Golden Grove Mansion (Gelli Aur) is located to the south-west of Llandeilo on the north-facing bluff of the Tywi valley (nprn 17391). It was for a long time one of the most important estates in west Wales. It is notable for its park and gardens  which contain many ancient trees, for its quality formal terraces, and for an outstanding arboretum associated with the Victorian house (86163), and also for its walled garden associated with an earlier house (700065).

The land occupied by the park rises from some 50m AOD to 150m AOD. The tithe survey of about 1840 records some 420 acres of park and 183 acres within the demesne lands though much is now occupied by commercial forestry. The southern boundary is delimited by the edge of a plantation, the original boundary masked by forestry. The western edge is marked by a once substantial, but now tumbled, wall. The northern extent (beyond the B4300 Carmarthen road) is marked by the disused railway and the buildings of Gelli Aur Farm. To the east, the boundary is marked by a small stream, plantations and field boundaries, the original again obscured by commercial plantings.

Of the three drives from the east extant in about 1840, two are still in use, whilst the third remains only as a track. The main drive is off the B4300, by East Lodge. It follows a south-westerly course for 1.5km through farmland and forestry, across a stone bridge, Pont-y-wern, and on to the mansion. It continues westwards past the mansion and stable block passing through the inner west gate of the domestic grounds. It continues on as the west drive, lined by an avenue of lime trees thought to pre-date 1860, partly replanted. The exit is on a minor road near West Lodge and its adjacent gate piers. The second drive, also off the B4300 west of the main drive, runs past the walled garden from North Lodge (403931) and on to a second lodge, Eagle Lodge, and across grazed parkland to join the main drive west of the bridge. The third carriage drive approaches from the south-west along a stony track through forestry south of the mansion, eventually linking with the main drive to the east of the bridge.

Today, the area is a country park, but the forestry is owned by the Cawdor Estate. To the north of the amenity buildings (adjacent to the mansion) is a small deer park of 10 acres bounded by a 2.5m high wall on the north, by modern deer wire on the east and west, and on the south mostly by the wall of the garden north terrace. To the east of the deer park is more typical, grazed open parkland that originally covered some 63 acres. In the woodland west of the walled garden are the remains of a circular icehouse (405495).

Throughout the area are numerous ancient oaks, growing in 1717 when the parkland was described as `delicately wooded'. Improvements made in the 1780s included the planting of many exotics including Weymouth pine, silver fir, Spanish chestnut and cedar of Lebanon. South of the house and arboretum, the north-facing hillside is now mostly recent forestry but with some mature oaks amongst the conifers. The double-domed reservoir that formerly supplied the house with drinking water also survives. In the centre of the plantation is a small, steep-sided valley cut by a small stream. On its northern edge is a walk or track which, at the turn of the nineteenth century, would have afforded dramatic views.

Sources:
Cadw 2002: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, 26-31 (ref: PGW(Dy)10(CAM)).
Additional notes: D.K.Leighton

RCAHMW, 28 March 2022