Gatepiers at former St John's Lodge, Hawarden Estate

Cadw's description

Location

At S edge of Top Park, Hawarden Castle estate, and reached by public footpath which skirts the estate boundary wall from the car park adjoining the A550 in Hawarden village.

History

From an early C19 plan of the Hawarden estate, it apears that the owner, Sir Stephen Richard Glynne, began to make a park in the area to SW of the castle. This park is bounded for much of its perimeter by stone walls which run from the W end of the garden terrace around the foot of the castle and N to the village gate, south along the Old Hope Road and return along the S boundary to reach the St John's Lodge gatepiers. A former drive (now a track) leads south to the Old Hope Road, but within the park the drive was never constructed. It is assumed that these gatepiers date from estate improvements in the first half of C19. Paired lodges within gates now demolished and gatepiers altered in recent times.

Exterior

To centre, a pair of rusticated stone piers to carriage entrance with fielded block above cornice band to right-hand pier, modern wooden gate. Short sections of ashlar walling link outwards to monolithic panelled piers with moulded courses (no finials); matching monolithic square piers to outer sides are linked to short sections of ashlar boundary wall. Plain iron railings to outer (pedestrian) openings.

Reason for designation

Included as part of the remarkable landscaped park to Grade I listed Hawarden Castle.