Dewstow House, Neoclassical villa in Caerwent, Wales.
Dewstow House is a neoclassical villa in Wales with a simple two-story structure and symmetrical windows positioned at an elevation overlooking the Severn Estuary. The estate features extensive gardens with a network of underground chambers, tunnels, and grottoes.
The property was acquired in 1893 by Henry Roger Keane Oakley, a director of the Great Western Railway, who developed it significantly. In the early 1900s, the estate also served as a center for breeding Shire horses.
The gardens show Victorian engineering mixed with nature through underground chambers, tunnels, and grottoes built by James Pulham & Son. These hidden structures blend natural and artificial elements in an unusual way.
The estate is accessible and provides ample parking for visitors. The underground areas require caution when entering, so wearing comfortable shoes and bringing a flashlight is advisable.
The underground passages contain artificial rock formations and stalactites connecting to hidden glasshouses that once housed tropical plants and ferns. These concealed botanical spaces show the Victorian ambition to grow exotic flora beneath the earth.
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