Broadheath House
| Broadheath House | |
| Radnorshire | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SO339639 |
| Location: | 52.269797, -2.968898 |
| Village: | Broad Heath, Presteigne |
| History | |
| Country house | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Private |
Broadheath House is found in the hamlet of Broad Heath, to the east of Presteigne, in a narrow tongue of land between the River Lugg and the Hindwell Brook, which is a tongue of Radnorshire projecting into the edge of Herefordshire. Broadheath House is a private house, not open to the public, with a renowned garden.
The house and garden were designed by the remarkable Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, most famous for designing the town of Portmeirion in Merionethshire
In 1925, the owners of the house, two sisters named Coates, met Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis by chance on a train and fell into conversation. The result was a commission for Sir Bertram to remodel their house and garden, which he did in his accustomed Italianate style. The basis of the house is the pre-existing Georgian country house, and impressive house in itself, decorated in cream stucco. To this Sir Bertram added a two-storey extension along with a loggia which overlooks the exquisite, walled, sunken garden. In addition, he added an Italianate, semi-circular annexe to the eastern side of the house.
The gardens remained a private joy for subsequent owners of the house, but since 2014 the gardens have been opened for public viewing on selected days under the National Gardens Scheme, in support of charity.
The garden
The formal gardens extend to an area of more than two acres and are divided into 5 distinct ‘rooms':
- The Italianate sunken garden with lily ponds and rose beds, flanked to the east by an original timber barn covered in espalliered pear trees;
- The secret garden (or well garden) enclosed behind tall yew hedging and containing a magnificent magnolia tree;
- The yew tree walkway with a summer house;
- The formal kitchen garden and an orchard with peach house.
To the north of the house is a beautiful cob nut orchard bordered by rhododendron and silver birch and an alamanchea walkway to a beautiful ornate gate leading to fields and views of Wapley Hill Fort beyond.