Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – The Fours – The 400m Hills of England

Ringfield (SO 260 894) 

There has been a Significant Name Change that is retrospective to a hill that is listed in the The Fours – The 400m Hills of England, with the summit height, col height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Ringfield (SO 260 894)

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

The Fours – The 400m Hills of England.  English hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 30m minimum drop, accompanying the main list are three categories of sub hills, with this hill being included in the 400m Sub-Four category, the criteria for which are all English hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams and the 2^nd edition of the booklet containing this list was published by Mapping Mountains Publications on the 24^th April 2018.

The Fours - The 400m Hills of England by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams

The hill is adjoined to the Cilfaesty group of hills, which are situated in the county of Shropshire close to the Welsh border, and it is positioned encircled by minor roads and tracks, with the B4385 road farther to its north-east, the A489 road farther to its north-west, the B4368 road farther to its south-west and the A488 road farther to its south-east, and has the town of Bishop’s Castle towards the east.

During the updating of the The Fours – The 400m Hills of England prior to the 1^st edition publication by Europeaklist in December 2013, this hill was provisionally listed under the point (Pt. 403m) notation.  With time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Since the original compilation of this list there have been a number of maps made available online.  Some of these are historic such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website.  Whilst others were digitally updated such as the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local that was hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the interactive mapping on the Magic Maps and WalkLakes websites, and it is the series of Ordnance Survey Six-Inch maps that form the basis of the change in the listed name of this hill.

Since the original publication of the Welsh P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of maps made available online.  Some of these are historic such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website.  Whilst others were digitally updated such as the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local that was hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the interactive mapping on the Magic Maps and WalkLakes websites, and it is the series of Ordnance Survey Six-Inch maps that form the basis of the change in the listed name of this hill. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps

The Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps formed the base map Ordnance Survey used for many decades leading to the production of the 1:10,000 Series of maps, both have now been superseded by the digitised Master Map.  The series of Six-Inch maps are excellent for name placement and especially so compared to the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map, and it is the series of Six-Inch maps that position the name of Ringfield adjacent to the summit of this hill.

Consequently, this hill appeared under this name when the 1^st edition of The Fours was published by Europeaklist in December 2013 and the 2^nd edition of The Fours – The 400m Hills of England was published by Mapping Mountains Publications in April 2018.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in The Fours - The 400m Hills of England is Ringfield and this was derived from the Ordnance Survey series of Six-Inch maps. 

 

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Cilfaesty

Name:  Ringfield

Previously Listed Name:  Pt. 403m (only provisional name) 

OS 1:50,000 map:  137

Summit Height:  403.0m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SO 26089 89449 (LIDAR)

Col Height:  375.9m (LIDAR)

Col Grid Reference:  SO 24639 89603 (LIDAR)

Drop:  27.1m (LIDAR)

 

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (November 2023)

  

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Pedwarau – The 400m Hills of Wales

 

Esgair Saeson (SN 795 603) – 400m Sub-Pedwar addition

There has been an addition to the listing of the Y Pedwarau – The 400m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Aled Williams. 

LIDAR image of Esgair Saeson (SN 795 603)

The criteria for the list that this addition applies to are:

Y Pedwarau – The 400m Hills of Wales.  Welsh hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 30m minimum drop, accompanying the main list are five categories of sub hills, with this hill being included in the 400m Sub-Pedwar category.  The criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 400m and below 500m in height that have 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is co-authored by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams and is published on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format.

Y Pedwarau - The 400m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams

The name the hill is listed by is Esgair Saeson and it is adjoined to the Esgair Wen group of hills, which are situated in the central part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with a minor road to its north-west and south, and has the small community of Pontrhydfendigaid towards the north-west and the town of Tregaron towards the west.

When the original 400m height band of Welsh P30 hills was published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was not included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list, as with a 500m summit spot height that appears on the contemporary Ordnance survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map, its height was above the criterion used for this list.

