Glanrhyd Hospital is located to the north-west of Bridgend, in the suburb of Pen-y-fai, on the west bank of the Ogmore river. It was originally opened in November 1864 as the Glamorgan County Lunatic Asylum at Angelton, Bridgend, renamed Glanrhyd Hospital in 1948, when it was taken over by the National Health Service. It is notable for the survival, more or less intact, of the designed gardens and grounds of a mid-nineteenth century asylum landscape. Few gardens and grounds of this unusual category survive, and here they are still in use by a modern hospital. The formal gardens are of great interest in having separate compartments, or 'airing courts'.

The gardens and grounds were an integral part of the original layout. They date to  c.1862, when the hospital was built and the whole laid out in the manner to that of a country house of the same period. The lay-out was complete by 1875. There was a lodge, drive, formal gardens around the house and a circuit walk around the grounds beyond.
The gardens lie on level ground around and to the south of the buildings. All have a formal structure and divide into three distinct areas: the north end, around the chapel, the least formal with lawns, paths and planted trees; the second area, bounded by the north block of the hospital on the north and west sides, is a square compartment with lawns, beds, paths and planted trees; the third area is to the south of the main block, four compartments extensively laid out and planted.

The formal gardens are of particular interest in their separate compartments, or 'airing courts'. The attractive stone of the buildings and garden walls, the lawns and fine mature trees give the gardens of the hospital a pleasant atmosphere. The specialist nature of the gardens is revealed in the way they are subdivided by high walls, making it possible to seal off each compartment.

To the south of the gardens, between the river and the road, is a large, roughly circular field which contains an informal perimeter walk, ponds, a lodge and some tree planting. This is an integral part of the original layout. At the north end of the site is a field that was formerly laid out with straight walks dividing it into six rectangular sections. There is evidence that this area was at one time used for fruit and vegetable production.

Source:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan (ref: PGW(Gm)10(BRI)).

RCAHMW, 5 July 2022