Leeswood Hall (nprn 35974) is located about 13km to the north-west of Wrexham. Its historic interest lies in the rarity of its early eighteenth-century transitional designed landscape, in which large-scale layouts of open ground and woodland were held together by strong formal axes of avenues and vistas, but within which informality was allowed. It has strong associations
with the noted garden designer Stephen Switzer who was responsible for the main layout. Some alterations were made in the early nineteenth century by the Revd. Hope Eyton, but thereafter little has changed.

The house is now approached from the south-west, by a short drive off Leeswood Lane. A disused entrance off the Mold-Wrexham road to the north is flanked by twin lodges (35979) either side of the (re-positioned) Black Gates (35975), the former drive crossing the river Terrig over a stone bridge (24108) to a forecourt on the north-west front of the house.The pleasure grounds lie mainly to the north-west, north, and north-east of the house. The area forms an irregular rectangle bounded by public roads on the north, belts of trees and woodland on the south and west, and by farmland on the east. Its main design elements fall into several areas.

Extensive lawns lie to the north-west and south-east of the house. The wide, smooth grass slope along the axis to the north-west, extends from a gravel forecourt bounded by a ha-ha (96172) and terminates at the White Gates (35976), a wrought ironwork decorative gatescreen never used as an entrance. The lawn is framed by belts of mixed woodland. To the north-east is a well-preserved ice-house (400798) beyond which is a fish-pond (35977), later remodelled, overlooked by a small semi-circular turf amphitheatre of uncertain function; a second (earlier) ice-house lies south of the lake (37376). South-east of the house is a lawn with a disused fountain base in the centre, and beyond the drive a grass field with a few old trees, possibly remnants of a lime avenue. Next to the outbuildings is a roughly rectangular pond, a former reservoir.

North and east of the house is mostly semi-natural deciduous woodland with some ornamental Victorian or Edwardian planting near the house. Within it the original paths and vistas of Switzer are now overgrown. An open grass area contains a tennis court, and beyond it a small pool, then the 'bowling green', or American garden (35973), with an overgrown raised platform supporting an early eighteenth-century sundial. To its north is a series of three ponds stepped down the slope. Near the western edge of the woodland is a large circular mound called The Mount, 6m-7m high, possibly a medieval motte re-used as a seating area (23058 & 300651). North-east of the house is the walled garden (35972).  

In the above summary, features of later modifications/arrangements: Blackgates and lodges, bridge over the Terrig, changes to the walled garden, remodelling of the lake, the second icehouse, and the ha-ha. 

To the south-west of the lane to Leeswood village is an area of former park beyond the Switzer layout. This is now a pasture field with a belt of planting along its western side. In it, to the south of the house, is a ruinous, square, classical dovecote, contemporary with the house, dating to the late 1720s (37375).

Sources:
Cadw 1995: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Clwyd, 96-9 (ref: PGW(C)57(WRE)).

RCAHMW, 9 May 2022