Erddig Clywedog riverside walk
Enjoy a short circular walk taking you round the green waymarker route on the 1,200-acre estate with an array of natural and archaeological features. Take in Erddig’s famous 18th Century water feature the ‘Cup and Saucer’ designed by William Emes and follow the Clywedog river along the bottom of Wat’s Dyke and Court Wood into the historic village of Felin Puleston.
Map
Start:
Erddig car park
1
Begin at the dovecote and head down the main drive, past the no parking area and cut through the small woodland past the Coachman’s tea room.
2
Go past the white gates on your right and head down the steep tarmac hill around the west front of the house.
See if you can spot our historic house
As you reach the bottom of the hill, look up to the right to catch a glimpse of the house towering above.
3
Head through the wooden kissing gate and if you’d like to see the unique 18th-Century water feature, known locally as the ‘Cup and Saucer’ walk over the wooden bridge on your left.
Visit the 'Cup and Saucer'
The cascading circular water feature was designed by William Emes in the 1770s along with many other features on the estate. The waterfall drops about 10ft and was designed to lower the Black Brook quickly to prevent erosion. There is also a hydraulic ram from the late 18th Century, which used to pump 10,000 gallons of water 90ft uphill to supply the gardens and fountains. The thud of the ram was known as the ‘Heart of Erddig’. Black Brook was so named because of its origins in the coal mines at Bersham, a few miles away.
4
Retrace your steps back to the stone footpath, continuing over a stone bridge and along through the parkland.
Norman Motte and Bailey castle earthwork remains
On your right is Big Wood where our 11th-century Motte and Bailey castle earthwork remains are situated. In the winter months you can see the steep slopes of the castle mounds. The Motte and Bailey was constructed around 1071 by Hugh D’Avranches (Hugh the Wolf), the Earl of Chester, under instruction of the Norman King to gain control of the Welsh borders.
5
Follow the footpath, curving right and over a second stone bridge which then veers left across the grassed area to another kissing gate into Court Wood. Here is the point where the Black Brook meets the Clywedog River.
Industrial heritage
The Clywedog is approximately fourteen miles long and was once the lifeline of the area for watering the crops and livestock, powering corn mills and driving industrial machinery. There were seventeen watermills along its course. On the estate is a fertile floodplain, now known as the French Meadow, ideal for pasture and arable farming.
6
Continue through the woodland, which runs parallel with the Clywedog River.
Wat's Dyke
On your right in Court Wood, there is a steep bank which runs through the woodland. At the top of this bank is large section of Wat’s Dyke. Constructed in the 8th century, it predates its larger cousin Offa’s Dyke, acting as a forty mile-long defensive linear earthwork in the form of a bank with a ditch on the western side, stretching from Flintshire coast to south of Oswestry. There is 2 miles of Wat’s Dyke on Erddig’s estate.
7
In spring time, Court Wood has a spectacular array of English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), as well as being a good habitat for small birds and mammals.
8
Continue along the narrow path through the woodland until reaching the Felin Industrial Estate and follow the path round to the left.
9
Go through the kissing gate and over the bridge on your left into Felin Puleston car park.
Historic village
Eighty years ago there was a thriving community here with many buildings including a mill; sadly there is now only a solitary cottage left. The building next to the barn is now our Felin Puleston countryside education centre where many groups use it for a range of activities. If you’re interested in hiring it, please email: erddig@nationaltrust.org.uk.
10
At the cottage turn left and through the kissing gate, continuing along the stone footpath to follow the course of the Clywedog River.
11
Continue through two further kissing gates and re-join the original path by the stone bridge.
End:
Erddig car park