A Warm Welsh Welcome: The Gatehouse At Mathern Palace 

Looking for a Welsh weekend away? Look no further than this historic gatehouse reborn as a deeply comfortable retreat, set among magnolia trees on the edge of Monmouthshire’s glorious countryside. 

Review: The Gatehouse At Mathern Palace In Wales

Having spent an idyllic childhood in the Black Mountains of Monmouthshire, every invitation to return to Wales is accepted with joy. The county remains one of the great hidden secrets of the British countryside. Less pretentious than the Cotswolds or Somerset, and not quite as wild or windswept as Yorkshire or Scotland, Monmouthshire’s rolling green hills and babbling brooks offer glorious walking, excellent food and, perhaps most appealingly, a genuine warmth of welcome. It is also easy to reach – just over two hours’ drive from West London, around 30 minutes from Bristol, or a frequent train from Paddington to Newport.

Mathern Palace itself is steeped in history. Local legend has it that King Tewdrig – also known as Twerdic – a 7th-century king of Gwent and Glywysing, was wounded in battle against the Saxons and died at Mathern. Nearby St Tewdric’s Church was established on the spot where he fell, marking the area’s early medieval importance.

The palace is a Grade I listed building dating largely from the 15th century, becoming the principal residence of the Bishops of Llandaff from 1408 until 1705. After periods of disrepair and rebuilding, the estate was transformed in the late 19th century by Henry Avray Tipping – architectural writer, garden designer and, most notably, interiors and garden editor of Country Life. Having purchased the estate in 1894, Tipping undertook extensive Arts and Crafts-style renovations, restoring much of its former charm.

Now, there is a new chapter. Following years of neglect and a succession of owners, Mathern Palace and its adjoining cottages, just outside Chepstow, were bought by Charlotte Grace and her partner during the covid lockdown. Over the past five years they have been busy restoring the estate into a collection of beautifully considered holiday homes. The Gardener’s Cottage and the Potting Shed each offer two-bedroom accommodation, but the latest addition is the newly restored The Gatehouse, brought back to life – preserving elements of architectural interest such as the beams but modernising other elements – over the past 18 months.

Set within the palace grounds, with a garden dotted with ancient magnolia trees and a hot tub, The Gate House is the biggest of the trio, with three en-suite bedrooms thoughtfully designed to allow guests enough space so as not to feel on top of each other. Downstairs, the house opens into a warm open-plan kitchen – built of birch wood by Mindful Design, a local, family-run business specialising in sustainability, and with limestone flooring – alongside a sitting and dining room. A basket of local goodies awaits you on arrival. 

And what to do while you are there? Plenty. Top tips from an ex-local include walking the Sugar Loaf or Skirrid mountains, followed by lunch at The Crown Inn in Pantygelli or The Walnut Tree. The Hardwick and The New Inn at St Owen’s Cross are also firm favourites. Castle lovers are spoilt for choice – Raglan, White Castle and Goodrich are all superbly preserved Marches fortresses. For days out, canoe the River Wye at Symonds Yat or hire a longboat or electric day boat to cruise the Monmouth and Brecon Canal at Llangattock.

Further afield, there is surfing at The Wave – Bristol’s inland surf centre – golf at St Pierre Golf & Country Club, and year-round racing at Chepstow Racecourse, home of the Welsh Grand National. Tintern Abbey, one of Britain’s most awe-inspiring Gothic ruins, is just 20 minutes away, while the market towns of Monmouth and Abergavenny are both within easy reach.

For a Welshman living in London and always hungry to come home, The Gatehouse offers a deeply comfortable, easy and accessible place from which to go and enjoy this wonderful, welcoming, warm country – with some of the most beautiful landscapes on our small island. 

Book it: From £330 per night. mathernpalaceestate.com