Beechwood park
The park is similar in style to the contemporary Belle Vue Park which is located on the west side of the city, which was designed by Thomas Mawson.
Although there is no proof of his involvement, Mawson may have been involved in the design of Beechwood Park - particularly as he was doing work for a series of tobacco manufacturers at the time.
There are elements which are typical of his designs - in particular the ‘dingle’ with its clever use of a natural water feature. There is also a reference in his correspondence to designing a park in Newport that was not Belle Vue Park.
Most of the park is laid out informally, with open rolling grass and isolated ornamental trees. The park is planted with both coniferous and deciduous trees.
The east side of the park is the most wooded, with open beech woodland on either side of the stream. The drive from the north-east entrance is flanked by limes.
The main entrance gates are at the south end, there are two further entrances at the north end and one on the east side. All entrances have wrought iron gates, with those at the south entrance being the most elaborate. Driveways wind from the entrances to the house, sweeping round the two terraces immediately below the house. Below these is further terracing for tennis courts.
Springs in the middle and eastern side of the park enabled ornamental water features to be made - with pools, cascades and rockwork in the small, narrow ravine down the east side of the park and in a wider small dell in the centre. The paths winding through the area cross the pools over modern bridges giving miniature cascades a Japanese feel.
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