Scheduled MonumentsWalesThe Grotto, Piercefield
Post Medieval/Modern · Grotto

The Grotto, Piercefield

Wales
Cadw SAM MM283
Period
Post Medieval/Modern
Site type
Grotto
Broad class
Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

The Grotto at Piercefield is an eighteenth-century ornamental structure located within the designed landscape of Piercefield Park in Monmouthshire, Wales. Built during the period when picturesque garden design was gaining popularity among the gentry, the grotto reflects the aesthetic fashions of the Georgian era and served as a focal point within the wider estate landscape. The structure exemplifies the taste for artificial grottos that characterised elite garden design of the period, typically featuring rockwork and cavern-like chambers intended to evoke both the classical and the romantic imagination. As a designated monument under Cadw protection, the grotto remains an important surviving element of Piercefield's historical landscape design heritage.

The Grotto, Piercefield is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM283. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is The Grotto, Piercefield?

The Grotto at Piercefield is an eighteenth-century ornamental structure located within the designed landscape of Piercefield Park in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MM283.

What period does The Grotto, Piercefield date from?

The Grotto, Piercefield dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a grotto. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting The Grotto, Piercefield?

The Grotto, Piercefield 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 MM283.

What other scheduled monuments are near The Grotto, Piercefield?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Crick Moated Site (6.9 km), Crick Medieval House (6.9 km), Crick Round Barrow (7.3 km).

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