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Nanteos kennels is a post-medieval or modern building situated in Wales on bedrock of Llandovery age sandstone and conglomerate. The structure forms part of the designed landscape associated with Nanteos, and functions as an eyecatcher—a follies-like architectural feature intended to be viewed from a distance and contribute to the aesthetic composition of the estate. Such buildings were characteristic ornamental additions to country house landscapes during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when landowners invested in elaborate grounds combining utility with visual interest.
The kennels stand upon the ancient Llandovery Rocks, which date to the Llandovery period and consist of interbedded sandstone and conglomerate formations. This solid geological foundation provided a stable base for the building's construction. The monument's positioning within the estate reflects the practical and picturesque considerations that guided post-medieval landscape design, whereby functional structures such as kennels were integrated into broader visual planning schemes.
The building is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments authority, under reference CD205. This statutory protection recognises the kennels' significance as a heritage asset within the Nanteos estate landscape. The structure remains an important element of Wales's post-medieval architectural and landscape history, illustrating the interplay between working buildings and ornamental design that characterised substantial estates of this period.
Nanteos kennels/eyecatcher is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CD205. View the official record →
Nanteos kennels is a post-medieval or modern building situated in Wales on bedrock of Llandovery age sandstone and conglomerate. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CD205.
Nanteos kennels/eyecatcher dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a building (unclassified). It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Nanteos kennels/eyecatcher is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is CD205.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castle Hill Sculptured Stone (Moved into Llanilar Church) (2.9 km), Pen-y-Castell Group (3.6 km), Abermagwr Sawmill (6.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Nanteos kennels/eyecatcher's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Nanteos kennels/eyecatcher stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.