Benarth Hall, a restored Georgian mansion (nprn 3045) set in parkland (700223) is located on the west bank of the Conwy river, on the outskirts of the town, overlooking the estuary. Gardens lie to the east and south-east of the house, while extensive walled gardens are located to its immediate south-west (700224). The gardens around the house possibly originated in the late eighteenth century but the present layout is mostly of nineteenth and twentieth century date.

The gardens consist of several components formed on sloping ground falling away to the south of the house, and have been subject to alteration throughout their history. In front of the house (the south-east) is a level revetted terrace, probably contemporary with it. It is oval, lawned, with a yew hedge around it, and remains open. A viewing platform gives views over the Conwy estuary. Although trees grew to block the view there has been some recent clearance. Below the terrace and platform lies the rockery, partly terraced revetted by dry-stone walls. At the foot of the rockery is a small concrete-lined oval pool fed by rainwater collected in a channel crossing the terraces. Below is the ‘wild garden’ area, a wilderness or shrubbery, formerly an orchard.

The rose garden is a terraced level area south of the house, below the south-west end of the main terrace. Recently cleared of undergrowth, no details of the former layout are visible.Steps lead down into it from above, and out of it into the wild garden below. Some old rose plants survive. A sundial lies in the centre of a large circular bed, and a tiny stone-edged circular pool near the southern edge of the terrace by the walled garden. Below the rockery and rose garden is the final retaining wall, up to nearly 2m high at the rose garden end, and below this the natural slope. An angled flight of steps down through the wall below the rose garden gives access to the slope of the 'wild garden' below it.

At the north-east end of the main terrace is a circular, brick-built summer house with attached aviary for small birds.

Sources:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 48-53 (ref: PGW(Gd)10(CON)).
Ordnance Survey six-inch maps: sheet Denbighshire III.SW (editions of 1875 & 1906).

RCAHMW, 7 June 2022

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1. Parklands & Gardens of Wales No:PGW.GD10
BENARTH HALL possesses an interesting example of an early twentieth-century layout set in older woods and a small parkland There are walled gardens a rockery, 'wild garden' and small formal garden area, with views over the Conwy valley. Extensive late eighteenth- or early nineteenth-century walled kitchen gardens survive. Mainly built between 1790 and 1810; after 1916.
CSB after Register. RCAHMW, 29th November 2004.

2. This garden is depicted on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map of Caernarvonshire V, sheet 13. Its main elements on that map include kitchen garden (exten), well, woodland, lodge, greenhouse, conservatory and carriage drive. C.H. Nicholas, RCAHMW, 9th August 2006.

Site Record

Benarth Hall Garden, Conwy