Historic background

In the centuries following the medieval period, this coastal area silted up and was classed as marsh waste. The enclosure and draining of much of the area towards the end of the 18th century by the Cors y Gedol estate has created the landscape we see today.

Key historic landscape characteristics

Sand dunes

This character area is defined by the extent of the sand dune system (see also area 32 for a similar system). Morfa Dyffryn (CCW ref. 31WNS) was first designated an SSSI in 1953, and has since been revised. It extends over 334ha. It is an area of both mobile and fixed coastal sand dunes with saltmarsh and estuary which forms an extension to the Morfa Dyffryn NNR. The extensive calcareous dune system contains dunes rising to 60ft. It is also important for flora and wading birds.

 

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