Kilgetty mansion was located on high ground just to the north of the village of Stepaside. It is registered as a historic asset for the survival of the structure of a pleasure garden and enclosed park extant in the mid-eighteenth century and probably dating to the second half of the seventeenth century when the mansion was built. To the east of the garden are the impressive ruins of a classical summerhouse of some sophistication with later belvedere tower (nprn 23123). There is archival evidence that the gardens were once ornamented with parterres, water features and statues.

The mansion was abandoned in the mid eighteenth century and later demolished. It is now an overgrown ruin, but there is still evidence of the garden to the south-east. The garden covers an area of 2.5 ha. (6 acres) and measures some 240m long (WNW-ESE) by 105m wide on the south-east, tapering slightly to 101m wide at the north-western end. The enclosing wall is constructed of local stone, mortared slabs and blocks, and is largely demolished, in whole or in part. It is best preserved on the north-eastern long side where it survives to 2.45m high. The wall appears to have had a similar height on the south-eastern short side, though it is now considerably demolished (apparently recently), and is buttressed in the south-east corner. It is least well preserved on the other long side and it seems likely that it was originally considerably lower here. The north-western wall appears to have been partly altered by the construction of later stone buildings, but the original garden entrance survives in an off-centre position.

Inside the walled enclosure the land is now used mainly for pasture. The north-western quadrant, however, is occupied by a motor repair workshop, a scrap metal dump and a small number of caravans. The stone and brick walls which partition this part of the garden appear to be original features, though there are otherwise no garden earthworks visible hereabouts. On the south side of this area lie earthworks possibly associated with the garden. A shallow semi-circular hollow about 15m in diameter may represent a former pond though the local history of coal pit shaft-sinking may explain the feature. To the immediate south are two distinct 'blocks' of cultivation ridges separated from the 'pond' partly by an old hedgeline, partly by a low bank. Those to the north are broad, indistinct, 1m or so wide and no more than 0.05m high. At right angles to these, on the south, is a series of narrower ridges, more sharply profiled, less than 0.5m wide and up to 0.1m high. While it is possible that these ridges, particularly the broader ones, relate to the historic garden, a more likely explanation is that they reflect market gardening activity of much more recent date.

The wall separated the garden from parkland beyond it. Early surveys showed a deer park and an area called The Paddock enclosed by a stone wall extending over the undulating south-west facing ground to the south-west of the mansion and walled garden. To the west and south runs a small stream running through Pleasant Valley which eventually enters the sea, to the south-east at Wiseman’s Bridge. The park wall survives to a maximum height of 3m although tumbled in places. Otherwise much of its former character in respect of parkland trees and circular plantings has gone though a clump and a small pond lie just outside the walled garden. A plan of 1743 shows the mansion and its outbuildings. One small building by the entrance where a track from the north-west enters the house boundary is now ruinous but may have been a lodge.

C.S.Briggs, RCAHMW, 18 October 2005

Source:

Cadw 2002: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, 228-32 (ref: PGW(Dy)33(PEM))

Additional notes: D.K.Leighton