Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Arbour at Leighton Hall
Forden with Leighton and Trelystan, Powys, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Domestic
- Date of designation
- 24 December 1982
- Locality
- Leighton Park
- Town
- Forden
- Community
- Forden with Leighton and Trelystan
- Unitary authority
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.63383, -3.12161
- Cadw reference
- 19529
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1795 "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Cadw's description
Location
Within landscape gardens at Leighton Hall SW of Serpentine Pond. It is linked by paths to W and N to bridge E of Leighton Hall Tower and bridge E of Serpentine Pond respectively.
History
Designed by Edward Kemp, a pupil of Joseph Paxton, c1860 and part of the landscape gardens at Leighton Hall. Leighton Hall has formal gardens S of the library wing and SE of the Tower. In contrast, NE of the Hall and Tower it has a landscape garden which was planted with trees and shrubs, its woodland walks also contrasting with the terrace walks of the formal garden. The arbour is part of the network of woodland paths through the landscape gardens and was designed as a resting place from where both the formal and informal aspects of the garden could be viewed.
John Naylor, a Liverpool banker, had acquired the Leighton Estate in 1846-47 and embarked on an ambitious programme of building, notably Leighton Hall, church and Leighton Farm, all designed by W.H. Gee and completed by the mid 1850s. Leighton Hall had been constructed 1850-56. John Naylor's grandson, Captain J.M. Naylor, sold Leighton Hall and the Estate in 1931.
Exterior
Six-sided enclosure within a network of paths. Of coursed, rock-faced Cefn stone and ramped, ashlar parapet. Stone steps lead down from the W side; a second opening is on the N side. The parapet has a simple cusped trail with ramped coping. On the E side is a curved slate bench.
Reason for designation
The Leighton Estate is an exceptional example of high-Victorian estate development. It is remarkable for the scale and ambition of its conception and planning, the consistency of its design, the extent of its survival, and is the most complete example of its type in Wales. Leighton Hall represents the centrepiece of this development, and the garden features are a key element in the setting of the house. The gardens are also a tour-de-force of landscaping whose individual components are remarkable for their consistency of design and the extent of their survival. The Arbour is characteristic of these garden features in its attention to detail.
Nearby in the register
- Footbridge E of Leighton Hall TowerDomesticunder 1 mi
- Cascade at Leighton HallDomesticunder 1 mi
- Leighton Hall TowerDomesticunder 1 mi
- Terrace Walk S of Leighton Hall TowerDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.