Conduit House Cascade And Adjoining Statues

Conduit House, Cascade, and adjoining statues are located in Chatsworth Gardens and date back to around 1696, designed by Grillet. The structure was rebuilt around 1702 by Thomas Archer and underwent partial reconstruction around 1833 by Paxton & Holmes, which included the addition of a tunnel to conceal the fuel route to the proposed Great Conservatory. The statues were added in the early 19th century.

The building is constructed of coursed squared sandstone and ashlar. The cascade descends in a straight line with 22 shallow steps and is flanked at the foot by six Carrara marble statues on sandstone pedestal bases, made in Italy for the Sixth Duke of Devonshire. Midway up the cascade, it crosses a tunnel designed by Paxton & Holmes, featuring plain round-arched entrances and parapet walls divided by pilasters into seven bays. At the top of the cascade is an oval pond adorned with mermaids and lion heads that spout water, flanked by two additional statues on circular pedestals.

The Conduit House itself is made of sandstone ashlar with frostwork rustication. Its west elevation features a tripartite design with curved walls, an open round arch with a keystone and moulded imposts at the center, flanked by paired banded pilasters with twisting dolphins. A moulded cornice with a curved projection sits above the keystone, and there are blind round-arched recesses with rounded corbelled projections on either side. The end piers are banded and decorated with scallop shells in the entablature, and the parapet is topped with statues. The stepped lead dome allows water to flow over it and is topped by a tall circular domed lantern.

The side elevations have semi-circular flights of steps leading up to flat-arched doorways with moulded architraves. Inside, the circular domed space features a moulded cornice and round-arched niches that alternate between flat-backed and half-domed with shell hoods. Moulded brackets are present on the piers, with swags between them. The sculptures were carved by Nadauld and Watson. The Gardens and Park are also included on the Gardens Register at Grade I.