Gardens associated with Pontfaen House (Nprn307625), Pontfaen Cottage (Nprn305954) and farm holding (Nprn307450): depicted on OS County series (Cardigan. XXXIV.10 1888, 1905).

The Cellan tithe map (1843) depicts Pontfaen Cottage (Nprn305954) together with a second building, presumably a barn, immediately to the east; a third building is probably the existing 'mash house' (Nprn305955): to the west is Cae Bach, a field or paddock, some 20m by 40m, where, by 1888, Pontfaen House (Nprn307625) had been built, the field being adapted as a garden.

OS County series 1st ed. (1888) depicts the following features-
* Layout
The farmyard, flanked on the north by barns/cattle-sheds (presently Pontfaen Court - Nprn305955), was approach from the public road by a lane, skirting around the cottage gardens: branching off this lane a drive led into the farmhouse garden, describing a loop before the house: to the north of the farmhouse garden and Nythfa (Nprn307627) was a possible orchard, about 20m by 30m: to the east of Pontfaen cottage was a further area of garden, not differentiated from the farmhouse garden - most of this area appears to have been a yard, with possible beds, or grassed areas to the south & south-east.
* Planting
Conifers are shown on the west & south sides of Cae Bach/the farmhouse garden, as well as one east of Pontfaen cottage; others depicted appear to have been on the far side of the Ffrwd Cynon: there are fruit trees on the southern side of the farmhouse garden and on the eastern of the lane from the road, as well as in the possible orchard area.

OS County series 2nd ed. (1905) depicts the following alterations-
*Layout
Pontfaen cottage garden is distinguished from the farmhouse garden.
*Planting
A conifer is depicted in the area between the lane and the public road.

Present Condition (2003)
The farmhouse garden is presently in a neglected condition, but the looping drive can still be traced: there are now no conifers in the area of Cae Bach, which is bounded by mature ash trees: the area between the drive and Pontfaen cottage garden is an overgrown shrubbery, with mature trees, some possibly survivals from the original field boundaries depicted in 1843.
Pontfaen cottage garden has been much altered in recent years, although the general layout, a lawn surrounded by narrow beds, seperated from the cottage by a gravelled strip, may have originated before recent changes: a variagated holly tree may be the conifer depicted in 1887: there are also two mature fruit trees, with laurels planted in the beds.
The eastern part of the orchard is a lawned cottage garden, attached to Nythfa, the western part containing a recent, but disused, swimming pool, screened from the farmhouse garden by a conifer hedge: other recent features include a two-storey wooden 'Wendy house' and a small private chapel at SN60714924, about 78m to the north-west.
In the area bounded by the stream, the lane and the road are several mature fir trees, possibly those depicted in 1905, or 1887.
Pontfaen Court (Nprn305955) has dedicated garden eareas to the north & west.

See also Nprn309422 for possible shrubbery walk.

J.Wiles 15.01.03