The site of Dunraven Castle, now demolished (nprn 18581), lies on an exposed and elevated position on the northern flank of the Trwyn y Witch headland on the Bristol Channel, to the south of St Brides Major. The castle was located in parkland (700001). Its pleasure grounds were situated on the north-facing slope to the north-west of the house, and to its south and south-east, on ground sloping down from the house towards the sea cliffs that bound them on the south side. They were probably laid out during the rebuilding of the house in the first decade of the nineteenth century.

In 1877 the whole area was bounded by a wall or fence, long gone, and was well wooded. Only the area to the south-east of the house remains wooded, much of it with seedling sycamores, though once densely planted with trees. In about 1840 walks were laid out along the south cliff of the headland leading down to the Witch's Point, and these remain as narrow winding paths. But little remains of the grounds layout shown in 1877 which included informal walks, steps, and several built features, including a fountain south of the walled garden, a conservatory to its south-east, and the flagstaff on the headland top. A ruined stone structure built into the middle of the south-west wall of the walled garden may belong to this period. An old photograph of the north-west front of the house shows that the garden immediately round the house was largely lawn, bounded by a stone revetment wall, with a small pavilion in the west corner. Today this area is all grass; some of the revetment wall remains, but the pavilion has gone. 

The drive from the north-west curves through the grounds south of the walled garden (700002), and runs up the hill to the forecourt. It has stunted horse chestnuts and sycamores on either side. The area south of the walled garden has been largely taken over by seedling sycamores, with a few young pines and some mature dead trees. The fountain has gone, although there is a slight mound in the middle of the area where it probably stood. An ancient yew stands near the south wall of the walled garden.

Sources:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan, 224-7 (ref: PGW(Gm)4(GLA)).
Ordnance Survey First-Edition six-inch map, sheet: Glamorgan XLIV (1877).

RCAHMW, 26 November 2020