Walls, Gatepiers And Steps Defining The North And East Sides Of The Terraced Gardens South East Of The Conservatory

The walls, gatepiers, and steps defining the north and east sides of the terraced gardens southeast of The Conservatory were built in the early 19th century. They are made of ashlar stone featuring edged herringbone tooling and smooth-faced ashlar coping and piers. The north wall stretches approximately 50 yards, while the east wall extends about 30 yards. At the junction of these two walls, there are gate piers located to the northeast, along with steps at the west end of the north wall. The north wall has a lobed top with a pedestal for a former statue between each lobe. The gatepiers are square in shape with panelled sides and each is topped with a statuette of a crouching lion. The east wall slopes down the hillside from the southern gate pier and includes an oval openwork motif with tracery resembling radiating spokes. This structure is part of the significant garden layout at Alton Towers, which is listed as Grade I on the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission Gardens Register.