Ffridd Uchaf Deserted Rural Settlement

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a well-preserved multi-period deserted rural settlement, comprising two sites (A and B). Site A is a medieval platform settlement (20m by 25m) represented by three well-preserved rectangular platforms cut into the hill slope and surrounded by a later enclosure. Site B comprises the upstanding remains of a post-medieval stone-built farmstead (15m by 5m) with a levelled garden plot containing prominent cultivation ridges (15m sq) and a detached outbuilding (7m by 4.5m) surrounded by stock pens and enclosures. The sites are linked by a track which forms a crossroads between them. The site stands on a sheltered NE-facing shelf with spectacular views across the Conwy valley.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post-medieval settlement organisation and forms an important element in a wider medieval and post-medieval upland landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits, including preserved medieval ground surfaces below the monuments and intact palaeo-environmental remains. A deserted rural settlement may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can be further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.