Pontypool is well known for its extensive park. Pontypool Park was the historic seat of the Hanbury family, who developed a permanent residence in Pontypool in c. 1694 and, under the direction of Major John Hanbury, subsequently established a deer park in the early 1700s. The park became a venue for recreation and enjoyment for the Hanbury family and their associates. An example of the luxury and display demonstrated by the family is the ornate shell grotto summerhouse within the park, completed and decorated during the 1830s.