8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 10th 2016
12 Comments CherryPie on Jun 9th 2016
Glansevern Hall is privately owned and not open to the public. A property listing from when the house was up for sale in 2012 provides information on the history of the house and gardens:
Glansevern Hall is approached by a drive running through an avenue of sweet chestnut trees behind a high stone wall.
Understood to be unique as a private residence wholly conceived and erected by renowned architect Joseph Bromfield, Glansevern Hall is a fine example of early neo-classical design, built between 1801 and 1807 for the Owen family.
The main southern façade, finished in Cefn stone is five bays, the central three being highlighted by four giant Ionic pilasters and a central porch. The west and east fronts have five bays, the east has a central full height bow. The three main reception rooms, the Chinese room, the drawing room and dining room/library, all have a range of fittings from the original build. These include panelling, fireplaces, screens, floorboards and a fireplace over-mantel. Many of these items were not new at the time but reused from other property owned or controlled by the Owen family.
The gardens are understood to have been designed in 1805 and reputed to have been ‘magnificent’ in their day and suffered neglect from 1939 to 1982. Since 1982 full scale renovation of the gardens has been undertaken. There is a wide range of unusual tree species with fine specimens both mature and more recently planted. Features of the original garden such as the walled kitchen garden remain. The massive rock garden, with its grotto, came a little later as did the 4-acre lake whose feeder stream runs through a large water garden.
A fine orangery faces south from the walled garden. Other borders and features seen today have been the inspiration of the current owners since 1982.
The parkland surrounding the house and gardens steps naturally down over terraces to the River Severn. Now farmed for sheep, the parkland is sub divided into 11 fields having an array of mature trees within them, including a line of mature limes by the River Severn. There is a range of sheep buildings at the back of the stable yard. The park is listed as an historic parkland with Cadw.
Click here to see a brochure showing how lovely the grounds and the interior of the house are.
8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 8th 2016
On my recent journey to Glansevern Hall Gardens I noticed a monument on the top of hill, it was neatly framed by trees that reminded me of soldiers marching. Whilst walking around the garden I spotted the hill and the monument again and was able to zoom in close with my camera.
The County War Memorial is sited on the summit of Town Hill, Montgomery and is a prominent feature of the landscape. The designer is unknown, but it was unveiled in 1924 to commemorate those who fell in the First World War. An additional inscription was added following the Second World War. It is a lofty doric column of ashlar on a high pedastal above a base of two square steps. The inscription on the north-western side reads ‘To the/ glorious memory/ of the brave men of/ Montgomeryshire/ who fell in the/ Great War 1914-1919′, that on the south-west side reads ‘Also in memory/ of those from/ this county/ who gave their/ lives in the/ World War/ 1939-1945/ At the going down/ of the sun/ and in the morning/ we will remember them’.
In 1990 the column was damaged by an earthwake, but restoration was subsequently carried out and the memorial was re-dedicated on 5 October 2002.
Maybe I need to take a walk up that hill next time we visit the gardens 
10 Comments CherryPie on Jun 7th 2016
… in the evening sunshine.
A perfect end to a lovely anniversary weekend break. We were gifted with perfect weather to enjoy the occasion 
4 Comments CherryPie on Jun 6th 2016
Life is the flower for which love is the honey.
Victor Hugo
2 Comments CherryPie on Jun 5th 2016
Glansevern Hall, an elegant Greek revival house, is romantically positioned on the banks of the River Severn in a beautiful parkland setting with sweeping views over Mid Wales, to the Kerry Hills and the Montgomeryshire County War Memorial.
The gardens extend to 25 acres and are a mixture of formal planting, lawns, a huge lake and many unusual and ancient specimen trees.
Begin your tour from the elegant Georgian courtyard through our magnificent new Ginkgo gates into the original walled garden. This was entirely remodelled in 2001 and comprises separate themed “rooms”, including a Rose Garden, White Garden, Kitchen and Cutting Garden.Open the large oak door and discover the extraordinary Victorian Grotto and Rockery dating from around 1840. Continue through the Folly Garden and Wildflower Meadow (seasonal), down to the River Severn and the secluded, raised Bird Hide by the river’s edge.
The longer walk will take you to the five acre Lake where you will find plenty of peaceful places to sit, and from where you can meander through dappled, wooded shade over an iron footbridge offering views across the Lake. Discover the charming, cascading Water Garden, fed from the Montgomeryshire Canal, with Candelabra Primulas, Hostas and other water loving plants. The Lakeside Walk leads you past the Island and its Iron Gazebo, a haven for visiting waterfowl, which can include swans, geese, goosanders, pochard and, if you are lucky, our resident kingfishers.
Closer to the house, the Formal Gardens offer a stunning, scented Wisteria Fountain Walk (seasonal), traditional long borders, peonies and the original Georgian Orangery.
8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 2nd 2016
