Marches Uplands NMP

 The Marches Uplands Mapping Project is part of the National Mapping Programme, which additionally provided information to the Marches Uplands Survey carried out by the Archaeology Section of the former Hereford and Worcester County Council. The survey was designed to extend and update the work of earlier air photographic interpretation projects in the Welsh borders, chiefly the county SMR mapping programs and RP Whimster's Welsh Marches survey, published in 1989 as part of The Emerging Past (RCHME, 1989).

The Marches Uplands Project area encompasses the western parts of Herefordshire and Shropshire, from the River Monnow in the south to just north of Oswestry. It is bounded on the west by the Welsh border and extends between 10 km and 35 km to the east, reaching as far as Wenlock Edge. Most of the land within the project area is above 250 m OD, comprising a series of broken hills, valleys and ridges roughly aligned SW-NE. Combining this with the fact that the majority of soils in the region are better suited to grazing than arable farming means that there is a high proportion of improved and unimproved pasture and comparatively little cereal cultivation.

The Marches are historically a border region whose archaeological monuments are characterised by defensive features and enclosures from all periods. Many Iron Age ramparts occupy spectacular hill top locations, while Roman camps and forts are found on the valley floors. Offa's Dyke marked and controlled access along the Welsh frontier during the Early Medieval period, and Medieval moated sites and motte and bailey castles appear in abundance.

The small enclosures of the Iron Age and Romano-British periods may have been constructed for the protection of stock, as suggested by the presence of funnel-like entrances, 'antenna' ditches and droveways. Pastoral farming probably predominated over arable during these earlier periods, although some prehistoric field systems have been recorded. The vast majority of field systems recorded by this survey are Medieval in date.

Traces of the non-agricultural economy were also recorded. Industry in the Marches has been concerned mainly with mineral extraction, especially lead and coal mining and limestone quarrying. Pits, adits, quarries, spoil heaps and prospecting trenches provide evidence of lead and coal mining and limestone quarrying of Medieval and later date. Most of the mining and quarrying remains recorded during this survey appear to represent activity on a fairly small scale, although covering some large areas, taking place over a long period. The largest and oldest areas of lead extraction appear in south-central Shropshire, in the vicinity of the Stiperstones, Long Mynd and Corndon Hill. One lead mine in this region coincides with an area that was mined for lead in Roman times. Elsewhere leats, lime kilns, chimneys and tramways are associated with the processing and transport of raw materials. A single Post Medieval brickworks, along with a millpond, millrace and a group of charcoal burning platforms, all of Medieval date, represent other small-scale local industries.

For further information on a project or any other aspect of the work of the Aerial Survey team please contact us at: AerialSurvey@english-heritage.org.uk.