Valle Crucis Abbey is located in the Dee Valley, to the north of Llangollen. It is notable for the eighteenth-century summerhouse, aligned on a monastic fishpond, which reflected the Picturesque taste of the day, being placed in reponse to the recent appreciation of picturesque ruins often incorporated into landscape layouts.The summerhouse is located near the abbey ruins (nprn 95205).

The summerhouse is thought to have been built in the mid to late eighteenth century by Sir Watkin Williams Wynn 4th Bt, of Wynnstay. It is situated on the eastern side of the abbey ruins, with the river Eglwyseg bounding it to the east. To its north is a small rectangular pond thought to be a monastic fishpond. The building is a two-storey stone and brick-rendered cottage with a hipped slate roof on its northern end. It has a central chimney stack and an exterior stack on the south end, with casement windows either side. The north end has a shuttered canted window which looks down the axis of the fish pond. A datestone over the door reads J.L. 1773. This is John Lloyd of Trevor who acquired the Valle Crucis lands from the Wynnstay estate.

The pool imeasures roughly 60m long north-east to south-west by 12m-16m wide, set between the Abbey ruins and the Eglwyseg river. It is thought to be a restoration of an original (medieval) fishpond. It is possible that it represents Llyn Eglwystl, by which the abbey is said to have been founded.

Sources:
Cadw 1995: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Clwyd, 264-5 (ref: PGW(C)17(DEN)).
Os495card; SJ24SW4

RCAHMW, 22 March 2022

Cofnod Safle

Valle Crucis Abbey Garden, Llangollen