Caldicot and Wentloog Levels
Encyclopedia
The Caldicot and Wentloog Levels are two areas of low-lying estuarine alluvial
wetland
and intertidal
mudflat
s adjoining the north bank of the Severn estuary
, either side of the River Usk
estuary
near Newport
in south east Wales
. They are also known collectively as the Monmouthshire Levels or Gwent Levels.
The Caldicot
Level lies to the southeast of Newport between the River Usk
and River Wye
and consists of 17500 acres (70.8 km²). It is home to Newport Wetlands Reserve
. The Wentloog
Level lies to the southwest between the River Usk and Rhymney River
and consists of 8500 acres (34.4 km²).
The levels are formed from tidal deposits and alluvium
, which have been recurrently inundated and reclaimed from the Severn Estuary by humans since Roman
times. They have patterns of settlement, enclosure and drainage systems belonging to successive periods of use, and are extremely rich archaeologically, with finds from the Mesolithic
, Bronze Age
and Iron Age
periods.
They are an important wetland resource. Parts have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest
. They are registered as a Historic Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales.
.
One of the most significant finds was of a 3rd century Romano-British
boat found at Wilcrick
near Magor
. The Romans occupied the area from the 2nd to the 4th centuries. In 1878, a boundary stone marking the building of 33 paces of embankment by Roman soldiers was discovered at Goldcliff. Research suggests that, initially, reclamation of the natural salt marsh
for farmland began at a few "island" sites within the marshes, such as at Nash
and Redwick
, before a sea wall was built along the whole coast.
Goldcliff Priory
was established in 1113 and together with other major landowners took responsibility for further drainage work in the area. Settlements became established, linked by droveways such as the Whitewall at Magor, and land was gradually reclaimed for pasture and arable use. A large number of Anglo-Norman
sites including castle
s, churches, court houses, manor house
s, moated sites and watermill
s show near-continuous occupation throughout the Middle Ages
.
On 30 January 1607 (New style
), floods
caused by either a storm surge
or a tsunami
resulted in the drowning of an estimated 2,000 people, with houses and villages swept away, an estimated 200 square miles (518 km²) of farmland inundated and livestock destroyed. This was one of the worst natural disasters recorded in Britain.
'. Many of these are now managed by the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels Internal Drainage Board
.
In 1531, Henry VI set up Courts of Sewers to improve drainage, but without any powers to oblige landowners to carry out work. In 1884, the Caldicot and Wentlooge Level Act established a new body, the Monmouthshire Commissioners of Sewers, with responsibility for maintaining sea walls and roads in the Levels. The long title
of the Act is "An Act to provide for the commutation of the liability of Landowners in the Levels of the hundreds of Caldicot and Wentlooge in the County of Monmouth to maintain sea walls and other works to provide for the making and maintaining of roads in the said Levels and for other purposes."
This was superseded by the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels Drainage Board in 1942.
The pattern of ditches now found on the Caldicot Level has been complicated by the construction of the Newport Wetlands Reserve
. Whereas the raison d'etre of all previous reens and ditches had been to drain the land, the aim of the network of new waterways constructed as part of the reserve has been to keep the land flooded, albeit with fresh water.
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
and intertidal
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s adjoining the north bank of the Severn estuary
Severn Estuary
The Severn Estuary is the estuary of the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain. Its high tidal range means it has been at the centre of discussions in the UK regarding renewable energy.-Geography:...
, either side of the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
near Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
in south east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. They are also known collectively as the Monmouthshire Levels or Gwent Levels.
The Caldicot
Caldicot (hundred)
Caldicot was an ancient hundred of Monmouthshire, Wales.It was situated in the south-eastern part of the county, bounded on the north by the hundreds of Usk and Raglan; on the east by Gloucestershire; on the south by the Bristol Channel, and on the west by the hundred of Wentloog.It contained the...
Level lies to the southeast of Newport between the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
and River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
and consists of 17500 acres (70.8 km²). It is home to Newport Wetlands Reserve
Newport Wetlands Reserve
Newport Wetlands Reserve is a wildlife reserve between Uskmouth, Nash and Goldcliff, in the south-east of the city of Newport, South Wales.- History :...
. The Wentloog
Wentloog (hundred)
Wentloog was an ancient hundred of Monmouthshire.It was situated in the western part of the county, bounded to the north by Brecknockshire; on the east by the hundreds of Abergavenny, Usk and Caldicot; on the south by the Bristol Channel, and on the west by Glamorganshire...
Level lies to the southwest between the River Usk and Rhymney River
Rhymney River
The Rhymney River is a river in the Rhymney Valley, south-east Wales, flowing through Cardiff into the Severn estuary.The river forms the boundary between the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire.-Path of the river:...
and consists of 8500 acres (34.4 km²).
The levels are formed from tidal deposits and alluvium
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
, which have been recurrently inundated and reclaimed from the Severn Estuary by humans since Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times. They have patterns of settlement, enclosure and drainage systems belonging to successive periods of use, and are extremely rich archaeologically, with finds from the Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
, Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
periods.
They are an important wetland resource. Parts have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. They are registered as a Historic Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales.
History and archaeology
There have been variations in both land and sea levels in the Severn estuary since the start of human habitation in the area. The Levels have been reclaimed from the sea at different times during the historic period, preserving evidence of patterns of settlement, enclosure and drainage systems. Mesolithic and later remains have been discovered at Goldcliff, and late Mesolithic human footprints at UskmouthUskmouth
- Location :Uskmouth is effectively in the west of the village of Nash. It is at Uskmouth that the River Usk meets the Severn estuary.- Amenities :...
