Grade I No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 13941 St John’s College Grade II* No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 17097 Edney Gates and Walls Grade II* No; does not lie in an HLCA

Listed Building 17098 Orangery Garden Boundary Walls Grade II*

No; does not lie in an HLCA


ASIDOHL Stage 2: Assessment of Direct, Physical Impacts on

Historic Character Area(s)

As shown in Table 1 above the two HLCAs of Western St Brides (HLCA 16) and

Maerdy (HLCA 21) are the only two elements of the designated historic assets of

the Gwent Levels Registered Historic Landscape to partly lie within the Site.

The areas identified and calculated below are those covered by the solar panels and

associated infrastructure for the duration of the scheme. The areas have been

recalculated based on the most up to date development proposal plan.

The development proposals are for a Solar Farm, to mostly comprise a series of

photovoltaic panels erected on stands driven into the ground, for a period of use of

40 years before being removed. The underlying ground, field layout and drainage

systems forming the main landscape character elements of the areas will be

retained. More significant direct impacts will come from excavation of cable runs

and elements of the infrastructure, although these will form a very small

percentage of the whole development.

It has been identified that potential issues could be caused to the water table within

this area of low-lying reclaimed land on the Gwent Levels, which could be

preserving palaeo-environmental and archaeological artefacts. Although this is

worth considering, it should be noted that the area depends on the existing

drainage channels (reens, field boundaries, grips etc) that have enabled

reclamation of the area since the Roman period onwards. The extent of

disturbance from the driven piles for the bases of the photovoltaic panels are

unlikely to cause any considerable change to the water levels within the area –

whose character depends is based on drainage.

Table 2: Illustrating the total areas of the HLCAs affected

by the proposed scheme (in absolute terms)

HLCA Name Western St Brides No

16 Maerdy No 21

Total area of HLCA km2 4.04 3.02

Total area affected by Scheme direct, km2

0.75 0.88

%age of HLCA 19% 29%

Magnitude Moderate Moderate

Score 3 3


The percentage of the HLCA affected has been calculated and the magnitude of the

impact (in absolute terms) assessed based on Table 2 within ASIDOHL 2, p17.

Table 3: Calculations of the total area of key

characteristics identified for each HLCA

HLCA No.

Key characteristics of HLCA

Total Area of Landscape features visible on aerial imagery AND affected by

scheme (km2 )

16 Buried archaeology, Drainage features (reens, banks, grips, surface drainage), small irregularly shaped fields, dispersed

settlement 0.35

21

Buried archaeology, Drainage features (reens, banks, surface drainage), rectilinear field pattern, very little

settlement, straight roads without waste, lined by pollarded willows, wetland.

0.79

Table 3 provides calculations of the total area of key characteristics identified for

each HLCA affected by the scheme, as per the HLCA descriptions (GGAT). The total

areas have been identified using aerial imagery by Savills 201811.

Table 4: The Assessment of Direct, Physical Impacts on

the Historic Character Areas (Stage 2).

HLCA Percentage of

loss Category Magnitude Landscape Value

Landscape

Value

Effect

Western St

Brides HLCA

16

Landscape

features lost:

8.66%

B – 3 Slight – 2

Considerable – visible

landscape features

contributing to

character and

significance - 4

Moderately

Reduced – 3

Llanbedr

HLCA 17 <1% C - 2 Very slight - 1

Low – visible

landscape features

contributing to

character and

significance - 2

Very Slightly

Reduced - 1

11 Savills 2018


Maerdy

HLCA 21

Landscape

features lost:

26.16%

B - 3 Moderate - 3

Considerable – visible

landscape features

contributing to

character and

significance - 4

Considerably

Reduced - 4

b) In relative terms c) in landscape terms

The percentage of landscape features affected by the development has been

calculated from the total area of the HLCA and key landscape features contributing

to the character areas have been considered ‘lost’ for the duration of the

development when assessing the overall score. Scores are based on Table 2 and

Table 3 of ASIDOHL2, p17 & 18.

Table 5: Overall Magnitude of Direct Impacts for each

HLCA affected.

HLCA

Scores:

Category +Magnitude

+Landscape Value +

Landscape Value Effect

Overall Magnitude of Direct

Impacts

Western St Brides HLCA 16 3 + 2 + 4 + 3 = 12 Moderate

Llanbedr HLCA 17 2 + 1 +2 + 1 = 6 Slight

Maerdy HLCA 21 3 + 3 + 4 + 4 = 14 Considerable

The overall magnitude of direct impacts for the two HLCA areas can then be

determined using the calculation of adding the scores for each HLCA area: Category

+Magnitude +Landscape Value + Landscape Value Effect.

The overall magnitude of direct impacts is then determined based on Table 5 of

ASIDOHL2, p19. For Western St Brides HLCA 16 the overall magnitude of direct

impacts is assessed as Moderate. For Maerdy HLCA 21 it is assessed as

Considerable.

Llanbedr (Peterstone) HLCA 17 lies directly adjacent to the Site and it is possible

that some minor direct impacts could occur to the area, though unlikely. As is

discussed later in the report, this is a very important HLCA area.


ASIDOHL Stage 3: Assessment of indirect impacts of

development

The development proposals are for a Solar Farm, to mostly comprise a series of

photovoltaic panels erected on stands driven into the ground, for a period of use of

40 years before being removed. Panels are relatively low , in a low lying landscape,

divided up by a number of hedgerows.

Visual impact has been assessed in relation to the existing historic character of the

area considering the form and appearance of the Scheme, and has been assessed is

'Very Slight' due to the screened nature of the Scheme and lack of visibility to and

from the parcels within the landscape areas generally.

The extent of indirect impacts on the two HLCAs to be directly affected by the

proposals have been assessed as follows, taking into account both indirect physical

impacts and non-physical impacts. This has been supplemented with an

assessment of visual impacts on the surrounding HLCA areas (expanded on further

in Stage 4 of the ASIDOHL process.

A 4km zone of theoretical visibility has been created by WYG to determine the

extent of visibility of the proposed solar farm separated into three categories:

Majority of the solar farm visible; moderate amount visible and minor amount

visible. The 4km zone is considered appropriate due to the low lying nature of the

solar farm and its angled nature southwards and thus glare/reflection from the

solar panels increasing its visibility would be less noticeable to the northwest, north

and northeast.

As discussed, the proposed Wentlooge Farmers Solar scheme lies within The Gwent

Levels Historic Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales, as cited in Part

2:1 of the Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Outstanding Historic

Interest in Wales, 1998 (Ref number HLW(Gt)2). The boundary of the Site covers

parts of the Western St Brides HLCA 16 and Maerdy HLCA 21.

For Maerdy HLCA 21, there are a number of far reaching views across both the

proposed area of the solar farm and the surrounding HLCA area, especially from the

bridge over the railway at the northeastern corner of the site on Hawse Lane, where

there are clear views in all directions. Due to this raised aspect, on a publicly

accessible road, the indirect visual impacts are considered the greatest of all the

HLCA areas lying within the ZTV.

The extent of the ZTV covering majority of the solar farm visible also covers

Western St Brides HLCA 15, Llanbedr HLCA 17, Trowbridge HLCA 19 and

Marshfield/Coedkernew HLCA 20.


The extent of the ZTV covering moderate amounts of the solar farm being visible

just encroaches into the eastern edges of the Rumney HLCA 18, as well as the

other four HLCAs noted above. The same is true of the zone where a small amount

of the solar farm is intervisible.

Of the other identified designated historic assets identified within Table 1 as being

within the Zone of Theoretical Visibility only two lie within HLCA areas: the Listed

Building 2938 , the Grade I Church of St Peter in Peterstone / Llanbedr HLCA 18;

and the Grade II* Listed Building within Eastern St Brides HLCA 15.


Table 6: Indirect impacts on the historic character of the HLCAs.

Name Impact Status

Magnitude Indirect physical impacts

Status

Magnitude Indirect (non-

physical) visual impacts

Total Score

Eastern St Brides HLCA

15

Fragmentation and alteration of the functional connections between related elements of different character areas

n/a 0 B - 3 Moderate - 3 6

Western St Brides HLCA

16

Fragmentation and alteration of the functional connections between related elements (fields with and without solar panels

within the same character area) B – 3 Moderate - 3 B – 3 Moderate - 3 12

Llanbedr HLCA 17


B - 3 Slight – 2 B – 3 Moderate – 3 11

Rumney HLCA 18


n/a 0 B – 3 Very Slight – 1 4

Trowbride HLCA 19


n/a 0 B – 3 Slight – 2 5

Marshfield / Coedkernew

HLCA 20


n/a 0 B – 3 Moderate - 2 5

Maerdy HLCA 21

Fragmentation and alteration of the functional connections between related elements (fields with and without solar panels

within the same character area) B – 3

Considerable - 4

B - 3 Severe - 5 15

a) Indirect, physical impacts

on historic character b) Indirect (non-physical)

visual impacts


Table 6 assesses the indirect, physical impacts on the historic character of the

HLCAs. It refers to Stage 3, p.20 of ASIDOHL2 document12. Only one indirect

physical impact to the HLCAs affected by the Scheme has been identified: alteration

of the functional connections between related field systems (i.e. those with solar

arrays and those fields without which fall within the same HLCA).

