Archaeology and Scheduled Ancient Monuments

The historic environment is a fragile and shared recourse, and we have a duty to manage change in a sensitive and sustainable way. Extensive areas of upland common moorland like the Black Mountains are dissected by steep-sided valleys, and the landscape contains many archaeological sites of national, regional and local importance. Scheduled remains include Prehistoric Hillforts, the most notable example being Table Mountain (Crug Hywel), and the iconic remains of the Medieval Llanthony Priory, nestled in the Vale of Ewyas.

Human land use has left both upstanding, and buried traces of past human activity, ranging from funerary monuments, paleo-environmental deposits, settlement sites, enclosures, find spots, field systems, ancient farms, woodland and winding lanes to traces of a more recent agricultural use and management of the landscape for agriculture, upland grazing and sport. The wealth of archaeological heritage makes a fundamental contribution to the special qualities of this beautiful landscape, cherished by local communities and visitors today.

The Black Mountains are a rich archaeological landscape, which contains Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs). Scheduled monuments are a precious part of our heritage. Scheduling identifies monuments which are considered to be of national importance to Wales. This means that they have importance not just locally but for the wider cultural heritage of Wales. The Black Mountains are also home to numerous archaeological sites which do not benefit from statutory protection, but which are important archaeological sites in their own right, and are contributors to the special qualities of the landscape. These sites comprise a wide range of historic environment features, ranging from settlement sites, industrial workings, and water management features, remains of relating to historic agricultural usage of the landscape, trackways, and find-spots. Some sites survive partially in upstanding form, others as sub-surface remains.

Find out more about SAMs in Wales

Find out more about Scheduling in Herefordshire and England