Garden Wall at Grovehurst

Cadw's description

Location

Defining the western border of the garden of Grovehurst.

History

Section of garden wall built c1693 in the former pleasure garden of Grove House. In that year Thomas and Ellen Shaw remodelled the Elizabethan Grove House, erecting a grand new facade and making various internal changes. The surviving garden wall is presumably contemporary with this work and, together with a storeyed summer-house/dovecote (and apparently also terraces), originally formed part of an associated late Stuart garden. Grove house itself survives on Vale Street.

The wall surmounts a broad terrace, the upper-most of 2. These terraces are probably in essence part of the late C17 garden layout, although their low rubble revetments are relatively modern. The latter incorporate sections of Renaissance carved sandstone which may relate to the primary Grove House, built in 1574. Lying immediately to the rear of Grovehurst are 2 Elizabethan sandstone capitals in crude composite style; these are similar in type and date and may also have formed part of the original Grove House.

Exterior

L-shaped section of garden wall, of brown brick in loose English Garden Wall bond. The wall is uncoped and is approximately 2.5m high; in places the upper courses have been replaced. The wall extends for approximately 25m defining much of Grovehurst's garden boundary on the R. At its far end (S) is an entrance with modern boarded gate. A few metres to the R of this is a rebuilt section of approximately 2.5m, with square projecting buttresses. At the northern end the wall returns at right-angles to the E, stepping down to a height of approximately 1m.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a surviving stretch of late C17 garden wall belonging to the former late Stuart garden of Grove House.

Group value with the nearby summerhouse/dovecote.