Table 7: Summary of overall magnitude of direct impact

on historic character areas

HLCA No. Score Magnitude

Western St Brides HLCA 16 12 Moderate

Llanbedr HLCA 17 6 Slight

Maerdy HLCA 21 14 Considerable

Absolute overall magnitude of direct impact on

combined historic character areas

Average Score Magnitude

Combined HLCAs 16, 17 & 21 12 + 6 + 14 / 3= 10.7 Moderate

Table 8: Summary of overall magnitude of indirect impact

on historic character areas

HLCA No. Score Magnitude

Eastern St Brides HLCA 15 6 Slight

Western St Brides HLCA 16 12 Moderate

Llanbedr HLCA 17 11 Moderate

Rumney HLCA 18 4 Slight

Trowbride HLCA 19 5 Slight

Marshfield / Coedkernew HLCA 20 5 Slight

Maerdy HLCA 21 15 Considerable

Absolute overall magnitude of indirect impact on

combined historic character areas

Average Score Magnitude

Combined HLCAs 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21

6 + 12 + 11 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 15 / 7 = 8

Slight

12 Cadw 2007


Tables 7 and 8 summarise the direct and indirect impact scores for the HLCAs lying

within the Site and provides the overall (averaged) scores. For Western St Brides

HLCA 16 the overall magnitude of direct impact is assessed to be 12, for Llanbedr

HLCA 17 is 6 and for Maerdy HLCA 21 it is 14. This gives a combined score of 32:

thus the absolute overall magnitude of direct impact on the three combined historic

character areas would be 10.7, defined as Moderate in Table 8 of ASIDOHL2, p22.

For indirect impacts the total combined scores for the seven HLCA areas is 56: thus

the absolute overall magnitude of Absolute overall magnitude of indirect impact on

the combined historic character areas would be 8 (rounded to the nearest integer) ,

defined as Slight in Table 8 of ASIDOHL2, p22. In fact the result is 8.28 and thus

at the top end of the Slight category.


5.0


5. Stage 4 - Evaluation of Relative

Importance

5.1 In this stage the relative importance of HLCAs that are directly and/or indirectly

affected are assessed.

5.2 The Gwent Levels Landscape Character Assessment provides information on the

relative importance of the HLCA areas within the Wentlooge Level section of the

report13.

5.3 It reiterates the distinctive landscape characteristics of the Wentlooge Level as

follows:

• Flat and low lying, rarely rising above 10 metres AOD;

• Open expanse of primarily pastoral agricultural land;

• Distinctive pattern of drainage ditches or “reens” which are visually distinctive and

of high ecological value;

• Estuarine clay with silts and peats, forming flat topography and poorly-drained,

neutral soils;

• A number of linear settlements;

• Highly distinctive and strong pattern of regular, rectangular small-scale fields;

• Area is traversed by the London-Cardiff mainline railway and powerlines; and

• Rich in surviving earthworks and field patterns but also in buried archaeology.

5.4 The report summarises the integrity of the landscapes as they survive and thi8s has

been taken into account whilst determining the relative importance of the HLCA

areas.

5.5 Eastern St Brides HLCA 15: The integrity and coherence of the area are high. This is

an area of landscape typical of the higher coastal lands throughout the Gwent

Levels. The early settlement site at St. Brides, lines of former fenbanks, and

eighteenth century reclamation of St. Brides Wharf, are components of a complex

13 CBA 2017, p111 – 123


and diverse landscape, which has a high group value. There are some fine areas of

surface ridging, and traces of former roadside waste.14

5.6 Western St Brides HLCA 16: Overall, the integrity and coherence of the landscape

are high to the north/east, but lower to the south/west of this area. The area has

suffered from agricultural improvement and the development of a golf course/trout

farm complex. These developments are not visually intrusive, and the sea wall still

affords fine views of an open landscape. The framework of Roman elements

survives intact.15

5.7 Peterstone / Llanbedr HLCA 17: Overall, this landscape is of enormous importance,

retaining a high degree of integrity and coherence. On the whole it is in fine

condition, having escaped large-scale agricultural improvement. The sea wall

affords very good views, though industrial development to the west and urban

sprawl to the north does impinge.16

5.8 Rumney HLCA 18: The landscape is characterised by small irregular shaped fields,

incorporating the meandering lines of former tidal creeks; Pill Melyn is typical, and

was used for a medieval water mill. The roads are sinuous and had an abundance of

roadside waste. Settlement was dispersed, with a small hamlet at Newton. This is a

landscape typical of the coastal zone of the Gwent Levels, containing many

landscape features. There has been considerable development, and many of the

areas that remain in agricultural use have been greatly improved. The area is also

overlooked by housing on surrounding uplands. Many hedges have been removed,

though the lanes tend to be well wooded. The open nature of this landscape affords

very little screening for the residential and industrial/commercial business park

developments. However, those areas that have not yet been developed are of great

importance as a buffer zone, between visually intrusive developments and the well

preserved Roman landscapes.17

5.9 Trowbridge HLCA 19: The integrity and coherence as a historic landscape have been

damaged, but this area still has a great value. This was an area of fairly typical

Wentlooge Level landscape, comprising long narrow fields, the occasional major

reen and an absence of settlement. The surface ridging is particularly well

preserved. Piecemeal development has caused some fragmentation, but these

areas retain an ecological value and could provide recreational green spaces. They

also serve as a “buffer zone” between development to the north and the better

preserved landscapes to the south.18

14 CBA 2017, p113 15 Ibid, p114 16 Ibid, p115 17 Ibid, p116 18 Ibid, p117


5.10 Marshfield/CoerdKernew HLCA 20: The integrity and coherence of this area are

considered to be high. There are relatively few areas of low-lying back-fen surviving

where the interface with the fen-edge is preserved. This is a fine example, with a

wide range of landscape elements; the churches at Marshfield and Coedkernew,

and a series of fen-edge farms overlook it. Drenewydd/Percoed Reen is of great

importance to the drainage of the Gwent Levels, and possibly Roman in date. The

area is largely secluded and quiet, with few developments impinging upon it.19

5.11 Maerdy HLCA 21: Overall, the integrity and coherence of this area are extremely

high. The two landscapes represent discrete examples of landscape creation. The

completeness of these landscapes makes them of great importance. Walking north

down Hawse Lane gives the impression of the back-fen being lower than the coastal

areas to the south. The area has suffered from agricultural improvement, but

remains a sense of remoteness despite the presence of the railway and powerlines.

There are fine views of the relatively unspoilt rolling upland farmland to the north.20

5.12 The character areas have are relatively similar in their overall character, although

those to the west are more impacted up[on by recent development including

industrial and housing developments. no specific or unusual potential or amenity

value in comparison to each other or other similar areas elsewhere.

5.13 The group value, survival, condition, coherence and integrity of the character areas

in relation to each other and in the broader context do have some differences.

Good survival and integrity is noted for Eastern St Brides HLCA 15, Peterstone

HLCA 17 and Marshfield / Coedkernew HLCA 21. Peterstone / Llanbedr HLCA 17 is

also highlighted as being of ‘enormous importance, retaining a high degree of

integrity’ surviving in ‘fine condition’.

5.14 Western St Brides HLCA 16 is noted as suffering from agricultural improvement and

the addition of golf course and trout farm has been damaging, denuding the former

field layout. The western side of the area is noted as being in poorer condition than

that to the east. The location of the proposed Solar Farm lies directly north of the

golf course within this less well preserved area. The southwestern part of Maerdy

HLCA 21 is also similar.

5.15 On aerial photographs the proposals Site can be seen quite clearly due to the lack

of surviving field boundaries in comparison to the surrounding areas. This has

occurred due to modern agricultural practices. Looking at the area on LIDAR

datasets (available through the Welsh Government Lle website21) the former field

19 Ibid, P118 20 Ibid, p119 21 http://lle.gov.wales/services/tiles/lidar/wmts?

http://lle.gov.wales/services/tiles/lidar/wmts


boundaries and grips are still visible as surviving features, even though vegetation

has been removed from many of the boundaries.

