Mapping Mountains – Summit Relocations – 200m Twmpau

Home Warren (SO 115 289) 

There has been a Summit Relocation 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 Home Warren (SO 115 289)

The criteria for the list that this summit relocation 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. 

200m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is now listed by is Home Warren and this was derived from the Tithe map, and it is adjoined to the Mynydd Epynt group of hills, which are situated in the central part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B1), and it is positioned encircled by minor roads, with the A470 road farther to its north-west, the A40 road farther to its south-west and the B4560 road farther to its east, and has the town of Aberhonddu (Brecon) towards the west.

When the original 200m height band of Welsh P30 hills were published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was included in the main P30 list with a 229m summit height, based on the spot height that appears on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map and which is positioned at SO 11597 28961. 

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

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 33m of drop, based on the 229m summit spot height and the 196m 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.

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 analysis gives the highest ground on this hill as 229.5m positioned at SO 11570 28968.  However, this is a part of a raised field boundary and protocols dictate that as this is deemed a relatively recent man-made construct such ground is discounted from the height of a hill. 

LIDAR summit image of Home Warren (SO 115 289)

The height produced by LIDAR analysis to the highest remaining natural ground of this hill is 229.3m positioned at SO 11574 28969 and SO 11573 28967, and this position in relation to the raised field boundary 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 229.3m and this is positioned at SO 11574 28969 and SO 11573 28967, this position is relatively close to where the 229m spot height appears on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger and 1:25,000 Explorer map, and is approximately 4 metres eastward from the high point of the raised field boundary. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Mynydd Epynt 

Name:  Home Warren 

OS 1:50,000 map:  161

Summit Height:  229.3m (LIDAR) 

Summit Grid Reference (New Position):  SO 11574 28969 & SO 11573 28967 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  195.7m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SO 10983 29324 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  33.6m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2024)

 

 

 

  

Mapping Mountains – Significant Name Changes – The Welsh P15s

 

Comin Gwauncaegurwen (SN 711 123) 

There has been a Significant Name Change to a hill that is listed in The Welsh P15s, 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 Comin Gwauncaegurwen (SN 711 123)

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

The Welsh P15s – Welsh hills with 15m minimum drop, irrespective of their height, with an accompanying sub list entitled the Welsh Sub-P15s, with the criteria for this sub category being all Welsh hills with 14m or more and below 15m of drop.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips, with the Introduction to the list appearing on Mapping Mountains on the 10^th May 2019. 

The Welsh P15s by Myrddyn Phillips

The hill is adjoined to the Mynydd Du group of hills, which are situated in the southern part of South Wales (Region B, Sub-Region B5), and it is positioned with the A4068 road to its north-east, the A4069 road to its north-west and a minor road to its south, and has the village of Brynaman towards the north.

When the listing that became known as The Welsh P15s was being compiled, this hill was not included in the main P15 list or the accompanying P14 sub list, as it possessed no contours of significance on either the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger or the 1:25,000 Explorer 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.

LIDAR analysis gives the highest ground on this hill as 216.6m, and with a 196.6m bwlch height, these values give this hill 19.98m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a Welsh P15.

As the summit of this hill used to comprise 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.

The enclosed land where the summit of this hill is situated is given the number 195 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 a part of Gwauncaegurwen Common on the Tithe map and in the apportionments, with the details on the Tithe map appearing in the parish of Llan-giwg and in the county named as Glamorgan. 

Extract from the Tithe map

The intricacies of language and prioritising one in favour of another for listing a hill is fraught with complication, with originating Cymraeg names being anglicised and also originating English names being cymricised, examples such as these are more common in border country and especially so for anglicised forms.  There is no steadfast rule that fits all, but as a standard a name that has its origins in the Welsh language and where this is substantiated by either historic documentation and/or contemporary usage should be prioritised in favour of a contemporary anglicised or English version of the name.  Likewise, if a name exists where an element of it is in English and if this name applies to a hill that is situated in a Welsh speaking part of Wales it is standard practice to use a full Welsh term for the name.  It is also standard practice to use a Welsh name for a hill if another name exists that has originated in a different language.

