A Bristol cave decorated with rare shells and quartz crystals is reopening to the public for tours. The grade I-listed grotto at Goldney House looks like it belongs in a fantasy film and the University of Bristol is inviting people to learn of the rich heritage in the city’s most famous hidden garden.
The urban gem, nestled behind Goldney House in Clifton Wood, boasts an ornamental grotto believed to be one of the finest surviving examples of an 18th-century grotto in Britain. It is highly decorated inside with rare, exotic shells, ‘Bristol diamonds’ (quartz crystals from the Avon Gorge) and minerals with a pillared hall and a rock pool overlooked by a River God and a Lion’s Den.
Built over 27 years and ornately decorated, it consists of several chambers, divided by pillars bejewelled with minerals, rocks and shells. The River God is seated at the end of a chamber overlooking a cascaded pool with giant clams.
According to the University of Bristol, there are three chambers in the grotto separated by pillars encrusted with the diamonds. It’s widely regarded as a touchstone of Bristol’s history, having been built by Thomas Goldney III.
James Fiddock, Head of Gardens & Grounds, said: “External Estates are proud to present the Specialist Garden History tours for 2022 and welcome visitors to this magnificent garden in the heart of our city.”
The tours started on Wednesday (April 19) and run on various weekdays until Monday, September 11.
The garden tours at Goldney House are £8 and bookable here. There will be no access to the historic house itself though.
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