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Abstracts T.M. Mighall1, P. Crew2, D. Thomas1, C. Brookes1 and P. Denne3 1Centre for Quaternary Science, Geography, School of Science and the Environment, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry, CV1 5FB, U.K. 2Snowdonia National Park Centre, Plas Tan y Bwlch, Maentwrog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, U.K. 3Department of Archaeology, University College of North Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, U.K. North Wales is an area that is rich in metal ores, most notably copper, gold, lead and iron. In particular, north-west Wales appears to have been a major centre for ironworking from the Iron Age to Medieval times. Twelve Medieval iron bloomeries are known in Snowdonia, 11 of which are clustered in an area now known as Coed y Brenin, Ardudwy, Snowdonia. Although these bloomeries were only operational for approximately 40 years, the environmental impact of two is being investigated by microfossil, microscopic charcoal, geochemical and magnetic susceptibility analysis of a nearby blanket peat. The results of this study will be compared with the archaeological and historical documentary evidence, which records that deforestation for timber to be used in the bloomeries was placing local timber resources under pressure. | Back to Abstracts | Back to the Timetable | |