PGW(Gt)8(MON)

Mounton House  

II*  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Monmouthshire  

Mathern  

351578  

192795  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Arts-and-Crafts Edwardian garden, with formal and wild element.  

1907-1912.  

Registered for its historic interest as an Arts and Crafts layout consisting of approach, formal gardens and wild gardens by Henry Avray Tipping (1855-1933) and providing the setting to Mounton House (Cadw LB: 24061) and the ancillary buildings. Mounton was the second and grandest home of H Avray Tipping who lived in the house from 1912 to 1922, when he gave it to his brother’s godson, Major H.C.L Holden of Brasted, and moved to High Glanau near Trellech. The integrated layout consisting of Mounton House, the ancillary buildings and gardens, were designed as a whole and constructed in 1910-1912 by H. Avray Tipping in collaboration with the architect Eric Francis (1887-1976). It stands on a level plateau with a precipitous slope below it to the north-west. It is approached by a long drive from the village of Pwllmeyric. Near the house the drive enters a wide approach with wide grass verges between buttressed stone walls, flanked by outbuildings and cottages, in the same style as the house. The house is set back from the approach with a square forecourt and a central grass circle. The gardens have two main components: the formal gardens, which lie mainly to the south-west and south-east around the house; and the wild gardens in woodland to the south-west of the house and on the steep slope of the gorge to the north-west. The formal gardens on the north side of the house consist of the approach, forecourt and pergola (Cadw LB: 24081). The stone pergola stands at the north-west end of the approach, on the edge of the gorge, from which there is a view of the valley below. A winding track leads down the side of the gorge from the pergola. The formal gardens to the south-west and south-east of the house consist of a series of rectilinear compartments. Immediately in front of the house is a long stone terrace, with a long, grass bowling-green running parallel to the terrace below, surrounded on all but the north-east side by clipped yew hedging. This is rectangular with apsidal ends. To the south-east is the cruciform pergola garden with simple stone piers surrounding a rectangular pool (Cadw LB: 24074). This was a tribute to William Robinson and was originally planted with roses and wisterias trained along the beams of the pergola. In the east corner of this garden is a two-storey timber framed pavilion, called the tea house (Cadw LB:24080) which overlooks a rectangular lawn to the south-east. To the north-east is a raised, stone flagged area called the parterre garden, with walls around it on all but the south-west side. To the south-east of the lawn and parterre garden are two grass tennis courts surrounded by clipped yew hedging. To the south-west of the formal gardens is an area of semi-natural woodland, with mixed deciduous and coniferous trees planted on its fringes. This was originally part of the wild garden and was laid out with planted rockeries and paths. A small pool and rockwork survive near the top of this area. In 1907 Tipping bought land at the foot of the Mounton gorge and constructed a water garden in natural style around the winding stream. This area (now in separate ownership) is now mostly grassed, but a small arched bridge, a small pool and a few trees and shrubs remain of the landscaping. The stream is partly canalized between stone walls. The original kitchen garden, the walls of which remain, was located on the north-east side of the approach, opposite the parterre garden. Source: Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest: Gwent (ref: PGW(Gt)8(MON)).