The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd.

The Historic Landscape Character Areas (HLCAs)


South Wales Mainline and Newlands Loop Rail Corridor.

HLCA 001 South Wales Main Line (Great Western and Port Talbot Railways) and Newlands Loop Rail Corridor

Communication corridor: rail. Back to Map


Margam Moors - reclaimed and enclosed salt marsh.

HLCA 002 Margam Moors

Reclaimed and enclosed salt marsh wetland pasture; medieval/post-medieval fields and former medieval monastic grange land, varied field pattern with typical ridge and furrow, earth bank and drainage features. Back to Map


Margam Burrows - coastal sand dunes.

HLCA 003 Margam Burrows

Coastal sand dunes, with recent industrial intrusion; medieval warren; 20th century military/defensive landscape. Back to Map


Kenfig Castle and burrows.

HLCA 004 Kenfig Burrows

Unenclosed burrows; buried archaeology: medieval settlement/fields, ie be-sanded Kenfig, military/defensive: Kenfig Castle; associated medieval ecclesiastical features; post-medieval rabbit warren; characteristic field boundaries; prehistoric find scatters; communications corridor; historic associations. Back to Map


View north from near Sker Point.

HLCA 005 Margam and Kenfig Sands

Present-day intertidal zone; intertidal features: post-medieval wrecks; buried archaeology: prehistoric - post-medieval find scatters; modern industrial/military structures; historic associations.Back to Map


River Kenfig and Llanmihangel - post-medieval settlement/fields.

HLCA 006 River Kenfig and Llanmihangel

Agricultural landscape of post-medieval settlement/fields with surviving relict medieval features associated principally with monastic grange of Llanmihangel (St Michael's); distinctive field boundaries; Ancient and other broadleafed woodland; post-medieval vernacular buildings; historic associations.Back to Map


Mawdlam church with its sub rectangular enclosure.

HLCA 007 Kenfig and Mawdlam

Post-medieval settlement and agricultural landscape with medieval precursor; medieval and post-medieval fields; distinctive boundaries; ribbon development settlement pattern; post-medieval vernacular buildings; ecclesiastical features; communications: footpaths, tracks and straight lanes; historic associations. Back to Map


General view of Kenfig Golf Course.

HLCA 008 Kenfig Golf Course

Open area of stabilised sand dunes; recreational use - managed and in use as golf course; buried archaeology; communications. Back to Map


Sker House.

HLCA 009 Sker

Medieval/post-medieval agricultural landscape; distinctive field boundaries; relict and buried archaeology, primarily prehistoric funerary and ritual; ecclesiastic: medieval monastic grange; medieval/post-medieval vernacular architecture; historic associations. Back to Map


Sker Point to Porthcawl Point.

HLCA 010 Sker Point to Porthcawl Point

Coastal and intertidal zone; unenclosed common; intertidal features; historic associations; minor communications and distinctive boundaries. Back to Map


M4 - View north from near Maudlam.

HLCA 011 M4 Motorway Corridor

Major road transport corridor; civil engineering: road and motorway bridges. Back to Map


Merthyr Mawr House.

HLCA 012 Merthyr Mawr

Post-medieval gentry estate: house, parkland and garden, and associated estate village; varied settlement pattern; post-medieval vernacular, picturesque and polite estate architecture; post-medieval agricultural landscape; distinctive field boundaries; relict prehistoric and medieval settlement/fields. Back to Map


Merthyr Mawr Warren and River Ogmore.

HLCA 013 Merthyr Mawr Warren

Nationally important unenclosed be-sanded landscape; multi-period and multi-functional landscape; post-medieval rabbit warren. Back to Map


Candleston Castle.

HLCA 014 Candleston

Manorial centre of Candleston Castle set within an area of mixed agricultural and wooded landscape (including Ancient Woodland) on the fringe of Merthyr Mawr Warren; relict archaeology: medieval and post-medieval settlement/fields (including fortified manor); buried archaeology; historic associations. Back to Map


View of sands towards Newton Point.

HLCA 015 Newton Point to Black Rocks, Ogmore-by-Sea

Intertidal zone at mouth of Ogmore River (Aberogwr); relict archaeological intertidal features. Back to Map


Ogmore Down unenclosed common.

016 Ogmore Down

Unenclosed common; recreational open space; Ancient and other broadleafed woodland; with a small multi-period relict archaeological landscape element with communication features. Back to Map


Ochr Draw and Island Farm.

017 Ochr Draw and Island Farm

Largely post-medieval agricultural landscape, with evolved but fairly regular field pattern and distinctive boundaries; post-medieval agricultural settlement; communications corridor including line of Roman road (Caerleon-Loughor) and public/industrial rail. Back to Map


Ogmore Castle.

018 Ogmore

Nucleated-organic shrunken settlement and medieval ringwork/stone castle strategically located within agricultural/floodplain landscape with enclosures of medieval or earlier origin; buildings of architectural interest; multi-period relict archaeological landscape including prehistoric promontory fort and medieval ecclesiastical features Ancient and other braodleafed woodland; communication corridor and historic associations. Back to Map