The Hendre, a picturesque mansion initially built as a hunting lodge in c.1830 but subsequently altered and enlarged (nprn 37025), is located about 5km west of Monmouth. Associated with the mansion is a well-preserved nineteenth-century landscape park with seventeenth century origins (700386), the remains of nineteenth-century formal gardens and arboretum, and a well-preserved nineteenth-century walled kitchen garden (700387). The Hendre has historical associations with the Rolls family who were pioneers of aviation and motoring. The immediate surroundings of the house and gardens are now used as a golf course.

The gardens and pleasure grounds lie to the southeast, south and west of the house. They were made from the middle of the nineteenth century onwards. To the east, southeast and south are level terraced lawns. The lawns are bounded by a retaining wall and ballustrading aside from that to the south of the house which is bounded by a ha-ha. In the southeast corner is a sunken garden with a small circular pond and cast-iron fountain at the centre with the remains of formal beds and paths around it. At the north end of this lawn is a small pavilion. The south-east lawn was originally planted with zig-zag clipped yew hedges which were used to shelter late-flowering perennials.

To the west of the house is the arboretum. Within this area is a long walk, running north-north-east/south-south-west, flanked by cypress trees. Known as the Cypress or Cunard Walk (said to be as long as the deck of a Cunard liner) it was originally planted with Lawson’s cypress and Western red cedar, although most have gone and been replaced by other cypress trees. To the west is an informal pond with Pulhamite rockwork at the inlet (north) end backed by a small grove of yew.
Visitors of the gardens in about 1900 mention these features and many notable tree specimens, calling the pleasure gardens 'free and varied', praising the planting, which consisted of annuals, perennials, many flowering and coloured foliage shrubs, and the varied coniferous and deciduous trees in what is now called the arboretum.
The whole of the garden and arboretum area is now surrounded by the golf course.

The walled kitchen garden lies to the north of the house.

This garden is depicted on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map of Monmouthshire VIII, sheet 14 (1901). 

Sources:
Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Gwent, 45-46 (ref: PGW (Gt)17(MON)). Ordnance Survey six-inch map, sheet: Monmouthshire VIII (editions of 1886; 1902; 1922); 25-inch map, sheet: Monmouthshire VIII.14 (1901; 1920). 
RCAHMW air photos: 94-CS 0379-81; 945053/50-1; 965071/50.

RCAHMW, 22 July 2022