5.16 Rumney HLCA 18 has modern industrial development on its northwestern edge.

The southeastern part has also been effected by quarrying and housing is present

in its northeastern arm. These have significantly impacted upon original field

layouts, but some survival is still visible between these areas of modern

development.

5.17 Trowbridge HLCA 19 has modern industrial development in its southwestern part

and modern development to the north, but there earlier field layouts survive in its

central and eastern area

5.18 The potential survival of elements of the Roman landscape is noted for Western St

Brides HLCA 16, Peterstone/Llanbedr HLCA 17, Rumney HLCA 18 and Marshfield /

Coedkernew HLCA 20.

5.19 It is quite clear that the field layout of Eastern St Brides HLCA 15 comprises more

irregular shaped fields in comparison to the regular rectangular layout of fields in

Peterstone HLCA 21 or Maerdy HLCA 21.

5.20 In Steps 1 and 2 below, criteria are scored according to that laid out in Table 9.

The criteria considered are as laid out ASIDOHL2, p24-25 comprising:

• Rarity;

• Representativeness;

• Documentation;

• Group Value;

• Survival;

• Condition;

• Coherence;

• Integrity;

• Potential;

• Amenity; and

• Associations.


Table 9: Overall Magnitude of Indirect Impact

Criterion value Score

Very High/good 5

High/good 4

Moderate/medium 3

Low 2

Very low/poor 1

None 0

Table 10: An evaluation of the relative importance of the

historic character areas concerned in the wider context

HLCA

Rarit

y

Rep

resen

tati

ven

ess

Do

cu

men

tati

on

Grou

p V

alu

e

Su

rviv

al

Co

nd

itio

n

Co

heren

ce

In

teg

rit

y

Po

ten

tial

Am

en

ity

Asso

cia

tio

ns

Su

m &

rela

tive

imp

orta

nce s

core

Eastern St Brides HLCA 15

2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 33

Western St Brides HLCA 16

2 3 3 4 3 2 2 3 3 1 1 27

Llanbedr HLCA 17 2 5 3 4 5 5 4 5 3 2 1 39

Rumney HLCA 18 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 19

Trowbride HLCA 19 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 20

Marshfield / Coedkernew HLCA 20

2 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 2 1 30

Maerdy HLCA 21 2 3 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 2 1 32


5.21 The following section considers only those parts of the HLCA areas which will lie

within the Zone of Theoretical Visibility or within the Site and thus will score

differently to the above table. Following that an overall assessment of the impact

on the Gwent Levels Registered Historic Landscape as a whole will be determined.

5.22 In order to get a more empirical way of scoring the importance of these areas

affected the percentage of the site area lying within the ZTV zone where the

majority of the proposals will be visible has been considered. Those parts showing

moderate or small amounts of visibility are considered but in more general terms.

The following Table 11 shows the percentages per HLCA lie within the zone where

the majority of the solar farm will be visible and the percentage lying within the

Site for Western St Brides HLCA 16 and Maerdy HLCA 21. And also the total of the

area of the entire Gwent Levels Registered Historic Landscape within the Site and in

the majority visible area.

Table 11: Areas of HLCAs affected by the site and majority

visibility, as well as for Gwent Levels as a whole

HLCA Total Area

km2 Area within

Site km2 Percentage within site

Area within majority

visible area of ZTV km2

Percentage within

majority visible of ZTV


5.24 0 0% 0.73 14%


4.03 0.74 18% 0.53 13%

Llanbedr HLCA 17 5.73 0 0% 0.72 12.5%

Rumney HLCA 18 5.23 0 0% 0 0%

Trowbride HLCA 19 2.96 0 0% 0.54 18%

Marshfield / Coedkernew HLCA

20 2.10 0 0% 0.45 21%

Maerdy HLCA 21 3.02 0.87 29% 1.54 51%

Gwent Levels Registered Historic

Landscape 107.20 1.61 1.5% 4.51 4%


5.23 The scores for Table 12 have been determined by looking at the WYG ZTV plan

overlaid with the HLCA Areas and observing the specific elements of the HLCA areas

that will be directly or indirectly affected by the proposals.

5.24 As noted above, the biggest weight is given to areas covered by the Site or lying

within the majority visible zone of the ZTV.

5.25 In terms of the impacts on the Gwent Levels Registered Historic Landscape as a

whole, this more difficult to determine. The Gwent Levels is formed of three

separate areas: the Wentlooge Level, Caldicot Level and the Mathern Level. They

are separated by Newport and Caldicot/M4 Prince of Wales Bridge crossing. Neither

the Caldicot or Mathern Level areas will be impacted by the development. To

concentrate solely on the Wentooge Level would skew the results to being a far

greater impact than it will be and so little more is done in terms of assessing

impacts to the whole Registered Historic Landscape and only the Historic Landscape

Character Areas are considered further.

5.26 It is also worth noting that the two additional designated features that lie within St

Brides HLCA 15 (St Bridget’s Church) and Peterstone / Llanbedr HLCA 17, lie within

existing villages and although they form part of the HLCA areas they are only

assessed to lie within the small area visible ZTV and are not considered separately.


5.27

Table 11: An evaluation of the relative importance of the

historic character areas concerned which will be affected

by the proposals (Site and Majority visible ZTV)

HLCA and criteria scores relating to actual affected parts of the HLCAs

Rarit

y

Rep

resen

tati

ven

ess

Do

cu

men

tati

on

Grou

p V

alu

e

Su

rviv

al

Co

nd

itio

n

Co

heren

ce

In

teg

rit

y

Po

ten

tial

Am

en

ity

Asso

cia

tio

ns

Su

m &

rela

tive

imp

orta

nce s

core


2 2 3 3 4 4 3 4 2 2 1 30


2 3 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 1 1 24

Llanbedr HLCA 17 2 5 3 4 5 5 4 5 3 2 1 39

Rumney HLCA 18 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 10

Trowbride HLCA 19 2 3 3 4 4 4 3 4 2 1 1 31


2 4 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 33

Maerdy HLCA 21 2 3 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 2 1 32

5.28 For Eastern St Brides HLCA 15 ‘majority visibility’ is restricted to two areas on its

western side. The majority of this HLCA will be covered by moderate or small

visibility zones. This impact is considered relatively minimal overall, but the scores

remain relatively similar.

5.29 Western St Brides HLCA 16 has 18% of its area covered by the Site, although as

noted above, much of this area has been altered in modern times through

agricultural practices. The majority visible ZTV covers the already altered golf

course and fields to the south of the Site but also part of an area of well-preserved

field boundaries to the east. The majority of the remaining area lies in the

moderate or small visible ZTV zones.


5.30 The majority visible ZTV zone covers a strip through the northern part of the

Peterstone / Llanbedr HLCA 17 only Moderate and small visibility ZTV areas cover

the majority of the remainder of the HLCA, but this impact will be very low on its

overall character. The ZTV indicates that the large sea wall along the southern

edge of the shore line ‘Peterstone Great Wharf’ will not be intervisible with the Site.

5.31 For Rumney HLCA 18 there is no part of the site within the majority visible ZTV

zone. Only two areas of moderate to small visibility encroach into the eastern side

of the area: one from existing residential development to the northeast and the

other in the southeast within the areas of quarrying.

5.32 The stretch of majority visible ZTV zone runs directly across the area of the best

surviving field systems within the Trowbridge HLCA 19 enhancing the scores within

the above assessment. Moderate and small visibility zones also cover parts of the

HLCA.

5.33 Marshfield/Coedkernew HLCA 20 is separated into two parts, the smaller part to the

west is only partially affected by the small visibility ZTV zone. The larger eastern

part includes most of the area of the better preserved field systems in the HLCA,

which will again be more affected by the majority visible ZTV zone than other parts.

5.34 The Site covers the southwestern part of Maerdy HLCA 21, possibly the least well

preserved part of the area. The majority of the area lies in the majority visible ZTV

zone. Overall there is no change to the assessed scores for this region within Table

11 as the assessment.

5.35 By dividing the sum of the above as shown in the last column of Table 9 and Table

11 by the maximum possible score (55) and multiplying by 100, the averages are

reached. Table 12 below shows the scores based on Tables 9 and 11 for each of

the HLCA areas.

5.36 Table 13 averages these scores by adding them together and dividing by 2. The

grades of overall value of the HLCA areas are then determined using the scale laid

out in Table 14 (taken from Table 12 of ASIDOHL2, p28). Table 13 also includes an

overall value at the end for all of the HLCA areas.


