Bertholey House, a ruined Regency house with origins in the sixteenth century (nprn 36462), is located in rolling ground on the east side of the Usk valley, to the south of Llantrisant. It is surrounded by the remains of gardens (265989) which were laid out during the first 30 years of the nineteenth century at the same time as the kitchen garden was made.
The latter lies about 0.4km north-east of the house, abutting Garden Wood. It was reached from the house by two paths, a direct one through the field and a winding one through Garden Wood. Traces of both remain.
On plan the garden is rectangular with rounded corners, long axis north-east by south-west, and is surrounded by brick walls standing more or less to their full height of about 2.5m, with entrances in the north-west and south-west sides. The garden is divided in two by a brick wall of the same height running centrally down the long axis.
In the 1847 Sale Particulars it was described as a 'capital walled kitchen garden' with a fishpond in the centre, and well stocked with wall and standard fruit trees, a grapery, an outside shed, a second garden, a gardener's house (3-room), a wash-house and a tool-house. The only building to survive, on the outside north-west wall, is a tall brick structure - possibly the 'outside shed'.
The garden became overgrown and neglected, its original layout lost. But recent aerial imagery shows the garden mostly clear and under grass. The north-west half has been laid out, at some point, with serpentine paths.
Sources:
Cadw 1994: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Gwent, 16-18 (ref: PGW (Gt)11(MON)).
RCAHMW air photos: 94-CS 0414-5; 945057/55; 945058/56-7
Additional notes: D.K.Leighton
RCAHMW, 5 September 2022