The Weir Garden

The Weir Gardens and the River Wye
Western end of the Weir Gardens

The Weir Garden is a National Trust property near Swainshill (see Stretton Sugwas), Herefordshire, lying alongside the River Wye 5 mi (8.0 km) west of Hereford on the A438 road.[1]

The garden covers 10 acres (4 hectares), and was the creation of its prior owner, Roger Parr, and his head gardener William Boulter. The adjoining house is used as a nursing home and is not open to the public.[2]

The south facing aspect of the garden allows for a wide variety of plantings, and this, combined with the riverside, attract a notable variety of wildlife. Notable birds include blackcaps, mute swans, kingfishers, goosanders and in summer, sand martins, whilst teal often over-winter here. There are also a great many insects, including the rare club-tailed dragonfly, banded demoiselle damselflies and white-legged damselflies, plus a range of butterflies, hoverflies and crickets.[2]

The ruins of a Roman temple possibly associated with a high-status Roman villa, which may have connections to the nearby Roman town of Magnis, lie inside the Weir Garden by the River Wye. There is an octagonal cistern filled by a spring, and a ruined buttress by the river. These are the highest standing Roman ruins in Herefordshire.[3][4]

As of April 2018, the property is open 10.30 to 16.30, every day until 4 November and then at weekends until 9 December.[5]

References

  1. ↑ National Trust web pages for 'The Weir' accessed 4 November 2013
  2. 1 2 National Trust leaflet entitled 'Welcome to The Weir Garden - Information to help you enjoy your visit'
  3. ↑ "Suspected Romano-British Temple, The Weir Gardens". www.Roman-Britain.org. Archived from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  4. ↑ "Roman Riverside Building Complex, The Weir Garden". Herefordshire Monuments Search. Archived from the original on 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  5. ↑ "Opening times at The Weir Garden". National Trust. Retrieved 2018-04-28.

Coordinates: 52°04′23″N 2°49′34″W / 52.073°N 2.826°W / 52.073; -2.826

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