Times Past

At one time most of the houses, farms, mines and woodland around the local area and beyond belonged to a large estate called the Picton Estate.

During the beginning of the 20th Century, large estates such as this broke up and where sold off into smaller pieces. The old legacy of Picton estate can be seen with the remnants of the old mines around this area.

Across the valley from us once stood a large house in extensive lands much of which was surrounded by high built rock walls. Within these walls was The Deer Park, which is self explanatory in it's name.

Within the walls also stood a large house, but it has long since been demolished. Above the original house position now stands a modest old welsh farmhouse.

Much of the extensive wall has either fallen down or been removed over the years, but some areas still remain for us to wonder at the incredible wealth these estates must have had to build on such a grand scale.

Nature takes over after a few decades.

This Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) followed the top of the wall as it grew, then the wall beneath it fell away leaving this wonderful tree span.

Trees rooted into the old lime mortar grew through the rocks of the wall then pushed the wall apart by natural hydraulic pressure.

An Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior)  leans over the wall like a huge green backed beast.

 

 

 

An old access into the walled area of the estate from the woodland.

 

 

 

The wall spanned the river Ludd that runs through the valley. Only the keystones of the arch prevent the arch from collapsing into the river. At one time  metal railings must have existed to stop the deer from escaping the park when the river drops to low levels.