Table 12: Sum and Rating of HLCA areas from Tables 9

and 11

HLCA Sum and rating

from Table 9 Sum and rating from Table 11

Eastern St Brides HLCA 15 (33÷55) x 100 = 60.00 (30÷55) x 100 = 54.55

Western St Brides HLCA 16 (27÷55) x 100 = 49.09 (24÷55) x 100 = 43.63

Llanbedr HLCA 17 (39÷55) x 100 = 70.91 (39÷55) x 100 = 70.91

Rumney HLCA 18 (19÷55) x 100 = 34.54 (10÷55) x 100 = 18.18

Trowbride HLCA 19 (20÷55) x 100 = 36.36 (31÷55) x 100 = 56.36


(30÷55) x 100 = 54.55 (33÷55) x 100 = 60.00

Maerdy HLCA 21 (32÷55) x 100 = 58.18 (32÷55) x 100 = 58.18


Table 13: Average overall value of the historic character

areas

HLCA Rating

from Table 9 Rating

from Table 11

Average Rating

Percentage

Grades of Overall Value

(see Table 13)


60.00 54.55 57% Considerable


49.09 43.63 46% Considerable

Llanbedr HLCA 17 70.91 70.91 71% High

Rumney HLCA 18 34.54 18.18 26% Moderate

Trowbride HLCA 19 36.36 56.36 46% Considerable


54.55 60 57% Considerable

Maerdy HLCA 21 58.18 58.18 58% Considerable

Overall Scores 363.63 361.81 51.82% Considerable

Table 14: Grade of Overall Value

Overall Score Value

80 – 100 Very High

60 – 79 High

40 – 59 Considerable

20 – 39 Moderate

5 – 19 Low

0 – 4 Very Low


6.0


6. Stage 5 - Assessment of Overall

Significance of Impact

6.1 The final stage of the ASIDOHL process combines the results of Stages 2 – 4 to

produce ‘an assessment of the overall significance of impact of development and

the effect that altering the Historic Character Areas concerned has on the whole of

the historic landscape area on the Register’22.

6.2 The overall impact of the development is assessed using the ASIDOHL guidelines,

(Table 13 p29) and the Overall significance of impact scale included in ASIDOHL

(Table 14, p30) reproduced here in Table 15.

6.3 The information is collated and laid out in Table 16. In terms of the ‘VALUE OF

HCLA’ column, this is based on STAGE 4 above and considered in terms of

categories from Very Low to Very High and assigned appropriate scoring from 1-10.

Only one HLCA area was deemed to be of ‘High’ importance, that of Llanbedr

(Peterstone) HLCA 17 and has been scored as 8 at the top level of the ‘High’

category laid in in Table 13 of ASIDOL (p2).

6.4 Of those coming out in the ‘Considerable’ importance category (from Stage 4),

these have been ranked and scored based on the information gleaned during

assessment such that Maerdy HLCA 21 is given the highest scoring in the Medium

category 6, as it is considered the best preserved; Eastern St Brides HLCA 15 is

next scoring 5; Western St Brides HLCA 16 and Marshfield/Coedkernew HLCA 20

are scored 4; and Trowbridge HLCA 18 is scored 3, just within the Low value

category due to modern development. Rumney is the lowest scoring at 2, also in

the Low value category due to impacts from modern development.

6.5 The second table category is based on Stages 2 and 3 of the process, scoring the

‘Impact of Development’ on the HLCA. This includes the fact that only three HLCAs

are considered likely to have direct physical impacts: Western St Brides HLCA 16;

Llanbedr HLAC 17; and Maerdy HLCA 21. In terms of indirect impacts (physical and

visual) all HLCAs are considered, with those of Rumney HLCA 18 and Trowbridge

HLCA 19 as having the lowest overall impacts – lying in the Very Low category. For

Eastern St Brides HLCA 15, Llanbedr HLCA 17 and Marshfield/Coedkernew HLCA 20

these are located within the Low category, with Llanbedr HLCA 17 scored the

highest of these three due to the potential physical impacts.

22 Cadw 2007, ASIDOHL2, p28


6.6 Due to the large direct impacts Western St Brides HLCA 16 and Maerdy HLCA 21

are considered in the higher category of impact, with Maerdy HLCA 21 being far

higher. The Western St Brides HLCA 16 has suffered from modern disturbance of

its landscape character through agricultural practices and construction of the golf

course and fishing lakes. The area of the proposed solar farm lies on the western

side of the area in the least well preserved part of the HLCA and the determined

score is put at 5 within the medium impact category.

6.7 For Maerdy HLCA 21, the direct impact will again lie on one of the least well

preserved parts of the HLCA as the solar farm will be located in an area altered in

recent times through agricultural practices and the railway line severing this part

from the remainder of the HLCA. Conversely, due to the Site lying in the lower part

of the area, and with the Hawse Lane bridge crossing the railway, this part of the

site has clearer views across the entire HLCA and the score has been determined to

be 8 lying within the High impact category.

6.8 Finally the overall Reduction of Value of the Historic Landscape on the Register is

determined by totalling the previous scores. For Rumney HLCA 18, Trowbridge

HLCA 18 and Marshfield/Coedkernew HLCA 19, the overall significance of impact is

slight. For Eastern St Brides HLCA 15, Western St Brides HLCA 16 and Llanbedr

HLCA 17 the overall significance of impact is moderate.

6.9 Maerdy HLCA 21 is directly impacted by the development proposals and will have

large indirect impacts also. The ASIDOHL concludes that Maerdy HLCA 21 lies

within the Severe category of overall significance of impact.

Table 15: Overall Significance Of Impact

Score Grading

26-30 Very Severe

21-25 Severe

16-20 Fairly Severe

10-15 Moderate

4-9 Slight

1-3 Very Slight


Table 16: Summary of the Overall Significance of the Impact of Development on Landscape of Historic Interest

HLLA

VALUE OF HCLA (based on STAGE 4)

(Score based on ASIDOHL guidance table 13)

IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT (based on STAGES 2 & 3 results)


REDUCTION OF VALUE OF THE HLCA


TOTAL SCORE

FOR HCLA

OVERALL SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT FOR HCLA


Considerable 5 No direct physical impact

Slight indirect impact 2 Low 3 10 Moderate


Considerable 4 Moderate Direct physical impact /

Moderate indirect impact 5 Medium 5 14 Moderate

Llanbedr HLCA 17

High 8 Slight direct physical impact possible

Moderate indirect impact 3 Medium 4 15 Moderate

Rumney HLCA 18

Moderate 2 No direct physical impact

Slight indirect impact 1 Very Low 1 4 Slight

Trowbride HLCA 19

Considerable 3 No direct physical impact

Slight indirect impact 1 Low 2 6 Slight

Marshfield / Coedkernew

HLCA 20 Considerable 4

No direct physical impact Slight indirect impact

2 Low 3 9 Slight

Maerdy HLCA 21

Considerable 6 Considerable Direct physical impact /

Severe indirect impact 7 High 8 21 Severe


7.0


7. Bibliography

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• NPPF 2019 National Planning Policy Framework, Communities and Local Government

procedural document

Standards for Archiving and Reporting

• Standards in the Museum Care of Archaeological Collections (Museums and Galleries

Commission 1992)

• Selection, Retention and Dispersal of Archaeological Collections; Guidelines for use in

England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Society of Museum Archaeologists 1993)

• Archaeological Archives: A Guide to Best Practice in Creation, Compilation, Transfer and

Curation (Archaeological Archives Forum 2007)

Existing Relevant Technical Reports

• Heritage Collective 2018: Heritage Assessment: Roughwood Hill Farm, Betchton,

Sandbach, Cheshire. Unpublished Technical Report, Ref. 3741


8.0


8. The Gwent Levels Historic

Landscape of Outstanding

Historic Interest in Wales

8.1 The Gwent Levels Historic Landscape (Ref number HLW(Gt)2) is cited in Part 2:1 of

the Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Outstanding Historic Interest in

Wales, 1998. It includes the Gwent Levels Sites of Special Scientific Interest

(various) and Redwick Conservation Area. The following information is taken from

the register23.

8.2 The Outstanding Historic Landscape of Gwent Levels comprises three discrete and

extensive areas of alluvial wetlands and intertidal mudflats situated on the north

side of the Severn Estuary represent the largest and most significant example in

Wales of a 'hand-crafted' landscape. They are entirely the work of man, having

been recurrently inundated and reclaimed from the sea from the Roman period

onwards. The areas have distinctive patterns of settlement, enclosure and drainage

systems belonging to successive periods of use, and a proven and possibly quite

vast potential for extensive, well-preserved, buried, waterlogged, archaeological

and palaeoenvironmental deposits surviving from earlier landscapes.

