The estate of Abbeycwmhir, to the north-east of Rhayader, dates at least from 1200 when part of the Cistercian order founded the abbey (NPRN 96529). Garden areas lie around The Hall, a nineteenth century building (30688), and around the abbey ruins to the south. To the immediate north of the hall is a walled garden (700258).

The early history of the garden area is unclear. Prior to the building of the Hall, and by at least 1837, the area was probably either pasture or rough woodland, set between the southern boundary of Great Park (24599) and the village road. The garden is first described in sale particulars of 1837 which record improvements made to the site after 1822 when the estate was sold to Thomas Wilson. Few changes, apart from a gradual decline, appear to have taken place in the garden since 1919.

The gardens lie mostly to the south, east and north-east of the Hall which lies on the north side of the village road. They cover about 10 acres (4.1ha), most of which is wooded. The house is approached by a curving drive through a formal gateway in a stone wall, and lawns south and south-east of the house. On the south and west are sloping lawns and modern flower beds in an area of yew, holly and laurel. A 2m high rockwork bank rises above the forecourt on the north, and above it on the east two parallel curving terraces. To the east, uphill to the north-east garden boundary, is mostly woodland. In the midst of the wood is a steep-sided terrace, formerly a grass tennis court; heavy growth of laurel and rhododendron obscures another terrace above it.

The garden area extends to the north-west of this with an area of coppice near to the east wall of the kitchen garden, continues around it to the north and an area containing bothies and the gardener's house, then descends to the west towards a lake and waterfall, retained by a substantial earth dam, and set at the southern end of the valley between the two parks.

South of the road, the abbey precinct was taken into the garden by Wilson. When purchased in about 1822 it contained a rabbit warren and 'a garden', probably a simple productive garden, in addition to the monks' large, oval fishpond, as well as the abbey ruins and the grave of Llewelyn ap Gruffyd, all below the home farm. Other features here include a mount, a level terrace above the abbey, and mature plantings of oak, Lawson cypress, beech and plane, all in a pasture setting.

Sources:
Cadw 1999: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Powys, 118-22 (ref: PGW (Po)46(POW)).
Second-edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, sheet: Radnorshire XVI.1 (1903).

RCAHMW, 17 June 2022

Site Record

Abbey Cwmhir Hall Garden, Abbey Cwmhir