Chatsworth Cascade Faces Delay Until 2027 Awaiting Restoration Bid

Chatsworth House wants to fix its Cascade, a big and very old water feature. They need £7.3 million for this project and have asked the National Lottery for £5 million. They hope to get the rest from the public. People can donate to the Chatsworth Trust or sponsor a stone on the Cascade.

Prices for stone sponsorship range from £100 to £500. People have already sponsored 280 stones, raising £80,000 so far. The Cascade has been off for almost a year and dates back to the 17th century. Water is leaking through the stones, damaging the structure and the soil.

If the lottery approves the funding, work starts in 2026 and could take 18 months. The water might return late in 2027 or 2028. Alan Titchmarsh supports the Cascade’s repair, as he loves Chatsworth’s gardens.

He hopes people will help save it, as the Cascade is the most important one in Europe and has stood strong since 1696. Jane Marriott misses the Cascade’s water. This project is the Trust’s biggest yet, and they hope the lottery will say yes in June. They need money to keep the Cascade going.

They have started some prep work, including planning and hiring workers. Twenty people, including stonemasons, will get jobs and use local stone from the quarry, matching the original stones. The Lottery already gave £422,000, funding an investigation into the leaks.

Concrete used in the 1970s and 1990s is eroding too fast. Water is also leaking into a tunnel under the Cascade, which once carried coal for the Great Conservatory. Leaks closed the tunnel long ago for safety.

The Cascade is over 325 years old. It brings water down the hill and powers a turbine for house electricity before the water goes into the River Derwent. The Chatsworth House Trust takes care of the house, gardens, and park. Visitor money helps them greatly, with every penny aiding in the estate’s conservation.