Grand Stairs And Grotto 50 Metres West Of Shrubland Hall

The Grand Stairs and Grotto, located 50 meters west of Shrubland Hall, is a staircase that connects The Balcony Garden to the Lower Panel Garden. Built around 1850, it was part of the landscaping designed by Sir Charles Barry for Sir W.F. Middleton, Bart. The stairs are made of white limestone and are inspired by the gardens at the Villa D'Este in Tivoli, Italy.

The main staircase consists of four straight flights, each with a bay on either side. The open balustrading features turned balusters and is adorned with a pair of vases at the top of each flight. Alongside each flight, there is a stone-lined channel with outer walls supported by piers topped with terracotta urns. At the bottom of the fourth flight, the staircase splits into two geometric flights, with the balustrading ending at urns decorated with swags on drum plinths.

At the head of the lowest flights, there is a balcony that leads to a grotto at its base. The grotto has rusticated walling with an arched opening featuring a mask-carved keystone and flanking sunk panels with swags. A stream is designed to flow from the grotto over natural rocks into a pool. Although there are 115 steps, this feature is commonly referred to as "The 100 Steps." It is a significant element of what is regarded as the finest large 19th-century garden in Suffolk. The upper part of the staircase is situated in the Parish of Barham and is included as Grade I in the register of Historic Gardens.