Landshipping, to the south-east of Haverfordwest, is noted for the extremely well-preserved and impressive earthwork remains of a large and complex, seventeenth-century formal garden with terraces, ponds and paths (nprn 95608). Two walled gardens are adjacent to the former house which may be incorporated within the walls. 

The site of the garden area is about a kilometre to the east of Landshipping Quay and a kilometre south-east of Landshipping hamlet, on the east side of the Cleddau estuary. The exact site of Old Landshipping House is not known. It was ruinous in 1811 and was demolished soon after. The walled areas may incorporate part of the house complex.

The walled area forms two adjoining enclosures, long axis north-east by south-west. Blocked entrances, some with architectural elements and other structural details, together with variations in ground level, suggest a complex history of construction possibly related to the former presence of the house. The lack of documentary evidence means that there is some conjecture as to the precise use of the walled area but it is likely that it was, at least in part, used as pleasure grounds/gardens, with a horticultural use for at least part of it.

The larger area is on the north-east. Its partly-tumbled walls rise to 3m high, mostly brick on the south and west, stone elsewhere. A small square building in the south-west corner may have been a summer house alongside an entrance through the dividing wall into the west garden area. The adjoining smaller enclosure (the ‘north-west walled area’) is again built of mixed brick and stone, walls rising to a maximum height of 3m. Four brick pilasters are clearly evident in the east dividing wall. The south wall, built of two brick skins with a rubble and mortar core, was also reinforced by brick pilasters separating blocked apertures. Abutting part of the external west wall are the foundations of a possible small square building, perhaps a summer house.

Extensive garden earthworks lie to the south-east (95608).

Source:
Cadw 2002: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, 240-3 (ref: PGW(Dy)35(PEM)).

RCAHMW, 8 March 2022