The Register of Landscapes of Historic Interest in Wales is a non-statutory heritage register of 58 landscapes of outstanding or special historic interest published in two volumes (1998 and 2001). It was produced by a partnership between Cadw, the Countryside Council for Wales, and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS UK) working in collaboration with the Welsh Archaeological Trusts and several other organisations with the intention of aiding in the protection and conservation of the most important and significant historic landscape areas in Wales.

The Register

The register was compiled as part of a joint initiative that involved Cadw, the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites working in collaboration with Welsh unitary authorities, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the Welsh Archaeological Trusts (WATs). The four trusts, Clwyd-Pows, Dyfed, Glamorgan-Gwent and Gwynedd, each covered an area of Wales based on the 1974 county areas. The first volume of the register, Part 2.1 Register of Landscapes of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales, was published in January 1998 and listed 36 "outstanding" landscapes (numbered 136 on the list). It was followed in 2001 by a second volume, Part 2.2 Register of Landscapes of Special Historic Interest in Wales, which identified a further 22 landscapes of "special" historic interest (numbers 3758). These 22 areas of national significance are generally smaller than those of outstanding historic interest identified in the first volume. The CCW website gave five criteria used for identifying the historic landscapes on the register: Landscapes which have been changed in major ways showing human endeavour on a grand scale, including cities, conurbations, industrial areas and civil engineering projects. Landscapes which show change during a particular period and where change has since stopped. Landscapes which show the effect of changes over several periods, including a range of different features or different versions of the same feature. Landscapes where historical evidence has been buried or lost. Landscapes which have 'cultural merit' – through links with important cultural trends or achievements.

The "special" landscapes often match a single criterion, whereas the "outstanding" landscapes may represent one or more of them. Both types are considered to be of equal value in terms quality of historic interest and Cadw notes that the register highlights the best examples, but "does not reduce the importance of the rest of Wales’s rich historic landscape". The distinction between the two volumes has been described as the equivalent of Grade I and II designations used in other Welsh heritage registers, however, the register is non-statutory so, unlike National parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the landscapes have no special protection, though several registered historic landscapes share geographic areas with the protected sites, for example in the Gower Peninsula.

Historic landscape characterisation The initial research for the publication of the register was expanded with a further initiative to produce a collection of detailed landscape reports, compiled by the WATs with grant aid from Cadw. This used a process developed by Cadw, the CCW and the WATs known as historic landscape characterisation. The development of this technique included methods introduced through research studies of the Llŷn Peninsula and the Gwent Levels, and it was used to describe geographic areas of historic character based on factors including the range and distribution of surviving archaeological and historical features. The register was aimed at increasing recognition of the value of historic landscapes, and raising awareness of their importance. The register and the reports were seen as the first steps in a larger project of historic landscape characterisation used to identify the characteristics of the areas. The reports are used to inform recommendations for managing, rather than preventing, changes to the landscape, and were complied with the intention that they would be compatible with the CCW's LANDMAP system and could be used to enhance rural initiatives such as the Tir Gofal agri-environment scheme.

List of registered historic landscapes Key:

CPAT: Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust DAT: Dyfed Archaeological Trust GGAT: Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust GAT: Gwynedd Archaeological Trust

+ Name Reference number Register type Archaeological trustTrust report 1 Outstanding CPAT 2 Hollywell Common and Halkyn Mountain Outstanding CPAT Holywell Common and Halkyn Mountain 3 Black Mountain and Mynydd Myddfai Outstanding DAT Tywi Valley, Myddfai and Black Mountain 4 Upland Ceredigion Outstanding DAT Upland Ceredigion 5 Milford Haven Waterway Outstanding DAT Milford Haven 6 St Davids Peninsula and Ramsey Head Outstanding DAT St David's and Ramsey Island 7 Tywi Valley Outstanding DAT Towy Valley 8 Skomer Island Outstanding DAT Skomer Island 9 Preseli Outstanding DAT Preseli 10 Dolaucothi Outstanding DAT Dolaucothi 11 Taf and Tywi Estuary Outstanding DAT Taf and Tywi Estuary 12 Merthyr Mawr, Kenfig & Margam Burrows Outstanding GGAT Merthyr Mawr, Kenfig and Margam Burrows 13 Merthyr Tydfil Outstanding GGAT Merthyr Tydfil 14 Lancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan Outstanding GGAT Llancarfan 15 Gower Outstanding GGAT Gower 16 Blaenavon Outstanding GGAT Blaenavon 17 Gwent Levels Outstanding GGAT 18 Outstanding GGAT Lower Wye Valley 19 Amlwch and Parys Mountain Outstanding GAT Amlwch 20 Ardudwy Outstanding GAT Ardudwy 21 Blaenau Ffestiniog Outstanding GAT Ffestiniog 22 Lower Conwy Valley Outstanding GAT Creuddyn and Arllechwedd 23 Creuddyn and Conwy Outstanding GAT Creuddyn and Arllechwedd 24 Dinorwig Outstanding GAT Arfon 25 Aberglaslyn Outstanding GAT Ffestiniog 26 Lleyn and Bardsey Island Outstanding GAT Llŷn 27 Nantlle Valley Outstanding GAT Caernarfon and Nantlle 28 Ogwen Valley Outstanding GAT Arfon 29 Transfynydd Basin and Cwm Prysor Outstanding GAT Trawsfynydd 30 North Arllechwedd Outstanding GAT Arfon and Creuddyn and Arllechwedd 31 Vale of Dolgellau Outstanding GAT Dolgellau 32 Mawddach Outstanding GAT Mawddach 33 Penmon Outstanding GAT Penmon 34 Tanat Valley Outstanding CPAT 35 Vale of Montgomery Outstanding CPAT 36 Middle Wye Valley Outstanding CPAT 37 Berwyn Special CPAT Berwyn 38 Lower Elwy Valley Special CPAT 39 Denbigh Moors Special CPAT Mynydd Hiraethog 40 Vale of Llangollen and Eglwyseg Special CPAT Vale of Llangollen and Eglwyseg 41 Maelor Special CPAT Maelor Saesneg 42 Drefach and Felindre Special DAT Drefach-Felindre 43 Pen Gaer: Garn Fawr and Stumble Head Special DAT Pencaer 44 Stackpole Warren Special DAT Stackpole Warren 45 Manobier Special DAT Manorbier 46 Lower Teifi Valley Special DAT Lower Teifi Valley 47 Newport and Carningli Special DAT Newport and Carningli 48 East Fforest Fawr and Mynydd-y-Glog Special CPAT East Fforest Fawr and Mynydd-y-glôg 49 Gelli-Gaer Common Outstanding GGAT Gelligaer 50 Special GGAT 51 Margam Mountain Special GGAT Margam Mountain 52 Clydach George Special GGAT Clydach George 53 Bala and Bala Lakesides Special GAT Bala and Llyn Tegid 54 Dysynni Valley Special GAT Dysynni 55 Elan Valley Special CPAT 56 Caersws Basin Special CPAT 57 Clywedog Valley Special CPAT 58 Middle Usk Valley: Brecon and Llangorse Special CPAT Middle Usk Valley: Brecon and Llangorse

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