Nant y Baracs Deserted Rural Settlement

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The monument, also known by the names Magwr y Rhos and Ffald y Rhos, comprises the remains of a building, which probably dates to the late-medieval or post-medieval periods. It is situated in upland pasture on a valley bottom adjacent to Nant y Baracs to the E. The building is sub-rectangular in shape on plan and measures 13.8m ENE-WSW by a maximum of 5.8m transversely. The external walls were constructed from rough drystone rubble, which now stand up to 0.6m in height and 1m in thickness. The building has three internal compartments: the upper compartment at the WSW end is the largest, measuring 8.7m by 3.8m internally. An entrance was located at the ENE end of the SSE wall. The central compartment measures 3.5m by 2m internally. The lower compartment at the ENE end measures 2.6m by 2m internally. It appears to have been open-ended, as it does not possess an end wall on the ENE side. The building is a well-preserved example of a longhouse. It is presumably representative of the lluest tradition of early post-medieval shepherding stations, possibly originating as a medieval seasonal hafotai.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post-medieval land use, settlement and economy. It is a well preserved example of an upland settlement and retains great archaeological potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post-medieval stock rearing practices in the upland zone, whether as permanent settlement, regular transhumance (such as the hafod system of summer pasture), or intermittent opportunistic expansion.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is rectangular in shape on plan and measures 25m ENE-WSW by 15m transversely.