the nelson garden commemorates lord nelson's visit to monmouth on august 19, 1802, with sir william and lady emma hamilton on the occasion of their tour of the wye valley. having been entertained at the beaufort arms, the party adjourned "accompanied by colonel lindsay to the beautiful summerhouse in his garden there to enjoy the refreshment of tea or coffee and to pass the rest of the evening in that charming retreat". although the 'charming retreat' has vanished, in about 1840 the present memorial pavilion was erected, possibly to the design of george vaughan maddox, the monmouth architect. being of timber, various parts have had to be replaced over time and it is not known how much of the current structure is original. "lord nelson's seat" remains an attractive feature, bearing a plaque commemorating nelson's visit. the royal commission on the ancient and historical monuments of wales describes the summerhouse as "important and unusual."