8.3 The Gwent Levels was the first area for which a landscape characterisation study

was attempted. This was undertaken on behalf of Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments

and the Countryside Council for Wales by Dr Stephen Rippon (now at University of

Exeter) in 1995. Dr Rippon was able to divide what appears to be a flat, uniform

landscape into 21 distinct areas. The boundaries of these character areas and the

reasons for individual distinction remain unchanged. However detailed descriptions

have been edited so that they take a similar form, as far as is possible, to the later

detailed character area descriptions for other landscapes recorded in the Register.

This has been done so as not to alter the information in the original document. As

the historic landscape is considered to be largely agricultural with minor settlement,

the usual section on landscape themes has been replaced by information on

landscape development, with a particular emphasis on water management and

drainage.

23 http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Gwent%20Levels/English/GL_Main.htm#20


8.4 The following description, taken from the Historic Landscapes Register, identifies

the essential historic landscape themes in the historic character area.

8.5 The Gwent Levels are an extensive low lying area of estuarine alluvium located on

the north side of the Severn estuary in south-east Wales between Cardiff and the

River Rhymney in the west and Chepstow on the River Wye in the east.

Topographically the Levels are taken as extending south of the 10m contour line,

approximately the fen edge or interface with solid geology to the north (roughly

coinciding with the modern east-west line of the London to Cardiff railway), though

they are generally at their lowest near the boundary with the solid geology.

8.6 The Levels are a landscape of extraordinarily diverse environmental and

archaeological potential. Although they are an important wetland resource in their

own right, archaeologically the area contains a variety of landscapes of different

dates, and nowhere else is it possible to make the period distinctions so easily.

Man's past activities in the area have been governed by the vast tidal range within

the Severn Estuary, which has seen major and minor fluctuations in the heights and

range of tides since the last glaciation, caused by variations in both the land and

sea level. The Levels reflect man's evolving and often precarious relationship with

these circumstances over the last ten thousand years.

8.7 Having been reclaimed from the sea at various times during the historic period, the

present land surface is a supreme example of a 'hand-crafted' landscape, artificially

created and entirely the work of man, preserving clear evidence of distinctive

patterns of settlement, enclosure and drainage systems. However, because of

recurrent phases of inundation and alluviation, there is also a proven, and quite

possibly vast, potential for extensive, buried, waterlogged, archaeological and

environmental deposits belonging to the earlier landscapes, which extend beyond

the seawalls and banks into the intertidal mudflats. The Levels are therefore a

uniquely rich archaeological and historical resource in Wales, and certainly of

international importance and significance.

8.8 Man's greatest impact on the wetland landscape has been his determination and

success in reclaiming the levels, which has been on-going at least since the Roman

period. Although the area is crossed by natural drainage, principally the River Usk

with its broad tidal estuary, the Rivers Rhymney and Ebbw, and the Goldcliff Pill,

the greater part of the levels has been the subject of artificial drainage schemes, so

that today the area is criss-crossed by drainage channels, known locally as reens.

However, elements of older drainage networks are still incorporated into some of

the artificial drainage networks inland of the sea walls, whilst other elements have

been abandoned, either at the time of reclamation or more recently. The

abandoned drainage systems are represented by palaeochannels, some of which

are clearly seen on aerial photographs.


8.9 The present derived landscape thus comprises the following features: major reens

resulting from natural watercourses; major reens which are wholly artificial; inland

abandoned sea banks whose origins are obscure; sea walls probably originating in

the 16th century; gouts where reens meet and coffer gouts where they cross; pills

where the major reens discharge either into tidal channels or into the estuary itself;

the bridges across the reens and the roadways built upon embankments; and not

least the distinctive and characteristic field patterns belonging to different phases of

enclosure.

8.10 In relation to the buried, archaeological landscape, Mesolithic remains have been

discovered at Goldcliff, stratified in an estuarine clay underlying a sequence of peat

deposits. Additionally, late Mesolithic human footprints, impressed into the lower

Wentlooge Formation have been found at Uskmouth. Again they were preserved in

estuarine clay beneath a deposit of clay. It is reasonable to suppose that other

important evidence of Mesolithic activity will be found preserved further inland, and

perhaps most particularly at the interface between the levels and solid geology to

the north.

8.11 Bronze Age activity has been recorded at various sites on desiccated raised peat

beds, such as at Chapel Tump. More recently, outside the area described here, at

Caldicot Castle, there is detailed evidence of palaeochannels, pile structures, a boat

strake and a considerable amount of cultural material. Iron Age evidence has been

discovered in the intertidal zone at Goldcliff with rectangular timber buildings,

trackways and fishtraps on a shelf of fen peat. Also outside, but near the area, at

Barland's Farm, Wilcrick, Roman stone and timber structures and the remains of a

late 3rd century Romano-British boat have been found, alongside a buried tidal

creek, emphasizing the remarkable state of preservation of archaeological material

in the levels.

8.12 The Middle Ages are represented by a large number of Anglo-Norman sites

including castles, moated sites, churches, mills, manor houses and court houses.

There is evidence of continuity in the forms of land use between the medieval and

post-medieval periods. The area saw increasing enclosure of the fields although, as

late as 1830, considerable areas remained common. Whilst much of the basic

network of reens had been established before this period, it continued to be

developed and modified, particularly as the land became enclosed.

8.13 Over recent years, a range of spectacular archaeological sites have been excavated

and, since 1987, a series of Sites of Special Scientific Interest have been notified in

the Levels. The present landscape represents the latest archaeological period and

provides the diverse ecological niches on which the nature conservation interests

depend.


The Historic Landscape

8.14 The following information is taken from the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust

website – Historic Landscapes section24. The historic landscape includes all aspects

of man's exploitation of a particular environment that survive and contribute to its

present character. It is important to stress that individual sites or historic landscape

features, while important in themselves, assume a greater significance when

viewed in a wider landscape with their contemporary and related features; the sum

of the whole is greater than the sum of each part.

8.15 The Levels are also rich in earthworks preserving elements of the medieval and

later landscape. These include several moated farmsteads (e.g. area 8), sea and

reen-side banks and surface ridging in fields created to improve drainage. Slight

earthworks, such as those in the last category, are very fragile and can be

destroyed in a single ploughing.

8.16 The Levels are also important for their very high yielding pasture, and large areas

are classified as grade 3b agricultural land. As an open space close to major

conurbations, they provide an under-exploited recreational resource.

Buried Archaeology

8.17 Recent work has shown that the Levels are particularly rich in buried archaeology,

of national and international importance, both in the intertidal zone and inland of

the sea wall. Over most of the Levels, prehistoric and Roman landscapes are sealed

by later alluvium. Because of the depth of this alluvium even the most advanced

methods of non-interventional prospection cannot identify such sites without

excavation, making them very vulnerable to loss through ignorance. However, this

blanket of alluvium, and the resulting waterlogged conditions, give rise to excellent

preservation of archaeological deposits. Any disturbance of the alluvium, or

lowering the water-table threatens to alter these conditions.

Landscape Formation

8.18 A detailed history of the Gwent Levels is described in the book "The Gwent Levels -

The Evolution of a Wetland Landscape" (Rippon 1996). What follows is a basic

summary based upon that work.

8.19 The Gwent Levels consist of up to c.10m of alluvium and peat, stratified within

which there are abundant traces of man's exploitation of that wetland environment

during the prehistoric period onwards. Particularly rich are the peat deposits, which

preserve wooden structures as well as a record of the changing environment

24 http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Gwent%20Levels/English/GL_Features.htm


covering many thousands of years. Recent years has shown that entire prehistoric

landscapes lie buried in the Levels.

8.20 The distribution of major archaeological discoveries shows a marked bias towards

the intertidal zone, since this is where the alluvium that overlies the prehistoric and

Roman landscapes has been eroded away. Like the peat layer itself, this density of

archaeological sites is likely to continue inland, but simply lie undiscovered. Another

concentration of sites lies along the fen-edge, where there has been considerable

development exposing the archaeological remains.

8.21 Mesolithic human footprints and camp sites, and well-preserved wooden Bronze

Age/lron Age houses and trackways, have all been discovered through careful

archaeological excavation (eg area 6).

8.22 At the end of the Iron Age (c.2,000 years ago), the Gwent Levels were a tidally

inundated saltmarsh.

8.23 During the Roman period, (c.l,750 years ago) the legionaries based at Caerleon

enclosed the Levels with a sea wall, so preventing further inundation. They drained

the land with ditches and probably used the rich meadow land to graze their cavalry

horses, (suggested by the high proportion of horse bones from excavations of a

Roman settlement at Rumney Great Wharf). An extensive part of that Roman

landscape is still in use around Peterstone (character areas 16 and 17) and is a

unique survival in Britain if not north-west Europe.