With a summit spot height of 500m this hill was subsequently listed in the 500m Twmpau, and included in the accompanying sub list with an estimated c 24m of drop, based on the 500m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 476m bwlch height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 470m – 480m. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Since the original compilation of this list there have been a number of maps made available online.  Some of these are historic such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website.  Whilst others were digitally updated such as the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local that was hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the interactive mapping on the Magic Maps and WalkLakes websites.

The details for this hill were re-assessed when the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map became available online.  This mapping had many spot heights not on other publicly available Ordnance Survey maps and for this hill it had a 475m bwlch spot height positioned at SN 79101 60658, and when coupled with its 500m summit spot height these values gave this hill 25m of drop.

One of the resources recently available online is the mapping on the OS Maps website and the details for this hill were subsequently re-assessed against this mapping.  This is the replacement for OS Get-a-map and until recent times had contours at 5m intervals which were proving consistently more accurate compared to the 5m contours that sometimes appear on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and used to appear on the online Vector Map Local.  This mapping had bwlch contouring between 470m – 475m, with interpolation placing the height of the bwlch as an estimated c 473m, resulting in its drop value being amended to an estimated c 27m.

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales.

Therefore, the inclusion of this hill as a 400m Sub-Pedwar is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 498.4m summit height and a 473.8m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 24.6m of drop, with its height sufficient for it to be classified as a 400m Sub-Pedwar.

                                     

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Esgair Wen

Name:  Esgair Saeson

OS 1:50,000 map:  146, 147

Summit Height:  498.4m (LIDAR)

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 79504 60391 (LIDAR)

Bwlch Height:  473.8m (LIDAR)

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 79174 60567 (LIDAR)   

Drop:  24.6m (LIDAR) 

 

For the additions, reclassifications and deletions to Y Pedwarau – The 400m Hills of Wales reported on Mapping Mountains since the May 2013 publication of the list by Europeaklist please consult the following Change Registers:

 

Y Pedwarau

 

Y Pedwarau – 400m Sub-Pedwarau

 

Y Pedwarau – 390m Sub-Pedwarau

 

Y Pedwarau – 390m Double Sub-Pedwarau

 

Myrddyn Phillips and Aled Williams (November 2023)

 

 

Completing the Welsh Highlands - Uchafion Cymru on the summit of Esgair Garthen (SN 825 642)

This is a video Aled Williams filmed of my completion of the Welsh Highlands - Uchafion Cymru, on the summit of Esgair Garthen, in the wilds of the Elenydd in Mid-Wales.

Mapping Mountains – Summit Relocations – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

 

Pt. 329.7m (SN 591 630) 

There has been a Summit Relocation to a hill that is listed in the Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Pt. 329.7m (SN 591 630)

The criteria for the list that this summit relocation applies to are:

Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales – Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Sub-Trichant, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 300m and below 400m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the list and the renaming of it appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 13^th May 2017, and the Introduction to the Mapping Mountains publication of the list appearing on the 1^st January 2022. 

Y Trichant - The 300m Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is being listed by the point (Pt. 329.7m) notation and it is adjoined to the Mynydd Bach group of hills, which are situated in the western part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with the B4576 road to its north-west, B4577 road to its south and a minor road to its east, and has the village of Llangeitho towards the south-east.

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was not included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria then used for this sub category.

After the sub list was standardised, and interpolated heights and drop values also included the details for this hill were re-evaluated and it was listed with an estimated c 20m of drop, based on an estimated c 327m summit height and an estimated c 307m bwlch height, with both heights based on interpolation of 5m contouring that appeared on the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

Since the original publication of the Welsh P30 lists on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website there have been a number of maps made available online.  Some of these are historic such as the series of Six-Inch maps on the National Library of Scotland website.  Whilst others were digitally updated such as the Ordnance Survey Vector Map Local that was hosted on the Geograph website and which was entitled the Interactive Coverage Map, whilst others are current and digitally updated such as the interactive mapping on the Magic Maps and WalkLakes websites.

One of the mapping resources now available online is on the Magic Maps website which hosts an interactive map originated from Ordnance Survey data.  Until recently this mapping had many spot heights not on other publicly available maps and for this hill it had a 327m spot height on the summit area of this hill and positioned at SN 59019 63010, resulting in its details being amended accordingly. 

