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Gelli Aur (meaning: Golden Grove) is a country park in
Academic description and history
{{coord, 51.8596, -4.0383, dim:2000_region:GB, display=title Gardens in Wales Country parks in Wales Parks in Carmarthenshire Registered historic parks and gardens in Carmarthenshire
Gelli Aur (meaning: Golden Grove) is a country park in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...
, Wales, with of wooded parkland surrounding Golden Grove mansion. It was once the home of the Vaughan
Vaughan () (2021 population 323,103) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Regional Municipality of York, just north of Toronto. Vaughan was the fastest-growing municipality in Canada between 1996 and 2006 with its population increas ...
and Cawdor families. The park featured a number of nature trails, a deer park, a Aboretum planted in the 1860s. The park was managed for many years by Carmarthenshire County Council. The park is registered (as Golden Grove) at Grade II* on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.
The mansion features crow stepped gables, a battlemented portico and tall polygonal chimney stacks. The original Vaughan mansion, built between 1565 and 1570, no longer exists. In 1804 the last of the Vaughans died childless and the Gelli Aur estate passed to the Cawdor family. It was they who built the present mansion between 1827 and 1832. The building was designed by Jeffry Wyatville
Sir Jeffry Wyatville (3 August 1766 – 18 February 1840) was an English architect and garden designer. Born Jeffry Wyatt into an established dynasty of architects, in 1824 he was allowed by King George IV to change his surname to Wyatville ...
who had recently worked on the renovations at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The original cast ...
. The mansion is now privately owned, and a long programme of restoration is underway.
Since the middle of the 20th century, the house has had a checkered history. During World War Two, it housed American airmen. In more recent times, the big house was leased to Carmarthenshire County Council
Carmarthenshire County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin) is the local authority for the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It provides a range of services including education, planning, transport, social services and public safety. The counc ...
, and one of the five campuses of Carmarthenshire College (Coleg Sir Gâr
Coleg Sir Gâr is a further education college in Carmarthenshire, Wales, with five campuses across the county.
The college
Coleg Sir Gâr is a large, multi-site, further education college. It is part of the University of Wales Trinity Saint Dav ...
) was located there.
In 2015, as part of a ten-year plan to restore the estate, a grant of close to £1 million was arranged with the Welsh Government. The first stage including enabling public access to the parkland and gardens with tea-rooms, a play area, educational activities and trails. The match funding necessary for the third year phase of works did not materialise and therefore the majority of the grant could not be drawn down.
References
External links
Academic description and history
{{coord, 51.8596, -4.0383, dim:2000_region:GB, display=title Gardens in Wales Country parks in Wales Parks in Carmarthenshire Registered historic parks and gardens in Carmarthenshire