PGW(Po)45(POW)

Plas Llangattock  

II*  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Powys  

Llangattock  

321239  

217860  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

1930s plantswoman's garden, rich in botanical interest, within a historic setting; ornamental kitchen garden.  

Eighteenth century; early nineteenth century; c. 1937.  

Plas Llangattock is registered as the well-preserved and very fine gardens associated with the eighteenth-century gentry house and containing two seventeenth-century cottage plots and the line of the old village road. The kitchen garden includes an exceptional early nineteenth-century curved lean-to glasshouse (listed grade II*). The garden, re-designed in the 1930s, laid out mainly in 1937, is a good example of a plantswoman’s garden, rich in botanical interest, it adopted the idea of ‘garden rooms’ popularised at the time by gardeners such as Lawrence Johnston and Vita Sackville-West. The grounds also have important group value with the other estate buildings and features including the listed house, barn and pigsties, entrance gates and gate piers and glasshouse. Plas Llangattock lies to the north-east of Llangattock village, partly hidden behind a high stone boundary wall which runs along its eastern side, along the village road. The house (LB: 6677) dates to the eighteenth century and is situated on a terrace within the oval-shaped gardens. The garden, laid out mainly in 1937, is divided into several areas, taking advantage of an earlier layout denoted by walled enclosures. A large lawn is situated to the front of the house enclosed by informal shrub and tree planting, and bordered to the east and south-east by small formal gardens, within the old stone wall divisions. The circular lawn descends in two large terraces. A series of rocky paths along the north-east side of the lawn appear to date from around 1937. A stone ha-ha separates the gardens from the meadow beyond. The meadow is bordered by the Nant Onneu which flows into the river Usk. A small nineteenth century footbridge crosses the stream. To the south of the stream there is a relict orchard. Both the orchard and the meadow are recorded on the tithe map of 1845. The grounds are entered at the north-east end of the garden through a pair of ornamental wrought iron gates fixed to dressed stone piers (LB: 20725). Similar gates are found elsewhere in the locality and are thought to have been made in a forge in Glangrwyne. The drive leads to the house continuing roughly in a loop around the lawn. A service drive branches off alongside the house connecting to the courtyard and stable court. The drive is enclosed along its east side by a high rubble stone wall. This wall creates the north-west boundary of a pair of former cottage plots. The plots are now gardens within which is an exceptional early nineteenth century wrought iron framed glasshouse (LB: 20726, grade II*). The former boiler house, which provided heating for the glasshouse, is to the rear of the north wall. Setting: Situated in the Usk valley at the north end of the historic village of Llangattock and 0.15km from the church of St Cattwg. Plas Llangattock makes an important contribution to the Crickhowell and Llangattock Conservation Area. Significant Views: Views from the registered park and garden towards the church, village and surrounding fields. Longer views towards the surrounding hills. Sources: Cadw 1999: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Powys, pp.206-209, PGW (Po)45(POW).