Glynllifon mansion (nprn 26526) is located on the on the neck of the Llyn peninsula between Caernarfon and the village of Penygroes, about 1km from the sea. It is surrounded by vast parkland established in the eighteenth century (700294). To the east and north of the house are the pleasure grounds (86377).

To the immediate west of the house are three conjoined walled gardens. Two, to the west, are nearly square, and date from the early nineteenth century. The third, a longer, narrower one to the east was probably built in 1751. Their layout has been altered to suit their present use. An unusual feature is the tunnel connecting the gardens, designed to allow the family and guests to inspect them with minimal effort; this is currently blocked up and inaccessible as it is collapsing (in 1998). 

The westernmost, enclosed by a 2m high stone wall, was originally an orchard divided into quadrants and with entrances on the west, north-east and east. The Head Gardener’s house lies just outside the north-west corner (404152). The central garden has walls of brick, aside from the conjoining wall, and it slopes down from west to east. It was probably used for vegetables and was also laid out in quadrants (not now evident), with entrances in all four sides, and a sundial in the centre (now in the east garden).

The easternmost garden is linear, aligned roughly north by south. The main part was divided into four, the southern two sections being about three times as long as the northern two. The entrances were in the north-east and north-west corners and at the ends of the cross-path as well as from the extension to the south; there is also a disused door in the south-east corner. This garden once contained all the glass, much of it in extensions to the north and south, though little of it now survives. It was used for soft fruit, flowers for the house, peaches and nectarines, vines, melons, mushrooms and all the exotic crops. The remains of the boiler house, including the chimney, are against the outside of the north wall. The bothy, potting sheds and other buildings mostly survive, and the racks of the former fruit store (which are original) are loaded with objects found in the walled gardens and elsewhere. A palm house was restored in 1991.

Source:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 206-16 (ref: PGW(Gd)39(GWY).

RCAHMW, 23 June 2022