Page 26 - cn - fg- The Assembly of Time - Studio Brochure - flickbook e- presentation_Neat

th
A castle was built on the present site in the mid- 13 c by a Welsh ruler Gruffudd ap Gwen-
wynwyn Lord of Powis. In order to be independent of the aggression handed out by the
th
North Wales princes under Edward I. By the late 13 c, Llwelyn ap Gruffudd of Gwynedd
had established his position as Prince of Wales and in 1274 destroyed Powis Castle.
Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn having been forced into exile had returned after three years and
regained his lordship and consequently rebuilt Powis Castle. After various exchanges of
ownership by the 1530’s, Edward Grey, Lord Powis, took procession of the whole castle and
surrounding land and commenced a major building project that made Powis the most impos-
ing castle in North and Central Wales. In 1578 the last of the Greys leased Powis to Sir Ed-
st
ward Herbert, second son of the 1 Earl of Pembroke. Over the centuries Powis castle had
th
various degrees of alteration. It is George Herbert 4 Earl of Powis {1862-1952}, who was
great grandson of Edward Clive who inherited Powis in 1891, and together with his wife
Violet focused on restoring the castle and gardens.
Powis Castle has retained its culminated history of the garden’s evolution from the initial
st
Dutch and French influences in formal garden styles. Created by the 1 Lord Powis, the
work was carried out by the architect William Winde in 1660’s and 1680’s and the later revi-
sions incorporating the Italianate terraces and opulent edwardian gardens. What singles out
Powis is the steep terrain surrounding the castle, the outer woodland belt and landscape af-
fording stunning views of distant hills and mountains. The view is taken from the Aviary
th
Terrace, the figures mounted on the terrace balustrades are life- sized 18 c lead statues of
shepherds and shepherdesses made in the Flemish Van Nost workshop. Below is the Orang-
ery Terrace stretching out along the main axis. Beyond this lies the woodland landscape that
bounds the estate, and the lower lawns which at one time contained the Dutch Water Gardens
th
and Great Lawn in the 18 century. The late afternoon accentuates the tints of autumn and
adds to the drama of transient fading light over the powerful view of the gardens. Whilst it
can be imagined the shepherds and shepherdesses dance and play their tune to the passing of
another moment in time.

139394 View from the Aviary Terrace
Powis Castle, Powys,Wales.
541/8 X 721/8 inches -o/c