Garden Walls, Piers, Statues, And Steps To The South Of Renishaw Hall

Garden walls, steps, statues, and fountains to the south of Renishaw Hall were laid out in a formal garden from 1879 by Sir George Sitwell. The walls and steps are constructed of ashlar coal measures sandstone, with the lowest flight of steps at the south end being of limestone. The retaining wall to the first level, located 55 metres south of Renishaw Hall, incorporates three flights of steps; the steps at the west end are dog-legged and feature square piers supporting ball-finials. The principal flight of steps lies on the central axis of the garden, connecting the first and second levels, widening as they descend. The wall terminates at the steps with low, square ashlar piers that support full-size statues of Neptune and Diana, each accompanied by a dog. The third flight of steps is contained within the upper level, flanked by return walls. At the head of the steps are two low piers, each supporting a narrow obelisk on a square base. The retaining wall is 2 metres high and divided into twelve bays by shallow pilasters, rising from a moulded plinth and topped with a moulded flat coping. The wall terminates at its eastern end with a square ashlar pier supporting a white marble statue of a male. A lower wall continues eastward, featuring further sets of steps, the north-easterly set terminating in low piers carrying tall obelisks with acorn finials.

Adjoining the upper wall on the west side of the second level is a buttressed retaining wall supporting an earlier terrace, with eight shallow stepped buttresses and plain chamfered coping. A full-size classical bust of a male is set mid-way along the coping on a low, tapered pedestal. A plain flight of steps rising from the southern end of the retaining wall is topped with two free-standing marble Corinthian capitals. The southern end of the wall connects to the retaining wall of the second garden level, 1 metre high with a plain coping, running parallel to the upper wall. An off-centre flight of semi-circular steps links the second and third levels, leading to a decorative circular paved area. The steps and paving have been attributed to Sir Edwin Lutyens. The junction of the sandstone retaining wall and the limestone steps is marked by low square ashlar limestone piers, each supporting a full-size marble statue, known collectively as 'the two Giants'. The garden at Renishaw is included in the Gardens Register for Derbyshire.