Garden Walls to the rear of the Almshouses including associated former Bakehouse

Cadw's description

Location

Extending to the side (N) and rear (W) of the almshouse complex and running parallel with a stream from St Dyfnog's Well down towards the churchyard.

History

Garden walls of c1820, built to serve the Llanrhaeadr almshouses. The almshouses were founded by Jane, widow of Maurice Jones of Ddol and Llanrhaeadr hall for the relief of eight poor persons of the parish and mention is made of gardens in the foundation of 1729. The main walls are however likely to date from c1820, at which time a series of repairs and improvements were implemented by Lord Bagot of Blithfield. A later C19 bakehouse block is incorporated at the start of the wall sequence immediately to the NW of the almshouse complex.

Exterior

The main sequence, which encloses the garden area to the N and W of the almshouses, is of brown brick on a limestone rubble plinth and is constructed in Flemish bond with limestone block copings. The wall reaches a maximum height of 3.5m and has plain brick buttressing along its exterior at a spacing of roughly 6m. The wall curves around in a concave arc from close to St Dyfnog's Well at the western extremity, to a point some 18m N of the almshouse block at its eastern point. Here the wall turns a right-angle and continues for approximately 15m to terminate close to the right-hand wing of the almshouses. This front-facing stretch has an irregular breach to its centre and has a small bakehouse block adjoining to the L, opposite the NW corner of the almshouses. The latter is a small limestone rubble building with mono-pitched slate roof and 2 plain openings to its front (S); squat brick chimney to the L. Adjoining this to the E, and adjoining the front-facing stretch of garden wall at right-angles, is a section of uncoped limestone rubble wall of approximately 15m length and 1.8m height. At its termination the wall slopes down to meet a pair of modern iron gates.

At the W end of the garden the brick wall terminates close to the well and is continued as a rough-dressed limestone rubble wall. This closes the garden on the S side, parallel with a stream running eastwards from the well, and varies in height from 0.6m to 2m.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as an extensive second-quarter C18 produce garden wall sequence.

Group value with other listed items at the almshouses.