Chatsworth House restores 325-year-old cascade
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Chatsworth House Trust in Derbyshire, England began restoring a 23-step cascade dating from 1696 after water leakage threatened its structural integrity.
The cascade, a central feature of the estate’s gardens, was shut off in 2024 when engineers determined it was at risk of collapse. The Trust secured funding including a £4.6m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, as part of a £7.2m campaign, allowing work to begin on Wednesday.
Workers will individually lift each of the cascade’s more than 100 stones to test for reuse, replacing damaged ones with new stone from a nearby quarry. The project also includes reinforcing the tunnel running beneath the cascade and repairing its pipework. Jane Marriott, director of Chatsworth House Trust, expressed relief and gratitude at the start of the restoration, noting it followed years of planning and fundraising.
Robert Harrison, head of operations, explained the team aims to preserve as many original stones as possible while ensuring the cascade’s long-term stability. The restoration is expected to take between one and eighteen months, with the goal of having water flowing down the cascade again in 2028.
