Bodelwyddan Castle, located to the south-east of Abergele (nprns 54220 & 54203), is situated on the west boundary of a landscape park (700152). Within the park the main pleasure garden lies to the south of the castle. It is focused on a large walled garden with ornamental elements initially laid out by Sir John Hay Williams in the first quarter of the nineteenth century.

The garden is an elongated linear polygon, long axis north-east by south-west, surrounded by a high brick wall on all but the south-east side which is open to the park. In 1910 the southern half of the garden was laid out in an Arts and Crafts style by Sir Thomas Mawson. It takes the form of four compartments surrounded by clipped yew hedges and divided by brick paths. The north-eastern compartment is sub-divided into four formal flowerbeds with stone edging, the others informally laid out with flower borders and stone chip paths. This part of the garden is flanked on the east, separated by a pergola, by an informal area of ornamental trees and shrubs with a stream running through it, with a series of small pools and cascades, into an informal pond.

The northern end of the garden formerly contained extensive glasshouses but these were removed when the area was redesigned in recent decades. The main feature is an aviary on the western side with steps down to a large area of grass with serpentine paths and box-edged flowerbeds. The eastern side overlooks the park with a holly hedge planted externally. The main entrance to the garden on the east side is through a small classical stone portico originally positioned on the south-eastern edge of the woodland to the south.
To the north of the walled garden, adjacent to a new hotel, are two small modern areas: a cypress maze commemorating Thomas Mawson; and a small enclosed garden laid out with formal flowerbeds, gravel paths, a brick well, and a small pavilion.

The wood (‘The Plantation’) to the south of the walled garden was laid out with an informal walk around its perimeter, and other paths. On the eastern side is an obelisk formerly with a summerhouse behind it, now gone. The main south drive winds gently through the wood though it is now overgrown. The drive emerges through the perimeter wall on the south-west at the Keeper’s Tower, a folly tower and archway. An eastern drive branches off the main drive and emerges from the wood just to the north of the old obelisk site. Today the pleasure ground wood forms part of a woodland trail but part of the wood is sealed off to the public.

Sources:
Cadw 1995: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Clwyd, 14-16 (ref: PGW(C)2).
Ordnance Survey, six-inch map: Flintshire IV (first edition, 1900).
RCAHMW air photos: 965099/45-53

RCAHMW, 11 May 2022

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