PGW(Dy)53(CER)

Trawsgoed  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Ceredigion  

Trawsgoed  

267607  

273465  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Formal & informal gardens; Japanese garden; pleasure grounds; kitchen garden.  

About 1650; 1741-66; 1766-1800; 1831-50; about 1885-99; 1920s.  

Trawsgoed is located in the lower Ystwyth valley, 12km to the south-east of Aberystwyth. It is registered for the survival of the park and garden of one of the most important houses in west Wales. The garden dates mainly to the late nineteenth century and includes some fine specimen conifers, a grand fountain and a small Japanese water garden. There is also important group value with the Grade II* Listed House (LB 17258) together with the Grade II Listed forecourt gates and piers, the grand fountain, terrace wall between formal and informal parts of the garden, garden seat on the back lawn, Lodge Fach with nearby entrance walls and its gate piers, the former south drive entrance, and the twentieth-century former model dairy (LB 17261). The grounds also contain the Scheduled remains of Trawsgoed Roman fort (SAM CD119; nprn 92311). Trawsgoed belonged to the Vaughan family from the thirteenth century. In the medieval period it was just a farm but from 1547 onwards it developed into one of the largest estates in west Wales, until 1947 when the 7th Earl of Lisburne sold the house and surrounding parkland to the Government. However, a long period of contraction began in the early nineteenth century and continued thereafter. A park already existed by the mid-eighteenth century but the present configuration dates from later in the century. It is a medium-sized park of simple layout to the north-east of the house. The park is bounded by farmland and belts of woodland. On the south-west, along the B4340 road, there is a boundary wall. The main drive is from an entrance on the road at Lodge Fach (LBs 17262-3), skirting the house and gardens beyond which it bifurcates into tracks. A former drive approaches the house from the south (LB 82668). The park consists of large pasture fields, a few clumps, assorted plantations and a wooded backdrop. The south-west part is on level ground but rises to a partly-wooded ridge on the north-east. Most of the scattered trees have gone. The park is now entirely agricultural. The ornamental grounds lie in a roughly rectangular area of more or less level ground between the house and the B4340 road to the south-west. There are four distinct areas: first, the main drive and lime avenue with the north-east front of the house, its forecourt, lawn and iron gates (LB 82653); second, the garden area; third a separate area of mixed coniferous and deciduous ornamental woodland at the southern end of the former south drive; and fourth a belt of mixed woodland flanking the B4340 and forming the west boundary of the grounds, planted ornamentally but has since lost its ornamental function. The garden area lies mainly to the south-west and south of the house and is largely a creation of the late nineteenth century. It occupies a roughly rectangular area with a short extension at the south-west end, and has a formal axis running south-westwards from the house - a central axial walk running its full length from house to boundary. The formal part of the garden is dominated by a level, rectangular lawn with a central ornamental grand fountain (LB 17259), bounded on the south-east side by a grass bank up to the informal area. The lawn is revetted and at its south-west end steps down the terrace wall (LB 17260) take the central path to a lower level where it is flanked by mature specimen conifers. Now winding, it leads to an ornamental, curved, stone bench (LB 82652). Where the path reaches the boundary is a pair of ornate wrought-iron gates flanked by stone piers. Below the south side of the main lawn is the former rose garden laid out with paths and circular beds, now grassed over, and also an ornamental sundial. On the south-east side are three cut tiers, each about 2m high, of random stone with steep grass banks between them. The cross path alongside the rose garden ascends the south-east side of the terracing in three walled flights of stone steps. The informal part of the garden, the upper, area south and south-east of the lawn, divides into three sections. First, the wooded south-west end, dominated by mature conifers, with a path from the lower part of the central path leading to the second area at the top of the terraces which is laid out as lawn with a small wooden pavilion surrounded by ornamental plantings, and a hard tennis court. The third area, woodland area to the north-east, is more open consisting of a grassy glade with a mixed plantings of trees and shrubs. Near the south-east boundary are clumps of bamboos and a rectangular pond at the head of a narrow channel running north-west which feeds water into a Japanese water garden. The garden lies opposite the grand fountain and is ornamented with small cascades, rockwork, pools, flights of steps, a stone Japanese lantern, and exotic plantings. Further woodland on the north-east, next to the forecourt, is dominated by conifers and rhododendrons. Paths through the area end at an ornate, wrought ironwork gate into the forecourt. Setting - The house and grounds are situated above the north-east bank of the river Ystwyth. The parkland landscape was developed to provide an attractive setting for the house. Significant views - From the north-east from of the house and its forecourt there are views across the park to the countryside beyond. Source: Cadw 2002: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire 150-8 (ref: PGW(Dy)53(CER)).