Listed Buildings and Conservation Area

Historic Landscapes, Parks and Gardens

The Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales

Wales has a rich inheritance of historic parks and gardens. They form an important and integral part of the historic and cultural fabric of the country. Helping owners with their care and protection is one of the core responsibilities of Cadw (opens in a new tab).

Starting in 1992, Cadw has undertaken a comprehensive survey of historic parks and gardens in Wales. Parks and gardens thought to be of national importance have been included on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. The Register was compiled in order to aid the informed conservation of historic parks and gardens by owners, local planning authorities, developers, statutory bodies and all concerned with them. It is non-statutory and has been issued in six volumes, covering former county council areas and unitary authorities. It was completed in 2002 but is not a closed list: sites can be added (or subtracted) at any time. There are currently 372 sites on the Register.

The methodology used for the compilation of the Register has aimed to be as thorough as possible. Each site is carefully surveyed and researched, its history analysed and written up, together with a site description, for the Register. A map, showing the site’s present-day park, garden and kitchen garden boundaries (where relevant), significant views and essential setting, is included. Sites are graded I, II* and II in the same way as listed buildings. In choosing sites for the Register many factors are taken into account: the date of the site; its state of preservation; whether it is a good example of its type; whether it was worked on by known designers; whether it is associated with persons of note and whether it is unusual or rare in any way.

There are 20 Historic Parks and Gardens in Pembrokeshire and among these are the popular Orielton, Castell Malgwyn , Lamphey Bishop’s Palace and Lamphey Court and Ffynone.

Protection and planning

Cadw can help with the protection of historic parks and gardens through advice to local planning authorities on planning applications affecting registered sites. The aim is to prevent damage to significant features of the sites, such as historic layout, structure, built features and planted elements. It is not the intention to preserve everything as it is; in fact, in many cases development is both benign and beneficial. However, it is important not to let insensitive development harm the historic and visual character of historic parks and gardens and consultation on planning applications is a necessary and helpful mechanism to try to prevent this.

Existing planning and listed building controls are not affected by the Register but statutory consultation on planning applications affecting parks and gardens on the Register is in the process of being introduced in Wales. All applications will be referred to the Garden History Society and those graded I and II* will also be referred to Cadw. In the mean time a similar but voluntary system of consultation is in place.

Policies in the Joint Unitary Development Plan (JUDP) relating to Landscapes and Historic Parks and Gardens are as follows:

Policy 85 – Historic Landscapes

Policy 86 – Historic Parks and Garden

New policies relating to Landscape and Historic Parks and Gardens within Pembrokeshire County will replace the existing policies upon the adoption of the emerging Local Development Plan.