Terraced Garden to N of Vaynol Old Hall

Location

Laid out immediately N of the front driveway to Vaynol Old Hall. Its N end borders the walled garden to the rear of Dairy Cottage.

History

In the medieval period, Vaynol was part of the episcopal estate of the Bishops of Bangor. After the dissolution, it came into the Williams family of Cochwillan and elsewhere, passing out of their hands after the last of the Williams family died without issue in 1696. The garden appears to have been laid out contemporaneously with work on the Old Hall in the early to mid C17.

Exterior

Walled and terraced garden in a late medieval-early Renaissance style, rising from S to N away from the front of the Old Hall, and bounded on 3 sides by tall rubble stone walls. Axial rounded steps, lead to a narrow cross walk which has the private chapel at the W end, and from which squared steps lead to the next level. In the upper section of the garden there is a circular pond, set at the node point of a wide bow in the upper wall, and at the centre of which is the 'gateway with inscriptions', giving access to the next walled garden at the rear of the later Dairy Cottage.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as an especially well preserved and important example of a C16 or early C17 terraced garden of a type which very rarely survives in anything like a recognisable form. Also listed for its setting in front of the fine Grade I listed Vaynol Old Hall.