Estate Boundary Wall to Gwrych Castle Park (part in Abergele Community)

Cadw's description

Location

Gwrych Castle lies in parkland immediately W of Abergele. The wall forms the park boundary, extending into Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-foel and Betws-yn-rhos communities.

History

Gwrych Castle was created from 1816 onwards by Lloyd Bamford Hesketh in association with Thomas Rickman who is best known for his writings on Gothic architecture. The boundary wall, with its various lodges and gates probably followed the main building's completion in c1822, although works continued until c1850.

Exterior

Built of uncoursed local limestone. Approximately 3.2m high, capped with an oversailing stone-on-edge coping, the stones laid alternately vertically and lengthways to produce a rugged effect sometimes known as "cock and hen" pattern. The wall included in this community extends from the King's Lodge to 29338 37718 where it passes into Llanddulas community, reduced in one place for the golf club, and from the King's Lodge along the A547 to 29283 37808, short of Hen Wrych farm lodge, this stretch reduced only in one place 100m W of the Kings Lodge to provide a secondary drive.

Reason for designation

Included as a vital element in the setting of the Grade I Gwrych Castle, one of the few mostly complete park boundaries in Wales and, with its lodges, a monument of special interest in the history of the picturesque movement.