Welsh Journals

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often difficult to date precisely. The Pen y Castell Parc field boundaries are depicted on the Glyncorrwg tithe map of 1839. It appears that the character of this parcel of land remained virtually unchanged until the inception of forest plantation in the late 1960s, despite the intensive industrial exploitation that took place from the mid-nineteenth century in the surrounding area. Recommendations were made to preserve and incorporate these important historic landscape features, where feasible, in the design of the holiday village. Lesley Zienkiewicz Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (Curatorial Division) RHONDDA HISTORIC LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISATION PROJECT The Rhondda Historic Landscape Project has involved the research and writing up of thirty-six character areas, the production of a historical and thematic introduction and the compilation of the final report, complete with photographs and character area maps. The characterisation process used for the Rhondda followed the established methodology relying on an initial search of the Sites and Monuments Record and desk-based documentary research, including initial map regression. A field visit was also undertaken and preliminary character areas identified and mapped using Maplnfo. During the field visit written (using an established pro forma) and photographic records were produced for each individual character area, the latter using a mixture of colour slide and digital photography. This study was subsequently augmented by additional fieldwork, more detailed documentary research, and map regression with the specific task of characterising the urban landscapes of the area. Aerial photography, which added to the understanding of the patterns of the landscape, was also undertaken at this stage. Thirty-two character areas emerged from this process, but this was later revised to a final total of thirty-six areas (fig. 4). Of these twenty-one are based on the largely nineteenth- century industrial/urban communities, which occupy the bottom and lower slopes of the valleys, while the reminder cover the enclosed upper valley sides and uplands. The study found that the initial urban development usually followed the establishment of the colliery, or collieries, and that typically,