Discover more at The Kymin
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History of The Kymin
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The nine acres of pleasure grounds at the Kymin overlook Monmouth and the Wye Valley. In 1793 a group of friends found themselves regularly picnicking amongst the summit’s rocks. They decided to raise funds to build a permanent dining pavilion at the viewpoint. Today the Kymin continues to give enjoyment to thousands of visitors each year who come to admire the far-reaching views, to picnic and play games in the grounds and to admire its unusual Georgian buildings.
The Wye Tour
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Monmouth marked the halfway point of the famous Wye Tour. Travelers would take a two-day boat trip down the River Wye, from Ross in the north to Chepstow in the south, to enjoy the picturesque landscapes, scenic buildings and dining spots along the way. The fashionable tour was particularly popular during the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815), when travel to Continental Europe was unavailable. Many tourists would have taken an excursion up to the Kymin while staying in Monmouth. The attractions of the pleasure ground were described in many contemporary guidebooks and tourist accounts.
The Round House
In 1793, a circle of local gentlemen decided to build a dining pavilion at the beauty spot ‘as a security from the inclemency of the weather’. The pavilion, now known as the Round House, was built between 1794 and 1796, funded by public subscription, and could be booked by visitors as a refreshment room. Originally the building was formed of a circular tower with a kitchen downstairs and the ‘banqueting apartment’ above. Further funds were raised to add to the attractions of the pleasure ground by laying out a bowling green and walks in a nearby area of woodland called the Beaulieu Grove.
The Naval Temple
The Naval Temple was funded by public subscription and completed in 1801, honouring 16 British admirals who had achieved decisive victories at sea. The then owner of the Kymin, Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort (1744–1803), had a family connection to one of those naval celebrities, as he was married to Elizabeth Boscawen (1747–1828), the daughter of Admiral Edward Boscawen (1711–61).The most direct inspiration for the Naval Temple probably came from the destruction of the French fleet by the British, led by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758–1805), at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Nelson’s victory, seen as countering the threat posed by the French Revolution (1789–99), had an electrifying effect on the British imagination, expressed through popular prints, ceramics and other commemorative objects. Despite Monmouthshire being an inland county, there was widespread admiration for the feats of the Navy among the local population.
A painted feature on the west front of the temple depicts the British flag fluttering triumphantly above the lowered flags of France, Spain and the Dutch Republic, reflecting a patriotic pride in Britain’s military supremacy over other European powers. The temple is topped with a sculpture of Britannia holding a trident – an attribute of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea – rather than a spear, to symbolise Britain’s naval dominance.
Nelson’s visit
Nelson arrived in Monmouth on 18 August 1802 on a tour of South Wales. As a tribute to his victory at the Battle of the Nile in 1798, Monmouth gave him a hero’s welcome and the freedom of the town. The following day Nelson and his entourage, which included the diplomat and connoisseur Sir William Hamilton (1730–1803) and his wife Emma, Lady Hamilton (1765–1815, who was also Nelson’s mistress), took coaches up to the Kymin, where a crowd welcomed them. A cannon was fired and a military band played. The party took breakfast in the Round House and later, after inspecting the Naval Temple, Nelson is reported to have observed that the Kymin ‘was not only one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen, but, to the boast of Monmouth, the temple was the only monument of the kind erected to the English Navy, in the whole range of the kingdom’. Nelson died a few years afterwards, at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Saving the Kymin for the nation
Over the next 100 years, the fortunes of the Kymin fluctuated. By 1851, the Kymin Improvement Committee was carrying our repairs to the Naval Temple, pruning trees and resurfacing roads and paths. The Naval Temple was again restored in 1882. In 1902 the National Trust launched an appeal to buy the Kymin. As one of the founders of the Trust, Octavia Hill (1838–1912), wrote in a letter to The Globe published on 6 October 1902:
The hill formerly formed part of the estates of the Duke of Beaufort, and was visited annually by numerous people from the adjacent town of Monmouth and those from a distance who love natural beauty. It would be a thousand pities should it pass into private hands and be closed to the public.
A quote by Octavia Hill Co-founder of the National Trust
The National Trust refurbished the Naval Temple in 1987, but severe weather during the winters of 2009 to 2011 caused new damage to the building. In 2012 the Trust undertook an £85,000 programme of restoration, with the help of Cadw (the Welsh Government’s historic environment service), the Monmouth Royal Naval Association, the Gwent National Trust Association and Anna Tribe OBE (1930–2020), a descendant of Lord Nelson, recreating its painted decoration and commissioning a newly sculpted figure of Britannia.
Further reading
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Shire Hall Museum, Monmouth - Historic Site in Monmouth, Monmouth - Visit Monmouthshire
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The Wye Tour - Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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The National Museum of the Royal Navy: Nelson on a Pedestal https://www.nmrn.org.uk/news-events/nelson-pedestal
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Visiting The Kymin
Discover a world of magnificent views and peaceful woodlands, combined with beautiful pleasure grounds just waiting to be enjoyed - with lots of picnics and gentle walks.