.
One of the most significant finds was of a 3rd century Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
boat found at Wilcrick
Wilcrick
Wilcrick is a small village within the administrative boundary of the city of Newport, South Wales, just to the west of Magor. It is within the historic county of Monmouthshire.The name translates from the Welsh as "bare hill"...
near Magor
Magor, Monmouthshire
Magor - meaning 'a wall' - is a large village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, between Chepstow and the city of Newport, and adjoining the Caldicot Levels beside the Severn estuary. Magor lies close to the M4 motorway, which has a nearby motorway service area sharing its name...
. The Romans occupied the area from the 2nd to the 4th centuries. In 1878, a boundary stone marking the building of 33 paces of embankment by Roman soldiers was discovered at Goldcliff. Research suggests that, initially, reclamation of the natural salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
for farmland began at a few "island" sites within the marshes, such as at Nash
Nash, Newport
Nash is a village and community parish to the south of the city of Newport, south-east Wales, in the Liswerry ward.- Origin of the name :...
and Redwick
Redwick, Newport
Redwick is a small village and community parish to the south east of the city of Newport, in South Wales, United Kingdom. It lies within the Newport city boundaries, in the historic county of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent.- Location :...
, before a sea wall was built along the whole coast.
Goldcliff Priory
Goldcliff Priory
Goldcliff Priory was a Benedictine monastery near Goldcliff, Newport, Wales, founded in 1113 by Robert de Chandos and subject to the abbey of Bec in Normandy. The priory was situated on the site now occupied by Hill Farm, to the south of the current farmhouse, on the prominent knoll of high ground...
was established in 1113 and together with other major landowners took responsibility for further drainage work in the area. Settlements became established, linked by droveways such as the Whitewall at Magor, and land was gradually reclaimed for pasture and arable use. A large number of Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
sites including castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s, churches, court houses, manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
s, moated sites and watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s show near-continuous occupation throughout the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
On 30 January 1607 (New style
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
), floods
Bristol Channel floods, 1607
The Bristol Channel floods, which occurred on 30 January 1607 , resulted in the drowning of a large number of people and the destruction of a large amount of farmland and livestock...
caused by either a storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
or a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
resulted in the drowning of an estimated 2,000 people, with houses and villages swept away, an estimated 200 square miles (518 km²) of farmland inundated and livestock destroyed. This was one of the worst natural disasters recorded in Britain.
Drainage
Most of the levels has been the subject of artificial drainage schemes, and the area is criss-crossed by drainage channels, known locally as 'reensRhyne
A rhyne , rhine/rhyne , or reen is a drainage ditch, or canal, used to turn areas of wetland at around sea level into useful pasture....
'. Many of these are now managed by the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels Internal Drainage Board
Internal Drainage Board
An internal drainage board is a type of operating authority which is established in areas of special drainage need in England and Wales with permissive powers to undertake work to secure clean water drainage and water level management within drainage districts...
.
In 1531, Henry VI set up Courts of Sewers to improve drainage, but without any powers to oblige landowners to carry out work. In 1884, the Caldicot and Wentlooge Level Act established a new body, the Monmouthshire Commissioners of Sewers, with responsibility for maintaining sea walls and roads in the Levels. The long title
Long title
The long title is the formal title appearing at the head of a statute or other legislative instrument...
of the Act is "An Act to provide for the commutation of the liability of Landowners in the Levels of the hundreds of Caldicot and Wentlooge in the County of Monmouth to maintain sea walls and other works to provide for the making and maintaining of roads in the said Levels and for other purposes."
This was superseded by the Caldicot and Wentlooge Levels Drainage Board in 1942.
The pattern of ditches now found on the Caldicot Level has been complicated by the construction of the Newport Wetlands Reserve
Newport Wetlands Reserve
Newport Wetlands Reserve is a wildlife reserve between Uskmouth, Nash and Goldcliff, in the south-east of the city of Newport, South Wales.- History :...
. Whereas the raison d'etre of all previous reens and ditches had been to drain the land, the aim of the network of new waterways constructed as part of the reserve has been to keep the land flooded, albeit with fresh water.
Ecology
The levels support the following rare species:- Variable damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum)
- Flowering rush (ButomusButomusButomus is the sole genus in the monogeneric plant family Butomaceae, containing the single species Butomus umbellatus, also known as flowering rush or grass rush.-Description:...
umbellatus) - an unusual water-edge plant with sprays of pink flowers in May and June - Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
- Musk beetle (Aromia moschata) - a smelly longhorn beetle with shiny metallic green armour, that lives in willows along the reens
- Great silver water beetleWater beetleA water beetle is a beetle adapted to living in water. Water beetles rise to the water surface and take atmospheric air into their tracheal systems. There are approximately 2000 species of water beetles. The rest marine species tend to live in the intertidal zone...
(Hydrophilus piceus) - BritainUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's biggest beetle ignoring the Stag beetleStag beetleStag beetles are a group of about 1,200 species of beetle in the family Lucanidae, presently classified in four subfamilies Some species grow up to over 12 cm , but most are about 5 cm .-Overview:...
's extra length due to antlers - Water vole (Arvicola terrestris)