Therefore, the name this hill is now listed by in The Welsh P15s is Comin Gwauncaegurwen and this was derived from the Tithe map with the prioritised language protocol being used. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Mynydd Du 

Name:  Comin Gawuncaegurwen 

Previously Listed Name:  unclassified 

OS 1:50,000 map:  160

Summit Height:  216.6 (LIDAR)                                                           

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 71158 12343 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  196.6m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 71330 12592 & SN 71332 12592 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  19.98m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2024)

 

Mapping Mountains – Hill Reclassifications – 100m Twmpau

Allt Pen y Lan (SN 707 323) – 100m Sub-Twmpau addition

There has been confirmation of an addition to the list of 100m 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 Allt Pen y Lan (SN 707 323)

The criteria for the list that this addition 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. 

100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is listed by is Allt Pen y Lan, and it is adjoined to the Mynydd Mallaen 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, the A40 road to its south and the A482 road to its east, and has the village of Llanwrda towards the south-east.

When the original 100m 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-assessed and it was listed with an estimated c 25m of drop, based on the 137m summit spot height that appears on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer map and an estimated c 112m bwlch height, based on interpolation of 10m contouring between 110m – 120m. 

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 100m Sub-Twmpau status is due to LIDAR analysis, resulting in a 136.5m summit height and a 112.0m bwlch height, with these values giving this hill 24.5m of drop, which is sufficient for it to be classified as a 100m Sub-Twmpau. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Mynydd Mallaen 

Name:  Allt Pen y Lan 

OS 1:50,000 map:  146, 160

Summit Height:  136.5m (LIDAR) 

Summit Grid Reference:  SN 70714 32376 & SN 70715 32374 & SN 70717 32374 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  112.0m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SN 70316 32246 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  24.5m (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2024)

 

 

 

 

 

  

Mapping Mountains – Summit Relocations – 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales

Bryn Pydew (SH 810 789) 

There has been a Summit Relocation to a hill that is listed in the 100m Twmpau and Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales, with the summit height, bwlch height and their locations, the drop, dominance and status of the hill derived from LIDAR analysis conducted by Myrddyn Phillips. 

LIDAR image of Bryn Pydew (SH 810 789)

The criteria for the two listings that this summit relocation 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. 

100m Twmpau by Myrddyn Phillips

Y Trechol – The Dominant Hills of Wales – Welsh P30 hills whose prominence equal or exceed half that of their absolute height.  With the criteria for Lesser Dominant status being those additional Welsh P30 hills whose prominence is between one third and half that of their absolute height.  The list is authored by Myrddyn Phillips with the Introduction to the start of the Mapping Mountains publication of this list appearing on the 3^rd December 2015, and the list is now available in its entirety on Mapping Mountains in Google Doc format. 

Y Trechol - The Dominant Hills of Wales by Myrddyn Phillips

The name the hill is listed by is Bryn Pydew, and it is adjoined to the Mynydd Hiraethog group of hills, which are situated in the northern part of North Wales (Region A, Sub-Region A2), and it is positioned with the A470 road to its west, a minor road to its immediate south and the A55 road to its south-east, and has the town of Llandudno towards the north-west. 

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

When the original Welsh 100m P30 list was published on Geoff Crowder’s v-g.me website, this hill was listed with a 128m summit height, based on the spot height positioned at SH 81095 79015 which appears on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map. 

Extract from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger 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.

LIDAR analysis gives the highest ground on this hill as 130.0m positioned at SH 81103 78989.  However, this is to the top of a covered reservoir and protocols dictate that as this is deemed a relatively recent man-made construct such ground is discounted from the height of a hill.

LIDAR summit image of Bryn Pydew (SH 810 789)

The height produced by LIDAR analysis to the natural summit of this hill is 128.5m and is positioned at SH 81097 78986, and this 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 judged to be 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 height produced by LIDAR analysis to the natural summit of this hill is 128.5m and is positioned at SH 81097 78986, this position is relatively close to where the spot height appears on the contemporary Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map, and is approximately 6 metres south-westward from the high point of the covered reservoir. 

 

The full details for the hill are: 

Group:  Mynydd Hiraethog 

Name:  Bryn Pydew 

OS 1:50,000 map:  116

Summit Height:  128.5m (LIDAR) 

Summit Grid Reference (New Position):  SH 81097 78986 (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Height:  13.15m (LIDAR) 

Bwlch Grid Reference:  SH 80308 80155 (LIDAR) 

Drop:  115.4m (LIDAR) 

Dominance:  89.77% (LIDAR) 

 

Myrddyn Phillips (April 2024)