Two archways and associated stone staircases and retaining walls in Rivington Gardens at SD 6390 1422

The structure consists of two archways, along with associated stone staircases and retaining walls, located in Rivington Gardens. These features were built in 1906 to a design by Thomas Mawson for Lord Leverhulme as part of Rivington Terraced Gardens, and they are constructed from gritstone.

A stone staircase with flanking walls ascends eastward from a terraced path situated a short distance south of a former swimming pool or boating lake. This staircase splits into two, with one branch heading north-east and the other south-east. At the lower end of each staircase, there are semi-circular archways. Both archways are supported by moulded imposts, and their voussoirs are made of thin gritstone slates, each featuring five keystones of the same material. Tall, buttressed retaining walls made of sandstone rubble flank the staircases, and these walls include splayed window openings that provide views down across the gardens. Near the top, the right staircase makes a sharp 90-degree turn.