An early top boundary, which once linked the three later medieval farmsteads of Penlandoppa (NPRN: 405537), Penlanscubor (NPRN: 405538) and Troed y Rhiw Ucha (earlier Pen y lan) (NPRN: 405539). The present top boundary which increased the area of enclosed land is represented by the ffridd wall (NPRN: 405565) further to the east.

On the ground this early top boundary survives as a slight earthwork bank/scarp, only becoming a more prominent feature between the farms of Penlandoppa and Penlanscubor, where it forms part of an enclosure linking the two farms; elsewhere it is abraded by ploughing. The remains suggest that this was probably not a wall but an earthwork feature, possibly topped with a fence or hedge. The age of this feature is not known, although its association with the farmsteads suggests that it is at least late medieval in date. It was out of use by the time of the 1766 survey of the Crosswood (Trawsgoed) Estate, associated with the Vaughan family (later Earls of Lisburne) (National Library Wales (NLW): CW IV.9 volume II, map 4), being replaced by the ffridd wall we see today. At this date, the boundary is represented on the survey as a pecked line suggesting its survival as a feature, possibly defining a route-way across the enclosed land.

The earthwork remains stretch for some 300m. To the north of Penlandoppa, one of a series of abraded boundaries most likely associated with an early field systems (NPRN: 300572) is likely to mark its continuation. To the south of Troed y Rhiw Ucha the boundary seems likely to have followed the line of the current ffridd wall. Probably this early top boundary would have stretched between zones of oak-dominated woodland on the steep slopes to the north and south, and thus enclosing a roughly triangular area, between the rivers Teifi and Mwyro, with two sides of barely one kilometre and another of c.500-600m.

A detailed survey of this feature was undertaken by RCAHMW in 2006 as part of a wider study of the Troed y Rhiw area (NPRN: 405578).

Louise Barker, RCAHMW & Andrew Fleming, June 2007.

Sources:
Fleming, A. & Barker, L. 2008 Monks and Local Communities: The Late-medieval Landscape of Troed y Rhiw, Caron Uwch Clawdd, Ceredigion. Medieval Archaeology 52, 261-290