PGW(Gt)24(MON)

Lower Dyffryn  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Monmouthshire  

Grosmont  

343438  

222776  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Sixteenth-century formal walled and terraced garden above medieval or sixteenth-century fishponds.  

Sixteenth century.  

Registered for its historic interest as a well-preserved example of a Tudor formal walled and terrace garden overlooking medieval or sixteenth-century fishponds. The garden has group value with the late sixteenth/early seventeenth-century Lower Dyffryn House. Lower Dyffryn is located approximately 3km southeast of the village of Grosmont. The oldest parts of the present house (LB:1950) date from c.1590-1630. In the early seventeenth-century, Lower Dyffryn probably belonged to John Gainsford, who became Sheriff of Monmouthshire in 1604. It was subsequently owned by a branch of the Cecil family. The garden lies to the west of the house and consists of a large terrace bounded by a low wall on the west and south, and a higher wall on the north. Below the terrace revetment wall are the remains of medieval or Tudor fishponds. In the middle of the north wall is a round alcove with a small central window overlooking the fishponds and beyond to the River Monnow. The alcove appears to be both inward looking over the garden and outward looking across the fishponds and River Monnow below. A drain carries water underneath the garden to the fishponds, which suggests that the fishponds are contemporary or possibly earlier than the garden. The walls of the terrace garden are also listed (LB:24154). Setting: Located approximately 3km southeast of the village of Grosmont and close to the border with Herefordshire. The surrounding landscape is of gently rolling agricultural fields, trees and woodland. Significant View: From the alcove overlooking the fishponds and towards the River Monnow and rural landscape.  Sources: Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Gwent, p.89 (ref: PGW (Gt)24).