Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
7748
Building Number
Grade
I
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
11/03/1981
Date of Amendment
29/02/1996
Name of Property
Brick Wall to rear of Top Terrace at Powis Castle Gardens
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Powys
Community
Welshpool
Town
Locality
Powis Castle
Easting
321600
Northing
306440
Street Side
Location
Forms the centre-piece of the top terrace, directly beneath the S wall of the main castle building.
Description
Broad Class
Defence
Period
History
The design of the terrace gardens at Powis is attributed to William Winde, who is known to have been employed to rebuild the Powis London residence between 1684 and 1688, and who is also thought to have been responsible for work on the castle from c1673. There is no firm dating evidence for the gardens but it is unlikely that the gardens predate 1668, and they were probably largely completed by 1705.
Exterior
Brick wall, raked up from ground level at each end to its final height, and containing 5 niches in its central section, separated by blind recessed shaped panels, with similar triangular panels to each end. These have stone moulded frames, and contain rubbed brickwork, quite different in character from the brickwork of the main structure. The niches have alternately triangular and segmental pedimented heads, and in their original form (not always respected in later repair work), each employed contrasting colours of stone for architrave, entablature and pediment. They formerly housed statues (though possibly not originally), but these have been replaced (since 1981) by a series of urns. Moulded apron panels below each niche, and continuous plinth moulding.
Interior
Reason for designation
A highly important part of the overall conception of the late C17 Baroque garden at Powis, the wall forms a visual ''plinth'' for the castle when viewed from the S, and is a highly interesting feature in its own right, exploiting the different colours and textures of its materials to rich decorative effect.
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