Walled garden with attached bothies and greenhouses at Talacre Abbey

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 300m W of and reached by a track W of Talacre Abbey.

History

Talacre Abbey was built 1824-9, replacing an earlier house on the site. The present walled garden dates mainly from that period, but it is attached to an C18 banqueting house and may itself belong partly with the earlier house at Talacre. The Tithe map shows an additional enclosure on the E side of the garden, but by 1871 this has been reduced to a walled path leading from the Home Farm to the bothies at the N end of the garden. Only a doorway in the S wall survives of the walls of this path. Greenhouses had also been built against the N wall by 1871.

Exterior

Divided into 2 unequal units. The outer N and W walls are of rubble stone, the remainder of brick with shallow pilasters, and flat stone copings. The bothy and workshops are against the outer face of the N wall. These are of rubble stone with slate lean-to roofs (partly collapsed), and stone stacks at the ends. Two projecting gabled doorways are equally placed R and L of centre. Between the doorways are 4 small-pane windows. To the L of the L-hand doorway are 5 full-height bays, all formerly open, but with 3 bays infilled and the outer bays with inserted casement window and doorway. On the R side of the R-hand doorway are 5 similar bays, of which 3 are open, the fourth is infilled and the outer bay has an inserted casement. The R end wall has wedge lintels to small windows lower L and upper R. The inner side of the N wall has ruinous lean-to greenhouses.

The E and W walls have doorways with stone surrounds at the N ends. The W wall is built around the former banqueting house. The wall between the 2 units has a wide gateway. At the SE corner the wall projects and incorporates a lintelled doorway that formerly opened to a walled path on the E side of the garden.

Reason for designation

Listed, notwithstanding its condition, as a C19 walled garden with earlier origins, for group value with the banqueting house, and as an integral component of the extensive garden and service buildings associated with Talacre Abbey.