Extract from the interactive mapping hosted on the Magic Maps website

However, it was not until LIDAR became available that the details for this hill could be accurately re-assessed.  The LIDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) technique produced highly accurate height data that is now freely available for much of England and Wales. 

LIDAR summit image of Pt. 329.7m (SN 591 630)

LIDAR analysis gives the highest ground on this hill as 329.7m positioned at SN 59108 63024, and this in relation to the previously listed summit position comes within the parameters of the Summit Relocations used within this page heading, these parameters are:

The term Summit Relocations applies when the high point of the hill is found to be positioned; in a different field, to a different feature such as in a conifer plantation,  within a different map contour, to a different point where a number of potential summit positions are within close proximity, when natural ground or the natural and intact summit of a hill is confirmed compared to a higher point such as a raised field boundary or covered reservoir that is considered a relatively recent man-made construct, or a relocation of approximately 100 metres or more in distance from either the position of a map spot height or from where the summit of the hill was previously thought to exist.

Therefore, the summit height produced by LIDAR analysis is 329.7m and this is positioned at SN 59108 63024, this position is not given a spot height on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and the 1:25,000 Explorer map, and is approximately 90 metres eastward from where the previously listed summit is positioned which was based on the 327m spot height that appeared on the interactive mapping hosted on the Magic Maps website, and importantly the summit is positioned to a different feature. 

 

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Bach 

Name:  Pt. 329.7m 

OS 1:50,000 map:  146

Summit Height:  329.7m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference (New Position):  SN 59108 63024 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  306.9m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 59361 63409 & SN 59359 63413 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  22.8m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (November 2023)

 

 

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – 200m Twmpau

Aber y Llyn (SH 791 580) 

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 200m Twmpau, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Aber y Llyn (SH 791 580)

The criteria for the list that this name change applies to are:

200m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 200m Sub-Twmpau, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 200m and below 300m in height with 20m or more and below 30m of drop, with the word Twmpau being an acronym standing for thirty welsh metre prominences and upward. 

The 200m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Carnedd Llywelyn group of hills, which are situated in the north-western part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A1), and it is positioned with minor roads to its north-west and south-west, with the A5 road farther to its south-west, and the B5106 road to its east, and has the town of Betws-y-coed towards the south south-east.

The hill appeared in the original Welsh 200m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the transposed name of Pen-yr-allt-isaf, with an accompanying note stating; Name from buildings to the South.

Pen-yr-allt-isaf

246m

SH791580

115

17

Name from buildings to the South

                                                                         

During my early hill listing I thought it appropriate to either invent a name for a hill, or use a name that appeared near to the summit of the hill on Ordnance Survey maps of the day.  My preference was to use farm names and put Pen, Bryn or Moel in front of them or as in this instance transpose the name of a farm and use it for that of the hill.  This is not a practice that I now advocate as with time and inclination place-name data can be improved either by asking local people or by examining historic documents, through this form of research an appropriate name for the hill can usually be found.

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map

As the summit of this hill comprises bounded land the details for it were examined on the Tithe map.  The term Tithe map is generally given to a map of a Welsh or English parish or township and which was prepared after the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act.  This act allowed tithes to be paid in cash rather than goods.  The Tithe maps gave names of owners and occupiers of land in each parish and importantly for place-name research they also included the name of enclosed land.  This enclosed land is usually based on a field system, however not every field is given a name, but many are and especially so in Wales.

Extract from the Tithe map

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 12a on the Tithe map, this can be cross referenced against the apportionments; it is these apportionments that give the name of the owner or occupier of the land as well as the name of the land.  The land where the summit of this hill is situated is named as Aber y Llyn in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Betws-y-coed and in the county named as Caernarfonshire. 

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 200m Twmpau is Aber y Llyn, and this was derived from the Tithe map. 

 

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Carnedd Llywelyn

Name:  Aber y Llyn

Previously Listed Name:  Pen-yr-allt-isaf   

OS 1:50,000 map:  115

Summit Height:  246.8m (LIDAR) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SH 79130 58003 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  217.4m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 78973 58411 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  29.4m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (November 2023)