PGW(Po)17(POW)

Ffrwdgrech  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Powys  

Llanfrynach  

303182  

227106  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Small park; Victorian pleasure grounds and kitchen garden.  

c. 1828; 1880s-90s.  

Registered as a well-preserved example of a Victorian pleasure ground with exceptionally fine tree planting. The grounds include a picturesque dingle and are set in a magnificent situation at the foot of the Brecon Beacons, the landscaping being contrived to give fine views to the hills. The registered park and garden has important group value with the early nineteenth-century country house and associated estate buildings. Ffrwdgrech House (LB: 18189) was built for Samuel Church in 1828 by the architect Robert Lugar. In about 1880 it was bought by David Evans, a director of Wilkins bank in Brecon, who enlarged the house and carried out much planting in the park and pleasure grounds. The house lies within a small, picturesque landscape park situated at the foot of the Brecon Beacons. The park was created in about 1828, when the house was built. Its configuration was contrived to give fine views to the hills to the south and has been little altered since. It stretches north, east and south from the house, the ground rising gently to the south and more steeply to the east, culminating in the large plantation of Held Wood. A long sloping area of pasture runs south from the garden, divided from it by a ha-ha. The grassland is flanked by plantations, mainly coniferous, which frame the view of the Beacons. To the south-east is Quarry Wood, a large coniferous clump, fronted by mature specimen trees including a very tall silver fir. To the north of the grounds is an area of open grassland planted with some notable ornamental trees both coniferous and deciduous. The east side of the park is entirely occupied by Held Wood, commercially run woodland comprising blocks of various coniferous species. The west side of the park is bounded by the Ffrwdgrech road but the large field adjoining it, with isolated deciduous trees and roadside iron park railings, was also part of the park (Ordnance Survey 1888; 1905). When the property was bought in the 1880s by David Evans a large programme of tree planting was implemented in the park and in the grounds, with a strong emphasis on American conifers. The grounds can be divided into two main areas: to the south of the house is an open area of lawn and pond; to the north and east of the house is the wooded valley that has been ornamentally laid out and planted. These complement each other very well, the one providing a foreground to the park and magnificent scenery beyond, the other providing enclosed, picturesque walks. The entrance to the grounds is off a small lane to the north of the house, through entrance gatepiers with flanking walls and railings (LB: 84506). To the south of the entrance is a small, two-storey, nineteenth-century lodge in gothic style (LB: 84523). The tree-lined drive crosses a stone bridge, winds southwards through mixed woodland under-planted with rhododendrons and other shrubs, then crosses a lawn to the forecourt of the house. The lawn around the east and north sides of the house is planted with specimen trees. To the south, the lawn slopes gently down to a stone-edged pond. Parts of the lawn were formerly levelled for tennis courts. The south side of the pond is fringed with hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas and maples, planted in the Edwardian period. The garden is bounded on the south by a stone ha-ha, and on the west by a stone revetment wall. The valley is largely wooded, planted with many ornamental and woodland trees and shrubs. To the east of the house picturesque paths have been laid out to give circular walks at various levels of the valley, known as the dingle. Numerous fine specimen trees, planted in the nineteenth century, ornament this area. The oldest, were probably planted when the house was built and the grounds laid out in the 1830s. The paths wind up to a highly picturesque series of waterfalls, where the stream falls over several exposed rock strata. Some of the falls have been artificially enhanced by diverting the stream with large boulders or by cutting grooves in the rock over which the water falls. The romantic atmosphere is enhanced by trailing ivy, moss, laurels and many ferns. Opposite the house, at the foot of the north lawn, winding paths lead to a small wooden bridge over the stream and a flight of stone steps the other side, which lead to a small triangular lawn next to the west wall of the kitchen garden. In the centre of the lawn is a stone sundial. The square, 2.2 acre walled kitchen garden (LB: 84527) lies to the north-east of the house, on the far side of the valley. The garden is roughly square and is surrounded by well-preserved, stone and brick walls. Each side has a brick, round-arched doorway. A large glasshouse stands along the north wall. Smaller glasshouses to the west have gone. Along the outside of the north wall is a long range of well-preserved, stone lean-to bothies, including a potting shed and apple store. Beyond stand two houses: the Garden House, presumably the head gardener's house; and The Bothy, situated on lower ground to the west. Setting: Ffrwdgrech is situated in a secluded and peaceful situation on the northern fringe of the Brecon Beacons a short distance to the south of the town of Brecon. Significant Views: There are fine views to the surrounding hills. To the south from house and garden, the park is flanked by plantations, which frame the fine view of the Beacons in this direction. Sources: Cadw 1999: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Powys, pp 65-67 (ref: PGW (Po)17(POW)). Ordnance Survey, six-inch map sheet, Brecknockshire XXVII.SE (1888) Ordnance Survey, six-inch map sheet, Brecknockshire XXVII.SE (1905)