Troy House, a seventeenth-century building (nprn 20938), is situated a short distance south-east of Monmouth, on low-lying ground just to the south of the river Trothy. It once lay in extensive parkland (700389). The house has associated gardens (266097) and is especially notable for the survival of a seventeenth-century walled garden.

To the west of the house, on the opposite side of the drive, are the remains of a large rectangular walled garden dating from the beginning of the seventeenth century, predating the present Troy House which was built c.1660-70. This is situated on gently sloping ground to the south of the river Trothy. A high stone wall runs right round it, with an entrance doorway and lobby in the middle of the east side. This is the main entrance (recorded as having been inscribed with the date '1611') which is a fine and ambitious example of early seventeenth-century Classical design utilising more sophisticated, dressed stonework (red sandstone) which includes strapwork decoration and a heraldic shield, with the initials E C S (Charles and Elizabeth Somerset; Charles was a younger son of the fourth earl of Worcester) above the wooden door; this dates the gate to the period 15[]-16[] (ex inf. Ann Benson).

The walled garden is shown laid out as an orchard on the 1706 map as it is on later, nineteenth-century maps.
Built into the south-west corner of the garden is the 'Old Presbytery', thought to have been accomodation for a local order of nuns (309119).

Sources:
Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Gwent, 155-156 (ref: PGW (Gt)16).
Ordnance Survey first-edition six-inch map, sheet: Monmouthshire XIV (1886).
RCAHMW AP945062/69.

RCAHMW, 23 July 2022

Site Record

Troy House Walled Garden, Mitchel Troy