8.24 However, during the post-Roman period, (c.1530 years ago) the sea defences

failed, and parts of Wentlooge along with the whole of Caldicot once again became

a saltmarsh, with the Roman ground surface buried by alluvium.

8.25 The area was recolonised after the Anglo-Norman conquest in the late eleventh

century. During this high medieval period (c.1070-c.1350), sea walls were rebuilt

and a new drainage system established. The position of the original wall is not

known, because of later erosion. Where the Roman landscape survived, it simply

needed restoration and rehabilitation. Over many centuries, a new network of

drainage ditches was dug, until the present pattern finally took shape; the last

major period of landscape creation was in the mid nineteenth century, when new

fields in the Broadmead area of Redwick and Caldicot Moor were laid out.

8.26 Settlements concentrated on the higher coastal land, surrounded by their arable

and meadow fields. The Priory at Goldcliff was particularly important in creating the

landscapes of Nash, Goldcliff and possibly Whitson and Porton (areas 1, 3 and 4).

8.27 Some fields created during this period were enclosed by ditches, as we see today.

Other medieval fields were "open", with only slight grassy banks separating the

strips of land (depicted on early maps such as those of the Commissioners of


Sewers 1830/1831; GCRO D.1365/2). These strips were allocated to the villagers

annually, but in the winter all their livestock was free to graze off the "open fields",

unimpeded by fences, hedges or ditches.

8.28 The lower-lying back-fen was open common pasture, which lacked drainage and so

was only available for grazing during the summer months (eg. area 9). Such areas

were known as "moors". Over time, as population increased, parts of the open

back-fen commons were enclosed and drained (eg area 9). Tintern Abbey had been

granted extensive estates in these areas and was one of the great "improvers"

(areas 8 and 10).

8.29 During the late medieval period (c.1350-c.1536), there was great social unrest,

while plague led to a population decline. A climatic deterioration resulted in coastal

erosion. Around the fifteenth century, the sea wall had to be set back, an early

example of "managed retreat". Evidence for this can be seen all along the coast, as

the sea wall cuts diagonally across earlier fields (eg. area 4); in places the lines of

existing field ditches inland of the sea wall can be traced into the modern intertidal

zone.

8.30 Much of the Levels were divided into fields by the early fourteenth century, but the

last areas of common land were only enclosed, through Act of parliament, in the

mid nineteenth century (eg Caldicot Moor, area 11). In the preceding centuries

many of the "open fields" had also been enclosed, though the greatest of them,

Redwick's "Broadmead", was only extinguished in 1850, again by Act of Parliament

(area 7). Areas of saltmarsh that had built up around the mouths of the major tidal

rivers were also reclaimed at this time.

Landscape Typology

8.31 A variety of processes have led to the creation of the "historic landscape", giving

rise to different areas possessing their own character. A broad distinction can be

drawn between landscapes created in a gradual way, and those that were laid out

in a single episode.

8.32 The former can be termed "irregular", and are of great complexity (eg character

areas 1, 6, 15 and 18). They have small irregularly shaped fields, often

incorporating the meandering lines of former tidal creeks. A piecemeal process of

landscape formation occurred, in the eleventh to fourteenth centuries ("high

medieval" period). Roads are sinuous and broad, often with an abundance of

roadside waste; these "droveways" were vital for moving livestock from summer to

winter pastures. Settlement was dispersed, with hamlets, isolated farmsteads and

cottages scattered throughout the landscape. There were a number of commons

that became the focus for settlements eg Broadstreet in Nash; Whitson; and

Peterstone).


8.33 Colonisation started on the higher ground towards the coast. The lower-lying "back-

fen" was only drained later, as population rose, increasing the demand for land. A

sequence of reclamations can often be identified, as communities gradually drained

the back-fen. These areas tend to have landscapes of an "intermediate" nature;

rather more regular in lay-out than the "irregular landscapes", but not so rigidly

planned as the "regular" variety. Intermediate areas are characterised by a fairly

rectilinear pattern of fields and roads, with just the occasional farmstead or cottage.

8.34 The "regular" landscapes are very different. Their fields are rectangular and occur

in large blocks of similar sized fields (eg areas 11 and 21). The roads are straight

and narrow, lacking roadside waste. There is very little settlement, mainly as these

landscapes occupy be lowest-lying land. A very different process of reclamation was

responsible for their creation; the large-scale and rapid enclosure of extensive

tracts of land, in a single episode.

Water Management and the Drainage System

8.35 The Gwent Levels comprise c.111.2 km2 of reclaimed estuarine alluvium between

the Rivers Ely and Wye in southeast Wales, collectively known as the Gwent Levels.

Together, they form a coastal plain up to 6 km wide, fringing the northern side of

the Severn Estuary.

8.36 The two largest levels are Wentlooge, between the Rivers Rhymney and Ebbw, and

Caldicot between the River Usk and the bedrock promontory at Sudbrook. Smaller

areas of alluvium are Cardiff West, Leckwith and Penarth Moors between the Taff

and Ely; Cardiff East and Pengam Moors between the Rhymney and Taff; the Level

of Mendalgief between the Ebbw and Usk; and St Pierre and Mathern Levels lying

between Sudbrook and the River Wye.

8.37 The Levels have been totally hand-crafted by man. They were created through the

enclosing and draining of tidal saltmarshes, and are still dominated by the need to

manage water. Without sea walls, all the Levels would be frequently inundated by

the sea.

8.38 Another constant problem is managing rainfall and run-off from the uplands, which

is dealt with by a complex system of channels that carry water off the surface of

fields ("ridge and vurrow"), into large gullies ("grips") and into the network of field

ditches. Water then drains from these into major watercourses known as "reens".

This network is the key feature of the Levels, both in terms of their ecological

importance and the historic landscape.

8.39 The method of drainage was first established in the Levels nearly 1800 years ago.

It takes the form of a hierarchy of drainage channels, which also provide a basis for

the historic and nature conservation importance of this area.


8.40 The maintenance of this system has always been a co-operative effort by farmers

and the authorities in power. The former have tried to protect their livelihoods and

prevent fertile lands being destroyed by flood. The latter, beginning with the Roman

legions and continuing with the medieval monasteries, marcher lords, the

Commissioners of Sewers, and a range of modern bodies, have been seeking to

preserve their interests in, and responsibilities for, the Levels as a whole.

Sea Wall

8.41 The whole drainage system in the Levels relies upon the sea wall. Historically the

wall has retreated, with much of its present line dating from the late medieval

period. In a total length of c.35 km, there are many different styles and dates of

wall which were steadily improved and modified between 1954 and 1974.

8.42 However, following a heavy storm in 1990, these sea defences were tested to the

extreme and the NRA are proposing a 10 year programme of raising and

strengthening the wall. This may produce a much more standardised structure

hiding the existing complexities.

8.43 The proposed works make the short lengths of relict sea wall at Rumney Great

Wharf, Peterstone Gout and alongside Collister Pill even more valuable.

8.44 The saltmarsh beyond the sea wall has traditionally provided summer grazing. Only

two farmers continue this practice on the Wenthooge Level but it assists in

maintaining the diversity of the plant communities.

Main Reens

8.45 The NRA are also responsible for the rivers which divide up the Gwent Levels, and

the management of c.64 km of main reens in which upland streams have been

canalised to run across the low-lying levels and out through tidal flaps (gouts) to

the sea.

8.46 Some of these main reens, such as Monksditch and Mill Reen, flow between raised

banks onto which the periodic clearings of the reens are dumped. These earthworks

are also major historic features within the landscape, which should not be

unnecessarily damaged. In places (eg Monksditch near Whitson sub-station and the

north end of Blackwall in Magor), the reen sides are revetted by stone walls and

timber facings, which should also be retained.

Lesser Reens

8.47 The next tier in the hierarchy of drainage channels are the c.137 km of reens

managed by the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels Internal Drainage Board (IDB).


These provide the boundaries and framework for most of the character areas

defined in this report.

8.48 The continued management of this system is assured, but several types of historic

features occur within this network and need protection. Water levels are managed

in these reens by pens known as "stanks", in which wooden planks can be set to

raise the water levels in summer and reduce them in winter. These structures, now

in brick and concrete, remain an important feature of the Levels and need to be

properly maintained.

8.49 Another important feature, unfortunately now very rare, are "walls" which seem to

have been low earth banks built on the uphill or seaward side of those reens dug to

drain the back-fen. They provided additional protection from winter flooding to the

better land behind.

8.50 Another feature of these main reens are the lines of pollarded willows planted to

strengthen the bank sides. These are an important part of the historic landscape as

well as of great ecological importance.

