Situated on relatively flat land with fertile soils, although situated far from major population centres, the region was settled early, sometime before the year 1480. Owing to the severity of the coast, access to this region was obtained from the port of Biscoitos, some east, and from the early settlement along the ravines of Quatro Ribeiras. The clearing and logging that proceeded along the territory, and from the agrarian structure and morphology of the land, settlement must have progressed from east to west, until the parish of Raminho (which was then known as Folhadais) was last to be settled.