Thomas Johnes created several walks around his estate at Hafod. They were designed to embody principles of the picturesque. The house fell into ruin and, considered a threat to the public, was blown up by the British Army in the 1950s. The estate was buried under conifer plantations.

Hafod was rediscovered in the 1980s as a site of historical interest. The Friends of Hafod and The Hafod Trust have researched Johnes and the estate. Archaeologists have uncovered and provided the basis for the reconstructions of the walks.

David Austin, Professor of Archaeology at University of Wales Lampeter, is here talking about the issues of conservation raised by the archaeology of the "Gentlemans' Walk".

The point - there is no baseline for a reconstruction of the past. It is gone. What we have are past-present connections. They are multiple, undecideable, and very real.