The house and landscape park at Peniarth (NPRNs 28633 & 700289) occupy a low-lying site on the north side of the Afon Dysynni to the east of Llanegryn. The kitchen garden lies close to the house on its north-west side, adjoining a stable yard to the east but elsewhere surrounded by the pleasure grounds (265216).

The garden is thought to have been built between 1820 and 1850, possibly paid for from a legacy. It is fairly large and an irregular five-sided shape and slopes gently upwards to the west; there is an extension on the north-east. The garden is enclosed by stone walls, still mostly intact, with an original entrance in the east corner, and a new entrance in the south wall. There is a glasshouse range occupying almost half of the length of the north-east wall. Walls are around 2m high on the south and south-west, but on the north-west and north-east they rise to 4m high behind the glasshouse where they are brick-lined with slate coping.

Although it is now disused the garden was still in full production until the Second World War. The Ordnance Survey second-edition map (1901) shows a layout with perimeter and cross paths dividing it into six unequal, differently-shaped, areas. The main glasshouse, of wood on a brick base, is still glazed. Heating pipes, ventilation controls, vine rods and wires are in situ. Other features in the main garden include a small lean-to wooden shelter, a slate water tank, some remnants of box and yew hedging, and a few remaining fruit trees along the north-east wall. The extension has two semi-derelict glasshouses, cold frames, a shed and an underground boiler-house.

Sources:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 236-42 (ref: PGW(Gd)36(GWY).
Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, sheet: Merioneth XLI.14 (1900).

RCAHMW, 22 June 2022

Site Record

Peniarth Kitchen Garden, Llanegryn