Erddig Hall (nprn 27130), south of Wrexham, is notable for the eighteenth-century park in which it is set, laid out by the landscape designer William Emes for Philip Yorke.

The park occupies two valleys, that of the Black Brook to the west of the house, and that of the Clywedog river to the north. The house lies on the western edge of the high plateau, and from its west front there are fine views out over parkland in the Black Brook valley. The park falls into four main areas: the plateau; the woodland north of the garden; the Black Brook valley; and the Clywedog valley. There are two main entrances to the park: Plas Grono Lodge (422963) is on the west side of the park on Hafod Road, and Forest Lodge, a more imposing entrance, is on the east, on Sontley Road. On the north side of the park a former drive, now a farm track, leads from the west front of the house to the former Coed-y-glyn entrance. Its lodge has gone, and only two stone gate piers remain.

The park was first laid out by John Meller between 1718 and 1733, at the same time as the formal gardens were made. It is shown in a bird's eye view drawing by Thomas Badeslade of 1740. Between 1767 and 1789 the park was landscaped by William Emes. Although the basic configuration remained all formality was removed, and much tree planting took place. Most of the landscaping took place to the west of the house. The forecourt with its Davies gates was removed, as was the Cold Bath. The trees on the western flank of the Black Brook valley are probably remnants of Emes's plantings, as are many of the beeches in the woodland above. The walks in the wood to the north of the house were softened and new picturesque ones added. The bowling green was allowed to remain, and was planted as a beech avenue, known as the cathedral aisle, in the 1770s. New channels were dug for the two rivers, and in 1774 the Cup and Saucer, an unusual water feature (32262) was built by Emes in 1774.

The estate is especially notable for its outstanding example of an early eighteenth-century grand formal garden in the Dutch style, also designed by Emes, set within the park (86570).

Sources:
Cadw, Historic Assets Database (PGW(C)62(WRE)).
E.Whittle, The Historic Gardens of Wales (Cadw 1992), p.34-5.
Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25-inch map, sheet Denbighshire XXVIII.15 (1899).

RCAHMW, 4 July 2022