Hafodunos, a large Victorian mansion (nprn 27268), is situated on a south-east-facing slope in rolling countryside to the south-west of Llangernyw. The house was originally approached by drives from the south-west and north-east, each with a lodge. Although there are some mature oaks in the field north-east of the house, the land around Hafodunos is not laid out strictly as a park. Rather, the emphasis was on the woodland areas which break up this linear tract running mostly south-west from the house. The south-west drive, with monkey puzzles lining parts of it, is situated along this length of land, but is now unused. The estate is now entered from the north-east lodge (27270).

An older garden was attached to the previous house but the layout of the garden today, except for the walled garden (xxxxxx), is of nineteenth-century date. The ornamental planting is mostly of the nineteenth century and dates from 1831, with planting continuing into the turn of the century. Much of the planting was carried out by Henry Robertson Sandbach in the latter half of the nineteenth century with help from J.D. Hooker, and many of the plant introductions are thought to have been suggested by him.

The pleasure garden falls into two distinct areas. The first area is the terraces and borders immediately to the south of the house. The second area is the woodland walks of the Nant Rhan-hir to the south-east of the house. Looking south from the terrace of the house the ground drops gently to a tributary of the Elwy and then rises into a bank on the south-west which has a walk along the top with glimpsed views back to the house. Apart from the terrace and borders the whole area is luxuriantly planted with rhododendrons and other shrubs, and exotic conifers.

The stream and woodland walks which lie to the south-east of this area are reached by informal walks, now heavily overgrown, from the terraced garden. Two stone bridges cross the stream of the Nant Rhan-hir, making a small circuit walk. A path leads north-eastwards along the valley side to the walled garden. This area of woodland is also planted with exotic species. 

Sources:

Cadw 1995: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Clwyd, 116-8 (ref: PGW(C)9).

Ordnance Survey, 25-inch map: Denbighshire X.IV, (third edition 1910); six-inch map: Denbighshire XI.NE (second edition 1900).

RCAHMW, 21 October 2020