Grand Stairs And Grotto, 50 Metres West Of Shrubland Hall

The Grand Stairs and Grotto, located 50 meters west of Shrubland Hall, is a Grade II* listed structure built around 1850. It is part of the landscaping designed by Sir Charles Barry for Sir W.F. Middleton, Bart. The staircase connects The Balcony Garden to the Lower Panel Garden and is constructed from white limestone, inspired by the gardens at the Villa D'Este in Tivoli, Italy.

The main staircase consists of four straight flights, each featuring a bay on either side. The open balustrading has 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 piers topped by terracotta urns. At the bottom of the fourth flight, the stairs split into two geometric flights, with the balustrading ending at urns decorated with swags on drum plinths.

A balcony at the top of the lowest flights overlooks a grotto at its base. This grotto features rusticated walling with an arched opening that has a mask-carved keystone and a pair of sunk panels with swags on either side. A stream is designed to flow from the grotto over natural rocks into a pool. Although there are a total of 115 steps, the feature is commonly referred to as "The 100 Steps." This structure is a significant element of what is regarded as the finest large 19th-century garden in Suffolk. The lower part of the staircase is situated in the Parish of Coddenham.