Ffrwdgrech (nprn 409413), a substantial Victorian country house, is located to the south of Brecon. It lies lies within parkland, the house itself surrounded by pleasure grounds.
The grounds can be divided into two main, complementary, areas. To the south of the house is an open area of lawn and pond, providing a foreground to the park and the magnificent scenery beyond (700236). To the north and east of the house is the wooded valley that has been ornamentally laid out and planted to provide enclosed, picturesque walks. A walled garden lies to the north-east of the house (700237).

The house and grounds are approached by a drive off the lane which passes across the northern extent of the park and forms its western boundary. Inside the entrance is a small gothic lodge. The tree-lined drive crosses a stone bridge, winds southwards through mixed woodland underplanted with ornamental shrubs, then crosses a lawn to the forecourt on the north front. The lawn around the east and north sides of the house is planted with specimen trees. To the south the lawn slopes gently down to a stone-edged pond. Parts of the lawn were formerly levelled for tennis courts. The south side of the pond is fringed with hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas and maples, planted in the Edwardian period. The garden is bounded on the south by a stone ha-ha, and on the west by a stone revetment wall above the lane leading to the farm.

The stream valley, known as the dingle, is largely wooded, planted with many ornamental and woodland trees and shrubs. Winding paths opposite the house, at the foot of the north lawn, lead to a wooden bridge over the stream. Picturesque paths have been laid out to give circular walks at various levels of the valley, ornamented with a small pond and numerous fine specimen trees, many exotic. These were planted throughout the nineteenth century and include Austrian pine, Californian redwood, western hemlock, and swamp cypress. Next to the paths are some old yews and box bushes. The paths lead up to a picturesque series of waterfalls, some artificially enhanced, the stream crossed by wooden bridges. Trailing ivy, moss, laurels and ferns accentuate the romantic atmosphere.

Air photographs show garden earthworks surviving in grounds to the north-east of the house at SO 031273. Larger denuded banks are visible, possibly old field boundaries, together with more ephemeral enclosure earthworks, possibly of ponds or ornamental features.

Sources:
Cadw 1999: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Powys, 64-7 (ref: PGW (Po)17(POW)).
RCAHMW air photos: 995026-54/5 (TG Driver 28/9/00).

RCAHMW, 11 June 2022