Dewstow Gardens & Grottoes
Imagine discovering a lost garden with tunnels and underground grottoes buried under thousands of tons of soil for over 50 years. I did when I visited Dewstow gardens at Caerwent recently.
Built around 1895 the gardens were buried just after ww11 and rediscovered in 2000. The gardens were created around the turn of the century by "James Pulham & Sons" landscapers, Rock Builders and Garden Designers.
The gardens had been buried around the 1940s and 50s and after excavation, although some areas were in very poor condition, other parts remained as good as the day the gardens were built. Most of the repairs have now been completed during a massive restoration operation which began in 2000.
The 8 acres of gardens contain many ponds and rills but interestingly a labyrinth of underground grottoes, tunnels and sunken ferneries.The rock gardens are made up of a mixture of real stone and faced stone using various types of Pulhamite.
Into the Grotto!
Directions to the Gardens
From Cardiff: Leave the M4 at junction 24 (Coldra roundabout) and take the A48 Chepstow road. Continue for approx 8 miles until you pass the "Red Chillies Restaurant" (Wentwood Inn) pub on your right. Continue for about 2 miles, then turn right into Caerwent, drive into the village until you get to the crossroads. Follow the Brown Flower sign out of the village. Where the road bears sharply left, turn right as directed by the Brown Tourist Flower, go over the brow of the hill, past the golf club on your right and follow the road over the brow of the hill, under the wooden road bridge then bear round to the left and Dewstow House is on your left..
From the Old Severn Bridge: Leave the M48 at junction 2, (The first one after the bridge.) Head for Chepstow. Take the first turning left off the Chepstow roundabout (A48-Newport). Stay on the A48 all the way. Do not take the Caldicot exit off the small roundabout after the big hill. Keep heading for Newport all the way until you get to Caerwent. There is a big brown sign with "golf course and gardens" on it. Turn left into Caerwent, then turn left at the crossroads where you see the Brown Tourist Flower . Continue out of the village and where the road bears sharply left, turn right as directed by the Brown Tourist Flower. Over the brow of the hill, past the golf club on your right and follow the road over the brow of the hill, under the wooden road bridge then bear round to the left and Dewstow House is on your left.
From the Second Severn Crossing: Leave the M4 at Junction 23a (Magor), take the first turning off the roundabout and turn left again after approx 200yds. Turn right on the mini roundabout towards Magor and Caldicot. Keep on this road until you pass the "Cherry Tree nursing home" on your Left. (approx 6 miles) Take the next immediate turning to your left as directed by the Brown Tourist Flower. Follow the road up over the motorway bridge and Dewstow House is the next right.
No dogs other than guide dogs are permitted enter the gardens.Dogs are not permitted to enter the Tea Room at any time.
Disabled Access
There is very limited access for wheelchairs in the garden and no access to the underground areas. We have disabled toilet facilities in the tea room area.
2011 Opening Times
Daily from Saturday March 19th until Sunday 30th October 2011 from 10.00am until last entry at 4.30pm
Prices
Entry Type
Price
Adults
£6.50
Concessions
£5.50
OAP
£5.50
Children 11-18yrs
£4.00
Children 10 and under (For Safety reasons, a maximum of 3 under 10s per responsible adult)
Free
Family Ticket (2 adults and 2 children)
£18
Season Ticket (enables you to visit the gardens on any open day throughout the season)
£25
Family Season Ticket (enables you to visit the gardens on any open day throughout the season)
£50
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