Stradey Castle new mansion, is located in parkland on the north side of the Lougher estuary (NPRNs 17825 & 700176). The of c.1850 was built at the back end of a revetted terrace at the base of, and cut slightly into, a south-facing slope, its long axis north-west by south-east. Substantial stone walls to the east, south and west retain the house platform and the small terraced garden. The south-west terrace wall stands to a maximum of 3m high.

The south-west long side and the south-east terrace end are laid out to small formal lawns with perimeter paths. On the long side this path separates the lawn from the shrub and herbaceous border. At its south-east end stone steps link the terrace to a side lawn below. At the north-west end of the terrace the perimeter path is flanked by a shrub border. The area below and adjacent to the terrace has been used for vegetables and a small nursery.

Set into the bank immediately to the north of the forecourt (on the opposite side of the house) is a small dipping well, the scalloped bowl being half enclosed by a stone vault. A small but constant fountain of water trickles into the bowl through the mouth of a carved lion's head. This feature dates from about 1850 and is supplied with water from a circular brick lined well some 200 m to the north-east.

Sources:
Cadw 2002: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, 86, 89-90 (ref: PGW(Dy)47(CER)).
Ordnance Survey second edition 25-inch maps: Carmarthenshire LVIII.2 & 6 (1906).
RCAHMW AP955064/61 Stradey Castle PGW Dy 15 266128
Additional notes: D.K.Leighton

RCAHMW, 18 May 2022

Site Record

Stradey Castle Garden, Llanelli