Terrace Walls, Steps and Gazebo at Garthewin

The terrace walls, steps, and gazebo at Garthewin form a substantial landscape feature dating back to the 18th century. A large, steep embankment runs along the northeastern side of Garthewin, extending approximately 150 metres in front of and 50 metres behind the house. A terrace walk sits atop this embankment and is bordered on its upper side by a 3-metre-high rubble revetment wall. Access to the terrace walk is provided from the main garden front via a long flight of 25 rough stone steps.

At the northwestern end of the walk is an 18th-century gazebo constructed of rendered brick with a rubble rear face and covered by a mono-pitch slate roof. The gazebo’s design takes the form of a large, covered niche with a wide segmental arch at the front. An original two-light open oak mullioned window is found on the left return, accompanied by a plain boarded window seat. Inside, the floor is flagged with sandstone, and the walls and ceiling retain original lime plaster. An ancient yew tree frames the gazebo to the left.

An opening with a 19th-century scrolled iron gate and two sandstone steps provides access at the southeastern end of the terrace, leading to an upper walk situated above the main terrace walk, where the revetment wall functions as a 1-metre-high parapet. This upper walk runs the full length of the terrace, parallel to and above the main walk. Two metres beyond the entrance, the wall turns at a right angle to the east and continues for another 150 metres, parallel with the drive, until it terminates at the Bookroom. This section of wall has a rubble inner face and a brick outer face, embellished with narrow brick pilasters spaced roughly every 10 metres. The wall-top features crude, pitched rubble copings. Evidence suggests that the terrace walk previously continued alongside this wall. Approximately 6 metres before the wall’s termination at the Bookroom, a short section has collapsed.