Worm's Eye View?

The National Trust at Rhossili, on the Gower, over-looking Worm's Head have reconstituted the medieval strip field system in an area called The Vile (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/rhossili-and-south-gower-coast/trails/rhossili-headland-walk). The intentions (by recreating boundaries that fell into disuse with a fashion for bigger fields and monocultures) appear to be to a) improve interest in and the appearance of the area; b) demonstrate that the system can be economically viable and c) make the location more supportive of pollinator species. It is reported that the crop of Sunflowers (intended to generate saleable bird food) has proved very popular with visitors but I seriously doubt that this crop was present in this region in medieval times. In one sense, however, this doesn't really matter.