Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

Bryn (SN 886 529) – Sub-Trichant addition

There has been confirmation of an addition to the list of 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 Bryn (SN 886 529)

The criteria for the list that this addition 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 name the hill is listed by is Bryn, and it is adjoined to the Drygarn Fawr group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with a minor road to its north-west and east, and the A483 road to its south-east, and has the village of Beulah towards the east 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 22m of drop, based on the 348m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and the 326m bwlch spot height 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

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 confirmation of the addition of this hill to Sub-Trichant status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 347.1m summit height and a 325.3m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 21.8m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Sub-Trichant. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Drgarn Fawr 

Name:  Bryn 

OS 1:50,000 map:  147

Summit Height:  347.1m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 88693 52957 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  325.3m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 88395 52871 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  21.8m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (March 2023)

  

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

 

Bryn (SN 761 721) – Sub-Trichant addition

There has been confirmation of an addition to the list of 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 Bryn (SN 761 721)

The criteria for the list that this addition 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 name the hill is listed by is Bryn, and it is adjoined to the Carn yr Hyrddod group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with the B4574 road to its north, and a minor road to its west, and has the village of Pont-rhyd-y-groes towards the west north-west.

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 22m of drop, based on the 374m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and the 352m bwlch spot height 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

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 confirmation of the addition of this hill to Sub-Trichant status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 374.4m summit height and a 351.3m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 23.1m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Sub-Trichant. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Carn yr Hyrddod 

Name:  Bryn 

OS 1:50,000 map:  135, 147

Summit Height:  374.4m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 76151 72170 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  351.3m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 76391 71640 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  23.1m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (February 2023)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – 100m Twmpau

Bryn (SN 274 401) 

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from detail on contemporary maps produced from Ordnance Survey data. 

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

100m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Pencarreg group of hills, which are situated in the south-western part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with minor roads to its north-east and south, the A484 road farther to its north-east and the B4332 road to its north-west, and has the town of Castellnewydd Emlyn (Newcastle Emlyn) towards the east.

The hill appeared in the original Welsh 100m P30 list on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, under the transposed name of Allt Pen-rhiw-olau, which is a prominent name that appears to the north-east of the summit of this hill on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and which does not apply to land taking in the summit of this hill.

Allt Pen-rhiw-olau

178m

SN274402

145

185/198

Trig pillar

 

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 a prominent name that appears on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps and presume it 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 462 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 Bryn in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Cenarth and in the county named as Carmarthen. 

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the 100m Twmpau is Bryn, and this was derived from the Tithe map. 

 

The full details for the hill are:

Group:  Mynydd Pencarreg

Name:  Bryn

Previously Listed Name:  Allt Pen-rhiw-olau   

OS 1:50,000 map:  145

Summit Height:  178m (triangulation pillar) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 27426 40150 (triangulation pillar) 

Bwlch Height:  c 148m (interpolation) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 28020 40064 (interpolation) 

Drop:  c 30m (triangulation pillar summit and interpolated bwlch) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (July 2022)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – 100m Twmpau

Bryn (SN 274 401) – 100m Sub-Twmpau reclassified to 100m Twmpau

There has been a reclassification to the list of 100m Twmpau, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop and status of the hill derived from detail on contemporary maps produced from Ordnance Survey data. 

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

100m Twmpau – Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m in height that have 30m minimum drop, with an accompanying sub list entitled the 100m Sub-Twmpau with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills at or above 100m and below 200m 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 100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is now listed by is Bryn and this was derived from the Tithe map, and it is adjoined to the Mynydd Pencarreg group of hills, which are situated in the south-western part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned with minor roads to its north-east and south, the A484 road farther to its north-east and the B4332 road to its north-west, and has the town of Castellnewydd Emlyn (Newcastle Emlyn) towards the east.

When the original 100m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was included in the Hills to be surveyed sub list, as it was considered not to meet the criteria then used for the main P30 category.

When the sub list was standardised, and interpolated heights and drop values also included the details for this hill were re-assessed and it was listed with an estimated c 30m of drop, based on the 178m summit spot height adjoined to a triangulation pillar that appears on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 158m bwlch height based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 150m – 160m. 

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.

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 148m spot height positioned on the area of the bwlch, and when coupled with the 178m summit spot height, these values gave this hill 30m of drop.

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 also had the 148m spot height positioned on the area of the bwlch. 

Extract from the Magic Maps website

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 145m – 150m, with interpolation placing the height of the bwlch as an estimated c 148m, with this position favoured over that of the 148m spot height.

Therefore, the reclassification of this hill from 100m Sub-Twmpau status is due to detail on contemporary maps produced from Ordnance Survey data, , resulting in a 178m summit height and an estimated c 148m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill an estimated c 30m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a 100m Twmpau. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Mynydd Pencarreg 

Name:  Bryn 

OS 1:50,000 map:  145

Summit Height:  178m (triangulation pillar) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 27426 40150 (triangulation pillar) 

Bwlch Height:  c 148m (interpolation) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 28020 40064 (interpolation) 

Drop:  c 30m (triangulation pillar summit and interpolated bwlch) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (July 2022)

  

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales

 

Bryn (SJ 013 427) 

There has been a Significant Name Change 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 Bryn (SJ 013 427)

The criteria for the list that this name change 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. 

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

The hill is adjoined to the Arenig group of hills, which are situated in the central part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A3), and it is positioned with minor roads to its north, west and south, the A5 road farther to its north and the A494 road farther to its south-east, and has the small town of Corwen towards the east. 

When the original 300m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was listed under the transposed name of Pen-y-bryn, which is a prominent name adjoined to a farm that appears near the summit of this hill on contemporary Ordnance Survey maps.

Pen-y-bryn

309m

SJ013427

125

255

 

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 394 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 Bryn, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llanfor and in the county named as Merioneth. 

Extract from the apportionments

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in the Y Trichant – The 300m Hills of Wales is Bryn and this was derived from the Tithe map. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Arenig 

Name:  Bryn 

Previously Listed Name:  Pen-y-bryn 

OS 1:50,000 map:  125

Summit Height:  311.75m (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SJ 01302 42727 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  265.6m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SJ 00726 42379 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  46.2m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (October 2021)