Shirenewton Hall (nprn 20837) is situated on the southern edge of the village of Shirenewton, on a high plateau above the Gwent coastal plain. The gardens are in three distinct areas: those around the house; the Japanese garden in the field to the south (700234); and the kitchen garden west of the house (700235). The gardens are chiefly the creation of Edward Lowe and Charles Liddell, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The grounds are entered from the north through ornamental gates and flanked by a lodge (20839). A curving drive leads to a turning area - with a central Chinese fountain in a planted area - in front of the west side of the house.
The garden is bounded by a high wall on the west, a wall and outbuildings on the north, fencing on the east and a ha-ha on the south. Around the house are terraced gardens and informal areas. The terraces lie to the south and east of the house. Along the south front is a stone-paved terrace with a circular pool in a wider area opposite a loggia at the eastern end, with a Chinese bronze bowl in the centre of the pool. Below is a long grass terrace bounded by clipped yew hedges, below which is a further levelled lawn bounded by the ha-ha. There are similar levelled compartments to the east of the house. In these are set several Chinese structures, the largest a raised platform bounded by green and yellow glazed tiling on which stands a pavilion housing a bronze bell; its roof has elaborate glazed tiling. To the east a smaller pavilion of similar materials is used as a summer house; it has a marble sundial on a stone crouching monster in front of it (23107). Further east is a small square pavilion with four columns holding up a domed copper roof.
The informal areas lie to the west, north-east and south-east of the house, planted with well-spaced specimen deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, with grass between.

The ha-ha (probably early nineteenth century) separates the gardens from an area of grassland portrayed as parkland by Ordnance Survey in 1900. Although small, it still retains parkland character with clumps of trees and a pool. Within it lies the Japanese garden (700234)

Sources:
Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Gwent, 138-40 (ref: PGW (Gt)46(MON)).
Ordnance Survey second-edition six-inch map: sheet Monmouthshire XXX NE (1900).

RCAHMW, 10 June 2022

Site Record

Shirenewton Hall Garden and Grounds, Shirenewton