The Cottage and attached walls of walled garden at Llantarnam Abbey

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the NE side of Llantarnam Abbey, the cottage is on the SE corner of the walled garden.

History

Walled garden to Llantarnam Abbey, possibly predating the 1834-6 rebuilding of the house for R.J. Blewitt. The wall extends on 3 sides, the fourth W side being the rear of the stable court. On the E end of the S wall is attached an earlier to mid C19 gardener's cottage in picturesque Tudor style. There is said to be a statue of a praying monk or hermit in the SW corner, possibly C19, moved from a grotto W of the house.

Exterior

Walled garden with attached cottage. Garden walls enclose a rough parallelogram and are high, rubble stone with stone coping, curved at NE corner. Lean-to outbuilding along outside of N side, of rubble stone and brick, infilled between timber posts of original 9-bay open front. An internal wall divides walled garden into two, brick-faced to S.
Cottage is painted rendered with quoins, slate deep-eaved roof and windows in double-chamfered plain reveals. Gables have little hips at apex and outsize scrolled bargeboards in 'cottage' style. One and a half storeys, T-plan with gables to W, S and E, hipped open porch in SW angle with square pier, matched by hipped section in SE angle, infilled in C20. Windows are C20 leaded in rectangular chamfered surrounds. W gable has one single-light window above, two below, S return within porch has 2-light to ground floor. S gable is narrower with 2-light window over recessed Tudor door in square frame that suggests alteration or removal of doorcase or porch. E gable does not have the apex hip, 2-light window with hoodmould to first floor and canted bay to ground floor of 1-2-1 lights with slate roof. Single-storey rear wing to N with E 3-light window and lean-to against walled garden E wall.

Reason for designation

Included as an extensive walled garden with earlier C19 picturesque cottage, part of the setting of Llantarnam Abbey.