PGW(C)13(DEN)

Ruthin Castle  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Denbighshire  

Ruthin  

312045  

357563  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Landscape park; formal garden; shrubbery walks.  

1849-52.  

Registered for the historic interest of its mid-nineteenth century garden set within the castle ruins and wider landscape park. In 1677 the medieval castle of Ruthin came into the hands of the Myddletons of Chirk. By 1826 Frederick West, who had married a Myddleton heiress, had built the earliest part of the new castle situated within the south-east corner of the ruins of the thirteenth-century castle (DE022; LB 825). Further building occurred mid-century under the direction of noted architect Henry Clutton, creating what is now the Ruthin Castle Hotel (LB 1347). There is also group value with the listed gateway & lodge (LB 841), the north boundary wall to the grounds (LB 826), the boundary wall to rear garden (LB 840), and the early nineteenth-century screen wall and folly on the east boundary (LB 827). Castle Park is a medium-sized park to the west and south-west of the castle. The land falls sharply to the south-west into the valley of the River Clwyd before rising again on the gentler slopes of Coed y Galchog, Coed y gawen and Coed Merchon. A park was present here in the early sixteenth century, known as ‘Ruthin Parke’, later ‘Castle Park’ but its origins may be medieval. The parkland was extended in about 1850 to the south-east when the new castle was being extended by Clutton, who also re-routed the Corwen road. The park is bounded on the west by woodland and the A494, on the east by Corwen Road, and on the south it tapers to a point at the roads’ junction. The present main entrance drive, with its gateway and lodge, is on the north-east at the end of Castle Street, approaching the forecourt on the south front of the hotel. The moving of the Corwen road allowed the building of a drive to the south which takes in part of the old Corwen road and the stone bridge (LB: 87352) over the river, creating a picturesque and more dramatic approach. This layout is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (1879) where the south drive continues east crossing the mill race and the Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen railway to a lodge (now the A525). The park is thinly planted, isolated oaks scattered throughout. Other planting of note includes stretches of lime and mixed deciduous avenue along the southern drive. The garden layout was probably initiated by the Myddleton-Wests during their improvements between 1849 and 52 and is little changed since the first-edition Ordnance Survey map depiction of 1879 (surveyed 1874), except for subsequent building. The formal pleasure gardens lie within the ruins of the medieval castle with the ruins of the castle ornamented as garden features. The formal path layout is shown on the OS first edition as is the fountain. The Sales Particulars (1919) refer to this garden as the Fountain Garden. A contemporary description of the garden is provided in the Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardner (1891) ‘The grounds are entered by massive oaken doors from nearly the centre of the quaint old town bearing the name, and from entrance to exit as we pass along circuitous paths, and through subterranean passages, we are held spell-bound by the enchanting interest of the various scenes presented. Nature and Art on every hand seem to have successfully combined to render the once scene of conflict, strife and bloodshed, a scene of peaceful and perfect beauty.’ It describes the underground passages and dungeons ‘from which we hurriedly escaped with a feeling of relief’ into the ‘Little Flower Garden’ (the Fountain Garden) designed and laid out by the head gardener, Mr H Forder. The castle ruins were ‘ivy clad’ for picturesque effect as a backdrop to the gardens. The grounds immediately south of the castle were laid out with sweeping lawns and planted with shrubs and specimen trees, curving paths interspersed between plantings. The moat was also planted with specimen trees, mostly conifers. A shrubbery made in the twentieth century, south-west of the castle, is a series of informal island beds and perimeter beds with curving edges, entirely of shrub and tree plantings. To its south-east is a gorsedd circle. The walled kitchen garden lies to the southeast of the castle adjacent to the Corwen Road. It is enclosed by high stone walls with terracotta coping. The kitchen garden is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey with perimeter and cross paths with some areas of glass at the north end. The Sales Particulars (1919) refer to a rose pergola in the centre. This internal layout has gone. The 1891 article refers to ‘limited glass accommodation’ but notes vineries, a lean-to house, two span-roofed houses and other glasshouses. The article also provides an insight into the irrigation system for the garden, which was connected to the stables and house, and providing a plentiful supply from a reservoir in the park, carried by pipes to tanks all over the garden. Sources: Cadw 1995: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Clwyd, 233-234 (ref: PGW(C) 13). First-edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map: Denbighshire XIX.7 (1874). 'Ruthin Castle', J. Hort. and Cottage Gardener, 16 April 1891, pp. 306-07. Ordnance Survey first-edition six-inch map, sheet: Denbighshire XIX (1879)