PGW(Dy)40(PEM)

Monkton Old Hall & Vicarage, Pembroke  

II*  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Pembrokeshire  

Pembroke  

198028  

201485  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Walled and compartmented garden, with a series of terraces.  

Fourteenth century; mid-nineteenth century; 1933-78.  

Registered for its historic interest as an example of a compartmented and terraced garden in an exceptionally fine position overlooking Pembroke Castle. The garden is associated with the medieval priory and parts probably date to this period. The terraces probably date to the mid-nineteenth century. The registered area has group value with Monkton Old Hall (LB: 6332; 6333) and the Priory Church of Saint Nicholas (LB: 6330; 6331). Monkton Old Hall is a medieval house on the eastern edge of the village of Monkton, just west of Pembroke. Built on a rock outcrop with a steep drop below it to the south, and falling away to the east towards the sea inlet of Monkton Pill, it overlooks Pembroke Castle which lies a short distance to the north-east. The gardens associated with the Hall and the Vicarage of the church of St Nicholas lie to the north of the Hall and east of the Vicarage. The garden is associated with the medieval priory and parts probably date to this period, making them a rare example of a walled medieval garden. The terraces, however, probably date to the mid-nineteenth century. The gardens are now in separate ownership but were both originally part of the monastic precinct. The entrance is to the west of the house, from the south side of the property, and leads onto the forecourt and a small lawn. The main garden area lies to the north. An enclosed lawn on the north side of the house gives access to the main terrace. Aligned north-south, it is enclosed by mortared stone walls rising to 3.5m, and with a central flagstone path. Further paths radiate from a circular flower bed, that to the east leading to the revetted east side of the terrace and a long flight of steps down to a series of terraces below. These are enclosed in a walled compartment. Further steps lead down to the second, partly sloping, terrace which supports some ornamental trees and shrubs, with cultivation ridges on the sloping part. Steps down the revetment wall lead to the lowest terrace, a former orchard with some old fruit trees. There is no wall on the east. On the north side a doorway exits the garden. The vicarage garden is a four-sided walled compartment on level ground to the west of the main terrace with walls rising to 2.3m. To the north of the main terrace and the vicarage garden, is a rectangular paddock, terraced down its west side and enclosed by a wall up to 3.5m high. It was once part of the gardens but is larger than the terraced gardens. There are doorways in the west, south and east walls. Built into the south wall is a small, ruined, stone building. Below the top terrace the ground slopes steeply away supporting several ancient fruit trees. On the central east-west axis is a descending path punctuated by four flights of steps. The foot of the slope is a level terrace backed by a retaining wall up to 1.8m high. A small, square sunken feature at its north end may have been a pool or well. Significant Views: Views from the gardens overlooking the castle. Sources: Cadw 2002: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, 272-6 (ref: PGW(Dy)40(PEM)). Ordnance Survey first-edition six-inch map: sheet Pembrokeshire XL.SW (1906).