Field Ditches

8.51 By far the largest tier in the drainage hierarchy is the c.1200 km of field ditches

maintained by the individual landowners. Here, the clearance of ditches and

management of the associated hedges may extend over a 10 to 30 year cycle.

8.52 These boundaries are much more vulnerable to loss as larger fields are created

from several smaller ones. In the remaining agricultural areas of the Caldicot Level,

18% of the boundaries that existed during 1886 have been lost while in the

Wentlooge Level the figure is 40%. Hedgerows constitute a significant component

of the landscape character of the Levels. The way that hedgerows are managed will

significantly affect the visual appearance of an area as well as influencing the

nature conservation interest. For example, in the lowest-lying back-fens (e.g. areas

9, 20 and 21), fields tend not to be hedged being characterised by stands of reeds

and isolated willows.

Surface Ridging in Fields

8.53 The lowest tier of the drainage hierarchy is the most vulnerable of all. This consists

of the "grips", and "ridge and vurrow". Skilfully created by hand digging or

ploughing, these provide a network of shallow surface drainage gullies which take

water off the field into ditches and reens. They do not survive in fields which have

been under-drained and ploughed, which commenced from the late 1950s after

improvement to the drainage system.


Bridges

8.54 Access around the Levels depended upon the larger droveways, which form part of

the framework of each character area. Tracks and paths were carried over the

reens and field ditches by scores of small bridges. Some may be several hundred

years old, and fine examples survive along Mireland Pill Reen (Goldcliff) and Rush

Wall (Magor). Stone, brick, concrete and wooden bridges all survive, but many are

in decay or have collapsed and, as a result, much of the network of public footpaths

has disintegrated.

Standing Buildings

8.55 Part of the character of each landscape area is provided by standing buildings. The

dispersed settlement of isolated farms in the coastal parts of Wentlooge and

western Caldicot (all "irregular landscapes"), contrasts with the nucleated village of

Redwick in eastern Caldicot (area 5) and linear settlement along Whitson Common

(area 3). The back-fens are largely devoid of settlements ("intermediate" and

"regular" landscapes), though the fen-edge has always been a favoured location for

occupation.

8.56 The farm houses and farm buildings have always been at the centre of the area's

economy, but they are threatened as landholdings are combined. In some cases,

farm complexes have been abandoned by new institutional owners.

8.57 A review of the list of historic buildings for the Gwent Levels parishes, currently

being undertaken by Cadw, will highlight and protect those of special interest. The

character of the Levels will be maintained only if traditional buildings are retained in

use.

8.58 Alongside most farms used to be an orchard, and the surviving examples are an

important feature of the Levels. The end of cider making locally means that most

orchards are no longer commercially viable. However, there are some fine

examples, notably in Goldcliff, Redwick and Magor

8.59 For further information please contact the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust

at this address. Link to the Countryside Council for Wales website at

www.ccw.gov.uk or Cadw at www.cadw.wales.gov.uk

http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/


Character Area No. 15 Eastern St. Brides

8.61 Complex "irregular landscape" on higher coastal area.

Historic background

8.62 This landscape has formed over a long period of time. The higher coastal areas

were probably recolonized in the late eleventh and twelfth centuries. Lower-lying

areas inland were subsequently enclosed and drained, probably in the

thirteenth/fourteenth centuries. St. Brides Wharf was reclaimed in the eighteenth

century.

8.63 The medieval Welsh name Llansanffraid Gwynllwg is at least sixteenth century in

date.

Key historic landscape characteristics

8.64 Diverse landscape: early settlement focus (nr St. Brides Church), irregular field

pattern of small fields and sinuous roads with remnants of roadside waste,

dispersed settlement, seawall including demolished wall, drainage features include

fen-banks, surface ridging (mainly grips, but also rare "ridge and vurrow")

8.65 This landscape occupies higher coastal land at the eastern end of Wentlooge. It

merges with area 16 to the west, but the lines of former fen-banks divide it from

area 21 to the north. Tredegar Park (now the Duffryn Estate) was created in the

northern part of this character area.

8.66 This is a very diverse landscape, similar to area 1 (Nash/Goldcliff). To the south of

St. Brides church, an oval area defined in the field-boundary pattern probably

marks the earliest settlement focus. Elsewhere, the fields are small and irregular

and the roads sinuous, formerly with abundant roadside waste (indicated by long

narrow fields beside the roads). The settlement pattern is largely dispersed.

8.67 A relict sea wall that once ran along Wharf Reen has been demolished, though

slight traces of a ramp can be seen in places. The lines of sinuous fen-banks mark

the limit of this enclosed/drained landscape and the former open moors in the

lower-lying back-fens. Very fine examples of surface ridging; mainly grips, but

includes some "ridge and vurrow" that is otherwise very rare in Wentlooge.

8.68 Parts of this landscape have a relatively wooded feel, with numerous mature trees

in the hedges. Other hedges are typically scrubby.

8.69 The integrity and coherence of the area are high. This is an area of landscape

typical of the higher coastal lands throughout the Levels. The early settlement site


at St. Brides, lines of former fen-banks, and eighteenth century reclamation of St.

Brides Wharf, are components of a complex and diverse landscape, which has a

high group value. There are some fine areas of surface ridging, and traces of

former roadside waste.

Character Area No. 16 Western St. Brides

8.70 Simpler landscape, laid out within a framework of elements surviving from the

Roman landscape.

Historic background

8.71 The major elements of this landscape are part of the Roman planned system (area

17). However, the pattern of Roman fields was largely replaced in the medieval

period.

8.72 A small port is documented at Peterstone from at least the sixteenth century. The

place name "New Quay Gout" suggests that this may have lain in Peterstone Pill.


8.73 Regular field pattern of long narrow fields, significant boundaries of probable

Roman origin, drainage features include Peterstone Gout, the old sea wall, and a

number of fen-banks (some ridgeing/surface drainage also survives), limited linear

roadside settlement

8.74 This landscape area occupies the higher coastal zone east of Peterstone Gout. It

merges with area 15 to the east and Maerdy (area 21) to the north.

8.75 The principal elements are two NE-SW oriented boundaries which form

continuations of elements in the Roman landscape to the west. However, the small

blocks of long narrow fields between these boundaries are of medieval not Roman

origin.

8.76 To the north of the main road there are a number of sinuous boundaries that

represent individual episodes of enclosure in the open back-fen moor; these "fen-

banks" were designed to keep freshwater from the low-lying back-fen, from

flooding the old enclosed lands towards the coast. Settlements are restricted to the

main road. The old sea wall and stone gout structure at Peterstone Gout are well

preserved.

8.77 This is an interesting landscape, at the edge of the area flooded in the post-Roman

period. It is characteristic of the general Wentlooge landscape of long narrow fields


and the process of reclamation of lower-lying areas through a sequence of intakes

from the open moor.

8.78 The western half of this area has been affected by agricultural improvement and

the construction of a golf course. Most hedges that survive are scrubby, especially

to the south of St. Brides village. Further west the landscape has been extensively

remodelled by a golf course and trout farm. Though not visually intrusive, they

have destroyed the historic fabric of the landscape by removing many reens and

grips.

8.79 Overall, the integrity and coherence of the landscape are high to the north/east,

but lower to the south/west of this area. The area has suffered from agricultural

improvement and the development of a golf course/trout farm complex. These

developments are not visually intrusive, and the sea wall still affords fine views of

an open landscape. The framework of Roman elements survives intact.

Character Area No. 17 Peterstone

8.80 "Regular landscape" of Roman date.

Historic background

8.81 Archaeological investigations at Rumney Great Wharf, south of Newton Farm in

Rumney, have established a Roman date for the laying out of this landscape.

Drainage was probably undertaken by Roman legionaries based at Caerleon.

8.82 Recolonisation of the area in the high medieval period led to the establishment of

Peterstone village and settlement along Broadstreet Common. The sea wall was

moved back in the late medieval period.

8.83 Peterstone was owned by St. Augustine's Abbey in Bristol, and this association has

found its way into local tradition.


8.84 Regular landscape of trapezoidal blocks of very long, narrow fields dominate (of

Roman origin?) street commons (some with farms of medieval origin), drainage

features including reens, ditches and grips, seawall (set back)

8.85 This landscape occupies the central part of the Wentlooge Level, extending from the

higher coastal zone through to the low-lying back-fen. Areas 16 and 21 lie to the

east of Broadway Reen. Areas 8/19 lie to the north/west.


8.86 This landscape is characterised by trapezoidal blocks of very long, very narrow

fields. Several major axial elements include Broadstreet Common, a fine example of

an unenclosed street common with farmsteads along its edge set back from the

road. The sea wall cuts unconformably across the landscape, and the lines of field

ditches can be seen cut into the intertidal peat shelf. There is excellent grip

survival.

