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Llanrhos Cemetery, Gwynedd

A pre-development evaluation in advance of a new cemetery required that existing earthworks be recorded and a magnetic survey completed. The geophysics have not been shown here but this relief-shaded model shows the layout of the earthworks clearly. The survey was completed as both a topographical and a land survey and so as well as the earthworks, trees, gateways and posts were recorded.

The irregular earthworks on the left (West) side correspond with a deserted settlement at top and a former inn with attached yard at the bottom. Along the bottom of the model is a long curving lynchet, probably of medieval date, at the foot of which ridge and furrow cultivation is visible. Each ridge and furrow was recorded in detail to provide an accurate record of its size and direction as little survives in this area. Note that none survives above the lynchet which implies that it has either been ploughed out or might simply have become buried as soil accumulated uphill of the boundary.

At the top of the image there is the remains of an avenue of trees leading to the former gate lodge of a large estate but the DTM was able to show that this crossed the line of a lane heading towards the Northeast from below the existing churchyard. This seems to have been an earlier access into the estate and is probably a continuation of a lane that once passed in this direction through the deserted settlement in the Western part of the site.

Client

Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust