The Weir

The Weir Gardens and the River Wye

The Weir Garden lies alongside the River Wye near Swainshill in Herefordshire, 5 miles west of Hereford. It is a National Trust property.

The garden covers 10 acres and was the creation of its former owner, Roger Parr, and his head gardener William Boulter. The adjoining house is used as a nursing home and is not open to the public.

The south-facing aspect of the garden allows for a wide variety of plantings, and this, combined with the riverside, attract a notable variety of wildlife. Notable birds include blackcaps, mute swans, kingfishers, goosanders and in summer, sand martins, whilst teal often over-winter here. There are also a great many insects, including the rare club-tailed dragonfly, banded demoiselle damselflies and white-legged damselflies, plus a range of butterflies, hoverflies and crickets.

Roman remains

The ruins of a Roman temple possibly associated with a high-status Roman villa, which may have connections to the nearby Roman town of Magnis, lie inside the Weir Garden by the River Wye. There is an octagonal cistern filled by a spring, and a ruined buttress by the river. These are the highest standing Roman ruins in Herefordshire.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about The Weir)

• The Weir - National Trust