87354

 

II*  

Designated  

16/05/1978  

12/07/2006  

Walls of former Lord's Garden at rear of Nantclwyd House  

 

Denbighshire  

Ruthin  

Ruthin  

 

312289  

358134  

 

Located to the W of the garden to Nantclywd House, and extending behind the gardens of properties down Castle Street. At the S end, it retains a footpath (the Cunning Green) which runs around the grounds of Ruthin Castle Hotel.  

 

 

C15 or earlier; some parts to the S and W may be late C13 and contemporary with Ruthin Castle. A doorway in the W wall was present by 1742, whilst the brick walls to the E, bounding gardens, may be early C19. In medieval times, the Lord's Garden was the kitchen garden of the castle. In 1572, it was rented to Thomas Wynn ap John ap Harry, the owner of Nantclwyd House; this arrangement of leasing continued until 1691 when it was purchased outright by Eubule Thelwall. In 1722 the N part of the garden was sold off; it survives as a low retaining wall surrounding the town's bowling green.  

Walls surrounding a large sub-rectangular garden to the rear, and at right-angles to the garden of Nantclwyd House. The N wall is of rubble stone, c1m high and covered in vegetation; at the NE corner, it joins the gazebo behind Nantclwyd House. Long W wall of rubble stone c2m high. To the S, the wall steps inwards at an angle and contains a doorway, possibly C18: boarded door under a segmental head of stone voussoirs, reached down a flight of stone steps. To S of doorway, the walls steps down to c0.6m height, is of a different fabric with semi-circular concrete coping. It curves round at the SW corner to follow the footpath around the perimeter of Ruthin Castle Hotel. This S boundary is a retaining wall, and joins the garden wall of No 20 Castle Street at the SE corner. The E wall is of red brick with narrow brick buttresses, some stone coping surviving; it forms a boundary with the rear gardens of houses in Castle Street. Towards the NE, it joins the W wall of the garden behind Nantclwyd House.  

 

Listed grade II* for its exceptional historic interest as a medieval kitchen garden wall, originally connected with Ruthin Castle, and retaining some original fabric. Its subsequent association with Nantclwyd House is of additional special interest. Group value with Nantclwyd House and other garden structures.