Retaining Wall With Balustrade To Parade Gardens, And The Vaults Beneath

The retaining wall with balustrade to Parade Gardens and the vaults beneath was built around 1740, with the balustrade added in 1932. It was designed by John Wood the Elder. The wall is made of coursed squared limestone, while the balustrade is constructed from ashlar. There is also heavy reinforced concrete strapping at the top of the wall, which supports the balustrade.

The wall faces the gardens and is situated on gently sloping ground, reaching almost full storey height at the river end. Each house has an arched doorway providing private access to the garden, along with square-headed windows that light the vaults, although some of these have been altered or blocked. The balustrade features panels with piers in between, topped alternately with vases or iron openwork lamp standards that hold lamps.

Historically, this structure is part of a broader project to enhance the walling of Parade Gardens, which began around 1895 under C.E. Davis and was completed after the demolition of the Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (formerly known as Harrison's Rooms or the Lower Rooms) on Terrace Walk in 1932. Originally, Wood's design included obelisks atop the balustrade, as depicted in engravings by Thomas Malton, while Davis's later design featured different lamp standards and vases, as shown in contemporary photographs.