Moynes Court, an early seventeenth-century house on a medieval site (nprn 20438), is located to the south of Chepstow, situated between Matharn Palace on the east (266065) and St Pierre Park on the west (266052).
Moynes Court became the seat of the Bishops of Llandaff after moving from Matharn Palace in the seventeenth century before moving to Cardiff in the following century. Aside from the house itself Moynes Court is notable for historic interest of its Tudor walled garden and (probably) medieval fishpond. It is also associated with a medieval gatehouse (20439) and with the medieval moated site (308006).
The gardens lie to the northwest, northeast and southeast of the house. They are largely laid out to lawns, with perimeter borders and a few specimen trees. No planting is earlier than the twentieth century. To the northeast is a rectangular walled area between the gatehouse and the house, with a central paved path between the two. To the south-east is a square walled garden with perimeter and central paths, and a seventeenth or eighteenth-century stone sundial in the centre. All walls are high and of stone, mostly standing to their full height.
The surviving walled gardens are likely to be of the same date as the alterations to the house in the late sixteenth century. A map of 1669 shows the approach from the northeast along a tree-lined drive, the house and gatehouse, and a walled garden to the southeast of the house, where the present-day walled garden is. The garden layout is shown schematically.
Northwest of the house is an open area of garden on a steep slope at the bottom of which is a rectilinear pond. This part of the garden is probably medieval in origin. A garden at Moynes Court is mentioned in Inquisitions Post Mortem in 1307 and 1340.
Sources:
Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Gwent, p.105 (ref: PGW (Gt)34(MON)).
Ordnance Survey first-edition 25-inch map, sheet: Monmouth. XXXI.5 (1881).
RCAHMW air photos: 94-CS 0461-2; 945065/52-3.
RCAHMW, 21 July 2022