The Mill Folly Grotto including stone bridge, south of the Afon Llifon

Cadw's description

Location

Situated approximately 200m east of the house, on the south side of the valley of the Afon Llifon.

History

Built by the 3rd Lord Newborough, continuing his brother's many improvements to the pleasure grounds begun in 1820's. Known as the Mill Folly on account of its picturesque design in the manner of a ruined mill. Part of it may have been adapted as a fernery later in the C19 by F G Wynn who was especially interested in ferns.

Glynllifon was the seat of the Wynn family and Sir Thomas John Wynn became the 1st Lord Newborough in 1776. The house was rebuilt after a fire 1836-48 by Edward Haycock, architect of Shrewsbury. Influence for some of the garden features came from the family’s grand tours.

Exterior

Irregular rustic rubble garden feature with picturesque pointed arches. There are two levels, the lower level of which was a pool and the bridge carried the footpath over the outlet into the Afon Llifon. There is a complex series of grotto-like spaces including an underground chamber reached by a narrow passage and a further small chamber at the lower level. The pool was fed by a reservoir on the hill towards Fort Williamsburg via a leat from the top of the cascade to the east. The single-arch rubble bridge has voussoirs and a modern timber deck.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a distinctive C19 garden feature within this exceptionally fine context.