The eighth cache in the Mathern Trail series contributing to the Mathern Mystery Bonus cache. Ignore the 'private' signs; this applies to cars only. The track is a public right of way / footpath.
Mathern Palace, was one of three residences of the Bishops of Llandaff within their diocese from 1383. After Owain Glyndwr’s (Welsh) rebellion in the 15th Century it became the only episcopal manor and home until the early 18th Century. It is said to have been built by John de la Zouch (Bishop 1408-1423) and was added to in the late C15 and early C16 by John Marshall (Bishop 1478-96). The building continued in ecclesiastical use until 1763 when the Bishop removed permanently to Cardiff. It was rented out during this period and declined into a farmhouse with the buildings adapted for agricultural use.
The diocese eventually sold the building in 1889. It was purchased by Henry Avray Tipping in 1894 (who later became Architectural Editor of 'Country Life' Magazine) and he refurbished and improved it with the help of his local architect, Eric Francis of Chepstow. He designed the garden at Mathern Palace an what we now know as 'Arts and Crafts-style'. He lived in the house until 1912 when he moved to the newly constructed Mounton House. He continued to own it until 1922 when it and Mounton House were passed to Colonel Holden. In 1913 knowing that Tipping was moving out, the residents of Mathern Village persuaded him to offer Mathern Palace as a temporary home to Belgian refugees. These refugees had escaped repression in their homeland and fled to Wales. They included many specialist craftsmen (diamond cutters, woodcarver, tailor etc.) who were very grateful for the help provided by the Mathern residents. They returned to Belgium after WW1.
Mathern Palace was purchased in 1957 by Richard Thomas and Baldwin of the Llanwern steelworks and thus passed to British Steel on nationalisation in 1965. British Steel plc used it as a hospitality centre for customers and executives, and it was fully modernised and refurbished for this purpose during the early 1990s.
With the demise of British Steel it was sold into private ownership.
The palace is built of local rubble stone, mostly of a yellow hue, and has stone tile roofs, with some sections of pantiles. The plan was the quadrangular form, traditional in the late Middle Ages both for important houses and institutions such as schools, but what survives today is the entrance tower in the centre of the north east range, about half of the north west range which was extended again in c1900 and the north east corner block of the south east range. In addition to this are the granary, the Bishop's chapel attached to the north west corner, and the kitchen and service wing at the north east corner and stretching to the east.
The cache location affords a great view over the rear of the palace. The details for the Mathern Mystery Bonus [H] are noted on the logbook inside the cache.