Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Bee bole at Machen House
Graig, Newport, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Domestic
- Date of designation
- 4 October 1990
- Locality
- Lower Machen
- Town
- Newport
- Community
- Graig
- Unitary authority
- Newport
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.58675, -3.11658
- Cadw reference
- 3086
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Freestanding on the lawn to rear of the house opposite the Bothy. Machen House is set in its own grounds beside the Parish Church.
History
Freestanding Gothic garden feature with shelves for bee-skeps. Triple arched picturesque structure apparently built of a white quartz stone, and intended as part of the Gothic setting of the house. Its position facing SE in the rear garden is unusual, it may have been linked to garden walls now removed. It is probably contemporary with the house of 1831, but has been suggested as of earlier, C18, date.
Exterior
Beebole of 3 bays, of quartz-rich stone with 3 curved-backed pointed recesses with squared stone voussoirs to pointed arched vaults, the vaults rendered above. Broad centre recess with taller head between 2 narrower and slightly shorter outer recesses, all with roughcast lining and 2 eroding slate shelves and slate floor. Square piers between recesses, broader outer walls with slight shoulders against outer arches. Rendered rear.
Reason for designation
Included as an unusual Gothic garden feature, and as a rare example of a bee-bole.
Nearby in the register
- Bothy at Machen HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Machen House including attached outbuildings and curved screen wallDomesticunder 1 mi
- Church of Saint MichaelReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- St. Michael's Churchyard Cross, MachenCrossunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.