PGW(Gd)22(GWY)

Broom Hall  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Gwynedd  

Llanystumdwy  

241241  

336983  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Park with woodland and double drive, terraced gardens, shrubbery's, kitchen garden.  

Late eighteenth/early nineteenth century; early twentieth century.  

Registered as a park and garden contemporary with the 1790s house. The park was later enlarged and terracing was added in the garden. There are some excellent trees and other plantings in the grounds which also incorporates an unusual double drive. The registered park and garden has important group value with the grade II* listed late eighteenth century gentry house, the grade II listed Tower gatehouse and the grade II listed kitchen garden walls and associated structures. Broom Hall, built in the period 1779-82 (LB: 21586; NPRN 26087) is situated very close to the south coast of the Lleyn Peninsula, between Pwllheli and Criccieth. It is built on a slight rise, facing south-east. Although close to the sea there is no view of it as the site is not sufficiently elevated and the location is not an exposed one. The park, of about 30 acres, lies to the south and south-west of the house and was laid out when the house was built. It consists of a larger (northern) and a smaller (southern) enclosure, sloping gently to the south and north respectively; there is a low-lying, damp area between them, through which runs a small stream. There is an extensive belt of mixed, mainly deciduous, trees along the south-west boundary, and another belt of trees flanking the drive on the north-east; the latter contains a wide variety of trees and varied under-plantings, especially of rhododendrons. The north-western and south-eastern boundaries are also mostly screened by trees, and further mature trees, including some conifers, dot the parkland. Both areas are maintained by light grazing. The park is separated from the garden by a ha-ha. A line of irregularly-placed large natural boulders, with some trees, crosses the park and marks the parish boundary between Llanystumdwy and Llannor. The drive is unusual in that it approaches from the south in two parallel lanes. The drive to the house approaches from West Lodge and that to the farm from East Lodge. They are separated by walls and a belt of trees and shrubs. The main drive originally approached the house through the gatehouse arch but has since been re-routed to pass to the west of this. The earlier layout is shown on the tithe, with the lodges and second drive being added by 1888 (first edition Ordnance Survey). The main feature of the garden is the shallow terraces on three levels south-east of the house. These are lawned with plantings only down the sides and under the retaining walls. A ha-ha runs along the south-west side of the gardens separating the gardens from the park. However, the view across the terraces into the park is now obscured by the growth of trees and shrubs planted along the ha-ha at the far edge of the bottom terrace. The areas to the south-west and north-east of the house, now more or less wooded, probably started out as shrubberies with walks through them which have in many cases survived. The terraced area seems previously to have had a similar layout, with shrubs and curving paths, though it was probably more open - a sloping lawn with groups of shrubs as shown on historic Ordnance Survey maps. To the south-west, between house and woodland, are some smaller enclosures. One, adjacent to the walled garden, was planted, with roses especially, as a ‘garden of remembrance’ to a previous owner who died in a flying accident. Gardens were laid out when the house was built (1779-82) but these were modified after 1840 and the present lay-out established in the twentieth century. Many of the trees are probably original plantings made at the time of the first change of design. They include beeches and two enormous conifers near the stable-yard. Other varieties include oak, various pines and firs and exotic conifers. There are smaller ornamental trees such as magnolia, maple and bay. On the low grassy terrace next to the paved courtyard is a large, mature cork oak. At the far end of the lowest terrace, near the ha-ha, is a monkey-puzzle. The kitchen garden (LB: 21587) lies at the rear, north-west side, of the house. It is rectangular, built of rubble stone on three sides, around 2.5m high; the north-west side is lined with hand-made brick; the north-east wall is brick throughout. The path layout is shown on the 25-inch OS (1889) and is still visible beneath the turf on aerial photographs. There are three derelict glasshouses on the north wall. On the outside of the wall is a brick-built boiler-house and another small lean-to building, both derelict. Against the outside of the north-east garden wall are two other small buildings one of which is brick-built and accessible only through a door from the garden. On the south-eastern edge of the garden are several more buildings, with some small enclosures outside the garden wall. Setting: Broom Hall is situated very close to the south coast of the Lleyn Peninsula, between Pwllheli and Criccieth, and is built on a slight rise, facing south-east. The coast is only just over a kilometre away but there is no view of the sea, as the site is not sufficiently elevated. A small rocky ridge between the park and the sea evidently provides some shelter, and the position is not an exposed one, as can be clearly seen by the size and quality of the trees. Source: Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 156-9 (ref: PGW(Gd)22(GWY).