8.87 As a surviving example of large-scale Roman reclamation, it is certainly unique in

Wales, if not north-west Europe. The homogeneity of large areas, laid out in

exceptionally long narrow fields, contrasts with the complex landscape along

Broadstreet, where farms of medieval origin are strung out along an unenclosed

street common.

8.88 The area around Peterstone village, and along Broadstreet Common is fairly

wooded. Otherwise, the character area presents quite an open landscape, with

many field ditches filled with reeds rather than having hedges. Many areas retain a

very strong feeling of a landscape comprised of long narrow fields.

8.89 Overall, this landscape is of enormous importance, retaining a high degree of

integrity and coherence. On the whole it is in fine condition, having escaped large-

scale agricultural improvement. The sea wall affords very good views, though

industrial development to the west and urban sprawl to the north does impinge.

Character Area No. 18 Rumney

8.90 Complex "irregular landscape" with dispersed settlement pattern.

Historic background

8.91 This is a landscape typical of piecemeal medieval reclamation, similar to area 15

(Eastern St. Brides).

8.92 The manor of Rumney has a wealth of medieval documents relating to sea defences

and regulation of the drainage system. A water-mill lay around the mouth of Pill

Melyn Reen.

8.93 A setting back of the sea wall at Newton, in the late sixteenth century, is one of the

few such occurrences to be documented. The wall that was constructed (itself now

abandoned) is of great importance (and a Scheduled Ancient Monument).



8.94 Irregular field pattern of small irregular shaped fields (preserving lines of former

tidal creeks), site of medieval water mill, sinuous roads with roadside waste,

dispersed settlement with a small hamlet at Newton, seawall

8.95 This landscape occupies the higher coastal land to the south-west of Wentlooge,

and extends around the lower-lying fen-edge to the north of Pill-du Reen. Areas 7

and 19 lie to the south/east.

8.96 The landscape is characterised by small irregular shaped fields, incorporating the

meandering lines of former tidal creeks; Pill Melyn is typical, and was used for a

medieval water mill. The roads are sinuous and had an abundance of roadside

waste. Settlement was dispersed, with a small hamlet at Newton.

8.97 This is a landscape typical of the coastal zone of the Levels, containing many

landscape features. There has been considerable development, and many of the

areas that remain in agricultural use have been greatly improved. The area is also

overlooked by housing on surrounding uplands.

8.98 Many hedges have been removed, though the lanes tend to be well wooded. The

open nature of this landscape affords very little screening for the industrial

developments to the north.

8.99 However, those areas that have not yet been developed are of great importance as

a buffer zone, between visually intrusive developments to the north/west and the

well-preserved Roman landscapes to the south/east.

Character Area No. 19 Trowbridge

8.100 "Fairly simple landscape in the low-lying back-fen.

Historic background

8.101 This landscape was probably created in the medieval period, but after the higher

coastal areas were colonised.

8.102 There are few documentary references to this area, which was probably used

simply for summer pasture and meadow.



8.103 Regular field pattern of rectangular fields, green lanes, minor agricultural

settlement, drainage includes major reens and very fine surface ridging

8.104 This landscape occupies part of the lower-lying back-fen area of the Wentlooge

Level mainly in the parish of St. Mellons. It borders the Roman landscape of

Peterstone to the south (area 17), and area 18 to the west.

8.105 This is a very remote area of landscape, consisting of small blocks of rectangular

fields, within a framework provided by major reens and minor green lanes. There

are no major roads and just one farm. Some very fine areas of surface ridging

survive.

8.106 Hedges are varied, but being characteristic of the lower-lying parts of Wentlooge,

they are often absent; reed filled field ditches with an occasional willow are typical,

giving a strongly wetland feel. They afford little screening for the housing and light

industrial developments to the north and west.

8.107 The integrity and coherence as a historic landscape have been damaged, but this

area still has a great value. This was an area of fairly typical Wentlooge landscape,

comprising long narrow fields, the occasional major reen and an absence of

settlement. The surface ridging is particularly well preserved. Piecemeal

development has caused some fragmentation, but these areas retain an ecological

value and could provide recreational green spaces. They also serve as a "buffer

zone" between these developments and the better preserved landscapes to the

south.

Character Area No. 20 Marshfield/Coedkernew

8.108 Low-lying back-fen landscape north of major "catchwater drain".

Historic background

8.109 This landscape is broadly medieval, though Drenewydd/Percoed Reen could be a

Roman drainage feature.

8.110 This area, known as "Black Moores", is the lowest-lying in all the Level. Discoveries

of prehistoric "bog oaks" from the peat, which lies just below the surface, are

explained in local tradition as having been washed there during the floods of 1606.



8.111 Mixed fieldscape arranged in small blocks of rectangular fields, major and important

catchwater drain (Drenewydd/Percoed Reen), parochial centres (Marshfield and

Coedkernew) and dispersed fen-edge agricultural settlement

8.112 This landscape represents the fen-edge and low-lying back-fen area between

Marshfield village in the west and Tredegar Park in the east. It is bounded by

Drenewydd/Percoed Reen to the south (areas 17 and 21).

8.113 Drenewydd/Percoed Reen appears to be a "catchwater drain"; it collects freshwater

from the uplands and channels it into Broadway Reen that flows to the coast. It

may be Roman in date, having a close parallel to the Lincolnshire Car Dyke in the

English Fenland.

8.114 The pattern of fields is very mixed, but mainly they are arranged in small blocks of

rectangular fields, rather different to the long narrow fields found to the south. The

fen-edge is deeply indented with a series of small valleys, which along with several

"islands" of bedrock give some areas the impression of being quite enclosed by the

uplands. Recent hedge planting, which would be an asset in area 18 and 19, is

totally out of place here.

8.115 A number of farms occur around the fen-edge, along with Coedkernew and

Marshfield churches.

8.116 This is a very open landscape, typical of the low-lying back-fens. Hedges are few,

affording fine views of the fen-edge/bedrock margins.

8.117 The integrity and coherence of this area are considered to be high. There are

relatively few areas of low-lying back-fen surviving where the interface with the

fen-edge is preserved. This is a fine example, with a wide range of landscape

elements; the churches at Marshfield and Coedkernew, and a series of fen-edge

farms overlook it. Drenewydd/Percoed Reen is of great importance to the drainage

of the Levels, and possibly Roman in date. The area is largely secluded and quiet,

with few developments impinging upon it.


Character Area No. 21 Maerdy

8.118 "Regular landscape" of medieval/post-medieval date in low-lying back-fen.

Historic background

8.119 The long narrow fields, though superficially similar to the Roman landscape of

Peterstone, are of different dimensions. This landscape was created through the

enclosure of this block of open moor sometime in the medieval/post-medieval

period.

8.120 Unfortunately, the creation of this landscape is not documented.


8.121 Former open moor: regular unified fieldscape of long narrow fields (ie single

operation), drainage features mainly reens, dispersed settlement (includes Maerdy

- medieval Reeve's house)

8.122 This area is intermediate in elevation between the higher coastal lands to the south,

and the lowest-lying back-fen to the north. The distinct and well defined block of

landscape is bounded by Drenewydd and Percoed Reen to the north (area 20),

Broadway Reen (area 17) to the west, and the former fen-banks of St. Brides to the

south and east (areas 15 and 16).

8.123 This large area can be divided into four blocks of long narrow fields (divided by

Horsecroft and Summerway Reens, and Hawse Lane). They represent large areas of

open land, enclosed and drained as a single operation. There are two farms;

Maerdy was probably founded when the area east of Hawse Lane was enclosed,

while Hawse Farm, which lies beside one of St. Brides' fen-banks, may have been

responsible for the enclosure of the whole block of landscape to the north. The

place-name Maerdy (medieval Reeve's house) is interesting, the location of Maerdy

farm is indicative of the formal control of grazing on the formerly open back-fen

Moor during the medieval period.

8.124 These long narrow fields are characteristic of Wentlooge. The landscape here was

created through the enclosure and drainage of a large block of open moor, beyond

the old enclosed lands of St. Brides. Two discrete landscapes can be identified,

associated with Maerdy and Hawse Farms.

8.125 This is a very open landscape, and the reed-filled ditches give a strong wetland

feel, typical of the lower-lying back-fen areas.


8.126 Overall, the integrity and coherence of this area are extremely high. The two

landscapes represent discrete examples of landscape creation. The completeness of

these landscapes makes them of great importance. Walking north down Hawse

Lane gives the impression of the back-fen being lower than the coastal areas to the

south. The area has suffered from agricultural improvement, but remains remote

from visually intrusive development; there are fine views of the relatively unspoilt

uplands.


9.0


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