Lydney Park was bought in 1719 by Benjamin Bathurst, son of the Cofferer of the Household to Queen Anne, and has remained in the family since then.

The original house was close to the main road, with a large deer park behind it which was previously part of the estate of White Cross Manor.

William Hiley Bathurst built a new house in the centre of the deer park, with views over the River Severn.

[citation needed] The area has an early British Iron Age promontory fort–type hill fort, known as Lydney Camp, covering 4.5 acres.

In the late 4th century, the Romans built a Romano-Celtic temple[5] to Nodens, a Celtic divinity who is reflected by the later figures of Nuada and Nudd/Lludd in Irish and Welsh mythology respectively.

The temple was accompanied by a large courtyard guest house, a long building used as dormitory accommodation and an elaborate bath suite or thermae.