Dolmelynllyn (NPRN 28349) is built on a natural shelf on the western side of the Afon Mawddach valley. It lies in parkland, towards its western edge, overlooking its gardens and the park. The greater part of the park now lies to the south but it was originally less than two-thirds of its present size having been extended on both sides of the road (now the A470) between 1860 and 1889, probably after the acquisition of the adjacent Berth-lwyd estate in 1873. The park is bounded by the Afon Mawddach on the east , on the north by the Afon Camlan, and on the west and south by woodland. 

The house is approached by two drives, both off the west side of the A470. The north drive, currently in use, has an entrance lodge, now a farmhouse (416406), the entrance flanked by curving stone walls with balustrading and square, flat-topped gate piers. The drive is flanked by an avenue of beech trees, with some oak and birch, replacing a former avenue of conifers. The south drive, now used only for access to the Observatory and a barn, is partly avenued with limes and was once the main approach to the house; its lodge is smaller than on the north (416408).

The park is divided up into several areas by roads and drives, all with slightly different characters, though all share the basic similarity of pasture with scattered planted trees. The area east of the A470, bounded by the river, is the best agricultural land and intensively farmed. The main parkland area, also good grazing land, is west of the road, east of the south drive and south of the north drive. It contains two giant sequoias, one the largest in Wales, also a group of beeches, a tall horse chestnut, some mixed conifers. The south-west area is the roughest and has few trees. The lake, small and roughly oval in shape with an artificial island, was created by damming the stream, Nant Las, and is partly surrounded by ornamental plantings. The foundations of a boathouse are still visible. Close to the lake, on the far side of the path along its west side, is the site of the ice-house, a hollow, with a little stone walling remaining.

The rather steep, wooded slope above the lake and stables was once part of the pleasure grounds but now falls into the park, since being cut off from the garden by the south drive.  This is modified natural woodland. In the woods to the north-west of the house is a network of footpaths, and two or three natural streams, all shown on the 1889 Ordnance Survey map and some on the estate map of 1860.

Gardens lie around the house on all sides (301630 & 700297).

Source:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 190-4 (ref: PGW(Gd)33(GWY).

RCAHMW, 23 June 2022