Llanharan House, a large classical mansion built before 1750, is situated on a south-east facing slope to the east of the village of Llanharan (nprn 19178). It lies within a roughly triangular park, apex to the north, the house at centre. The park probably dates from the mid-eighteenth century, further developed after 1806. It runs down to the village on the west, farmland and woodland on the east and north boundaries, and the long southern boundary is the A473 Llanharan-Llantrisant road.

The main entrance is in the middle of the south side, off the A473, through low curving stone walls. High walls continue to the east and west along the park boundary, inside them a belt of deciduous trees. At a point south of the house the boundary wall branches north-west and runs up the slope to form the west boundary of the garden (265732). A gravel drive from the entrance bifurcates immediately; the west branch curves north-west and sweeps round in front of the house, the east branch runs north up the slope and on to the courtyards at the rear and to the east of the house.  

The house is backed by a belt of deciduous woodland and conifer plantation on the hill behind it, while in front a ha-ha forms the garden boundary allowing a fine view over the bulk of the park. To the south-east of the house a large smooth grass slope is planted with a few isolated oaks and a cedar. Two large copper beeches on its northern edge are enclosed in iron fencing. In the south-east corner of the park are two rectangular fishponds roughly orientated east by west. The larger, upper (western) one holds water and is dammed at its east end; the dam once supported statues but only plinths remain. Its southern side is tree-fringed, the northern side bounded by iron railings. The lower pond to the east is partly silted up and has bamboos and some rhododendrons growing around it. A narrow lawn area to the south of the ponds is planted with ornamental trees and shrubs. To their north is an east-west row of oaks that may be a former field boundary. The east boundary of the park is also marked by oaks. 

Sources:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan, 136-9 (ref: PGW(Gm)16(RCT)).
Ordnance Survey Second-Edition six-inch map, sheet: Glamorgan XXXV SE (1897).

RCAHMW, 24 May 2022