Aviary Terrace in Powis Castle Gardens

Aviary Terrace is located in the gardens of Powis Castle and is believed to have been designed by William Winde, who worked on the castle and its London residence in the late 17th century. While there is no definitive date for the gardens, they likely began after 1668 and were mostly completed by 1705. Adrian Duvall, a Frenchman, is also associated with the gardens from 1703, credited with creating the terraces and the hydraulics for the lost water-garden.

The terrace features stone steps with stone copings leading down from the top terrace to the aviary, which is the focal point of the area. The aviary is symmetrically arranged as an arcaded structure with seven bays, where the central three bays are slightly advanced. It is constructed of brick with moulded stone imposts. To the left of the aviary, there is a wide arched niche with rusticated stone quoins and voussoirs, while a similar arch is depicted in an illustration from 1742. On either side of the aviary, a brick revetment wall with a rubble base and stone copings serves as the retaining wall for the top terrace. To the left, another wall descends in curves, maintaining the level of the aviary terrace at its western end.

Aviary Terrace is listed at grade I for its significance as part of the exceptional late 17th-century terraced gardens at Powis, representing a very rare example of an Italianate garden in Britain.