AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL society has completed the first phase of a Heritage Lottery Fund project.

Aberystruth History and Archaeology Society has discovered nearly 150 sites since starting ‘the Cwmcelyn Hidden Landscapes Project’ in October 2016.

Ian Fewings, the society’s founder and secretary, said the four-year project aims to survey and record 25 archaeological sites in the Cwmcelyn Valley and surrounding mountains, as well as recording the history of the area and setting up a heritage trail for people to either have a self-guide or guided tour of the area.

Mr Fewings added: “We had £35,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to survey and record 25 sites in the area.

“Through our first year – which involved looking at old maps, documents and looking at what has already been recorded in the area – we have discovered 147 sites up to now.

“This makes the project one of the most important upland archaeological projects in recent years.”

The society has also been recording the Red Ash East levels, in Mynydd James mountain, in Blaina.

Mr Fewings added: “There was very little known about the Red Ash East levels before we started recording these levels.

“We now know there were three levels there. The first level was open in 1926 and run until 1928, when it was taken over and run until 1936.

“Another level was opened up in 1936 and closed in 1938. The third level opened in 1939 and was worked in 1949.”

The society has had information on these levels from all over the country, such as Swansea Mining Library, Mr Fewings continued.

“We even had a plan of the original level from Canada,” he added. “Despite the amount of information the society has found out about these levels, we have not been able to find any photos of the levels.”

Mr Fewings said the next step will be to go back to Cwmcelyn Valley and record any sites found, including three Bronze Age sites, and doing some excavations.

The society will have an open day at Blaina Library on March 26 from 10am until 4pm to show people what has been found. If anyone as any photos of the Red Ash East Levels, come along to the open day or contact the society via e-mail at aberystuth.h.a.s@gmail.com or phone 07739912252.