At Nannau house (nprn 28585), to the north-east of Dolgellau, the former kitchen garden lies to the east of the house, next to the home farm. It replaced the old kitchen garden (‘Hen Ardd’) located some way to the south (400837).

This later garden, dating from around 1838, is rectangular with its long axis running north-north-east to south-south-west. The interior is terraced and was subdivided but much of the internal layout, especially the lower (southern) part of the garden, has been destroyed by the construction of a hard tennis court. The main part of the garden was divided into two sections separated by a north-south dividing wall or hedge, shown on the 1889 map. The area to the west was not divided and was open to the lawn, it was perhaps chiefly ornamental. The eastern half was divided into two areas by a cross path, and also had paths all round the outside like a traditional vegetable garden. Much of this area has now disappeared under the tennis court. Paths on the south and east still have some stone revetting visible, and had yew hedges, now enormously outgrown, on the garden side.

Along the north end of the garden is a high wall (3.5 m approx.) built of a pale brick, on the inside of which a range of glasshouses once stood. Along the outside of the wall is a range of buildings, of stone and brick, formerly potting sheds, boiler house and stores; this is now used as kennels. Along the south end of the eastern part of the garden, beyond the path, is another high wall, formerly the rear wall of the peach house.
Further garden areas to the north-east have now disappeared under an extension to the farmyard and buildings.

Sources:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 224-9 (ref: PGW(Gd)34(GWY)).
Ordnance Survey first-edition six-inch map: sheet Merionethshire XXXIII.11 (1888).

RCAHMW, 20 June 2022

Site Record

Nannau New Kitchen Garden, Dolgellau