Plas Dinas, Cambridge

Location, Area, Boundaries, Landform and Setting

Plas Dinas is situated along the south side of Malting Lane, Newnham with an ornamental veranda along its west façade. The garden layout is shown on Baker's map of Cambridge of 1830 and does not change for the next 50 years. The first Ordnance Survey map of 1888 shows its large garden divided into three areas by paths-a sunken garden to the west, with a lawn surrounded by flower borders, shrubberies and trees. An orchard to the south is reached by a raised path and a vinery against the house is protected by shrubs which conceal the narrow vegetable garden to the east.

Gardens

A photograph taken of the house and garden in 1880 shows the house and veranda covered with climbers and the vinery along the south side of the house. There are flower borders along the north boundary wall, and low planting along the raised path to the orchard.

The east garden is now divided into five private gardens. The Malting House garden is illustrated in ‘Country Life' in 1915 and now consists of three small paved courtyard gardens connected by stone steps. The garden then continues behind the gardens of properties along Newnham Road. It is divided from the adjacent garden by a brick crinkle-crankle wall. Then come two small gardens rectangular in shape, divided by a mature rose hedge.

The west garden of Plas Dinas still retains the raised path to the orchard and a sunken lawn is surrounded by shrubs and trees. Recent residents have planted sophoras and eucalyptus to remind them of the southern hemisphere, but have allowed the yew to increase in growth.