Miskin Manor (nprn 19349), a largely nineteenth-century mansion now run as an hotel, is situated towards the south-east end of parkland on the north-east side of the Ely valley to the south-east of Pontyclun. Road building in the 1960s truncated the outlying parts of the park but also impinged on the gardens which lie around the house (see 700157). 
The main gardens, which possibly originate and developed from the seventeenth century onwards, fall into several areas to the east, south, and west of the house, on ground falling away towards the Ely valley to the west. Both the original drive from the north-west and the modern drive from the east, approach forecourt on the west front, now a car park. This is the revetted top terrace in a series of three descending to the north-west. To its north is an area of large pine trees in grass. At its south end flights of steps lead down to a path leading to a woodland belt on the edge of the valley. The middle terrace is a lawn with an open-sided pavilion at its north end and where steps lead down to the lower terrace which is partly grass and partly overgrown. Below the terraces to their north-west, is a modern car park in an area of mixed mature trees, some specimen, and below a small pond.

To the south and east of the house are large terraced lawns bounded on the east and west by yew hedges with stone ‘mythical beasts’ against the taller sections. South of the house two terraced lawns are bounded on the south by a ha-ha. East of the house the lawn is bounded by a low revetment wall with a flight of steps to a grass walk and a tall topiary yew hedge cut into arches. Beyond is an area of mixed woodland with large specimen trees including acers, a wellingtonia and magnolias. Along the south side there is a yew hedge and a sundial.

North-west of the house is a triangular area of wooded grounds abutting the kitchen garden (700158). A rock-lined stream emerges from under it flanked by former paths cut into the slopes above which are rows of overgrown pleached beech trees and a parallel yew hedge. Box and bamboo are also planted in the area. At the south end of the wood the stream cutting forms a small valley ornamented with paths, steps, bridges and a series of small ponds around which are plantings of bamboos, acers, pines, and Chusan palms. The west boundary here is marked by a likely ha-ha.

Sources:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan, 140-3 (ref: PGW(Gm)9(RCT)).
Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25-inch map, sheets: Glamorgan XLII.1 & 6 (1874).

RCAHMW, 13 May 2022