Welsh Journals

BERRIEW MAPS-SOME COMMENTS In volume 77 of the Collections two maps of Berriew were published: Map 1 (p. 100) being part of the map prepared for Robert Moxon in 1764 and Map 2 (p. 101) being the 1799 enclosure map of Berriew Township. A few comments on these maps may be of interest. Llewellin (Map 2) No memory of this place exists, even among our oldest inhabitants who lived close by the site. The old Dolphin Lane has now been diverted east of Llwynycrwth, but its original course can be traced by a poor growth of corn along a hedge (the hedge of lot 49). Nearby a well was found and filled in and there is a copious growth of nettles by a pool. On April 6th 1810 Arthur Davies Owen of Glansevern passed to Edward Johnes MD "of Dolforwen Hall"! a "Feoffment with convenant to livy ffine" of a "tenement in Berriew Township known as Llewellin with lands heretofore Richard Davies now Richard Evans". Map 2 shews Llewellin belonging to Arthur Davies Owen: we have no later reference to Llewellin. The area of the filled-in well and nettles was ploughed in the spring of 1988 for the first time for many years: mixed with fragments of undateable blue-and-white pottery were found pieces of glazed earthenware which members of the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (to whom I am grateful) have described as "undoubtedly eighteenth-century". Llwynycrooth (Map 2) This property did not belong to Robert Moxon in 1764 and there is a gap in Map 1. The name is usually spelt Llwynycrwth and the map spelling is clearly phonetic. The "crwth" referred to is surely the ancient Bronze Age burial mound(s) clearly visible from the air and also discernable on the ground and not a musical instrument (Welsh "crwth" = hump) Dolphin Lane This ancient lane is still traceable on the ground, starting from the Smithy, as now a private drive, "across" the canal, down to the A483 road whence it becomes a road leading to Llwynycrwth. When the canal was built (reaching Berriew in 1797) a diversion was provided from the long bridge over the canal on the Pool Road, joining the original land at lot 9, as shewn on Map 2. Buildings (Map 1) The H-shaped vicarage looks extremely odd, but the Cil enclosure map of 1799 (which unfortunately defies reproduction) shews it as it is today. The area of the Village Farmhouse, next south of the Vicarage, shews a long building perpendicular to the road and no sign of the present Farmhouse, though across the road are, apparently, the Sign buildings and probably the saddler's house. The "Hollies" house, then known as "The Cottage", appears across the road from the Vicarage and next to it we may have the then new malthouse (later the Tilsley Post Office). We believe that houses which did not belong to Robert Moxon, such as the Lion public house, were sometimes omitted. On the Cil enclosure map a building is shewn which might well be the present Farmhouse with the long building of Map 1 again appearing-which later seems to have left no trace of its existence. It would be wrong to deduce from these maps that the Farmhouse was built between 1764 and 1799: the general belief that it is seventeenth century is supported by the Moxon text. The church, on both maps, corresponds exactly with our knowledge of it at that date, but the Smithy, also described in the Moxon text and as it was until recently, is omitted. The Tithe Barn (Map 1) and the Rectory (Map 2) were at those times Blayney- Tracey property and, of course, they co-existed. It seems that the draughtsmen concerned with the maps were not very interested in the