Chatsworth House Trust has been awarded a grant of £4.6 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support the restoration of the historic Cascade and create a major new learning and audience development programme for the Chatsworth Garden. This award follows a £422,000 grant in 2023 to kick start the project.
Reflecting the Heritage Fund’s vision, the Trust’s ambitious restoration project will enable it to revive and sustain the Cascade for the enjoyment of everyone, long into the future; to celebrate Chatsworth’s heritage, and to reach new audiences.
A registered charity, Chatsworth House Trust was established in 1981 to maintain Chatsworth and its art collection for everyone to enjoy. It relies entirely on the generosity of visitors and charity donors. All the income generated from ticket sales, memberships and Gift Aid is reinvested into the charity to fund essential conservation, and an extensive programme of exhibitions and events, as well as an award winning learning and community outreach programme.
The grant from the Heritage Fund marks a significant milestone in the Trust’s ‘Celebrating the Cascade’ campaign, helping provide the resources required to fully restore a Grade I listed landmark that has both national and international importance.
The Cascade in 1900, credit: Chatsworth House Trust
Built over 325 years ago, the Cascade is recognised as a significant feat of engineering and nature-inspired design that has delighted generations of visitors. It has also provided a focal point in the garden for many generations to enjoy; however, the water has been switched off as it is now urgently in need of repair due to severe water damage and structural decline.
Images: the tunnel beneath the Cascade showing water pouring through cracks, Cascade stones showing deterioration due to centuries of wear
The total cost of the project is estimated to be £7.5 million. The Trust has committed to raising the remaining funds required from ticket sales, memberships and support from other donors and partners.
Last year, the Trust launched a public fundraising appeal, aiming to raise £250,000 towards the project. So far, over 1000 people have donated to the campaign, raising just over £100,000, with additional generous contributions from a number of Trusts and Foundations. The challenge now is to raise the remaining funds, in the region of £1m, within the next 18 months.
The Trust is committed to expanding access and welcoming new audiences to Chatsworth. These funds will enable it to significantly extend its work in partnership with schools and local charities to provide learning programmes about the history and engineering of the Cascade, the works to restore it, and the importance of water as a natural resource.
The Trust will be developing its programme of events to actively promote and demonstrate the health and wellbeing benefits of being in nature and near water.
Jane Marriott, Director of Chatsworth House Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their generous support, which has made it possible for us to safeguard the Cascade at Chatsworth, one of Britain’s most iconic water features.
“As a charity, this funding plays a huge role in enabling Chatsworth House Trust to deliver on its mission to preserve this extraordinary heritage site for everyone to enjoy. In caring for the house, garden, collections and parkland, we can continue to undertake vital restoration, while delivering on new initiatives for visitors and our communities to experience Chatsworth’s nature, culture and heritage.
“Thank you to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and to National Lottery players; thank you to the generosity of our Friends, visitors, local communities and supporters in the UK and around the world, who have generously contributed towards the Cascade’s restoration. We have already made meaningful progress, and public fundraising will continue to play a crucial role in enabling the Chatsworth House Trust charity to deliver this important project. Now with the Heritage Fund’s support, we are able to ensure that it will remain a source of inspiration, wonder and learning for all to experience and enjoy.”
Liz Bates, Area Director, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Chatsworth’s Cascade is beloved by many, as the strength of public fundraising efforts shows. We’re pleased to award Chatsworth House Trust with £4.6 million to restore this remarkable piece of historic engineering and make a step change in how Chatsworth engages with local communities and visitors. Thanks to National Lottery players, Chatsworth House Trust’s work will see many more people connect with and enjoy this special place’s heritage.”
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Since it was established in 1994, it has invested over £9.5 billion of National Lottery and other funding in more than 53,000 projects that help to sustain and transform the UK’s heritage.
Find out more and donate
To find out more about the project and to become a part of this exciting chapter of the Cascade’s history by sponsoring a stone, visit the dedicated campaign website.
