ELVASTON CASTLE WALK
THE WALK
Elvaston Castle Walk is perfect for a sunny day as it makes its way around the perimeter of the picturesque gardens at Elvaston Castle. Then stretches out to reach the banks of the River Derwent before returning. After the walk is complete, the delightful gardens at Elvaston Castle await exploration.
LOOK OUT FOR
Route Point 1 – The Old English Garden, surrounded by walls and although not large, provides a welcome space to sit and relax. It was originally an area for plants under glass, within which fruit, vegetables and exotic plants were grown for the Stanhope family. The 1970s saw the garden redesigned, with a small corner raised and dedicated to herb growing. But in 2011, a community project was set up to turn it into a sensory garden and improve access, with an emphasis on the sight-impaired.
Point 2 – It was the third Earl of Harrington who acquired the Golden Gates to enhance the approach to the Castle. They were reputed to have been removed as spoils of war by Napoleon from a Royal Palace in Madrid and then taken by him to Versailles for display. Following Napoleon’s defeat in 1819, the Earl had them shipped to England. Originally, the gates fronted the Castle before being moved to their present location, and recently restored in their original colours. The entire structure is 115 feet long and 20 feet high, supported at either end by stone pillars faced with Chellaston alabaster. The 18th-century statues that top the gates, depicting Jason and the Golden Fleece and Hercules and the Nemean Lion. The Harrington coat of arms sits centrally on the gate.
Point 3 – In 2024, Elvaston Cricket Club celebrated 175 years of playing the game at the former stately home. The first record of cricket played at Elvaston came from a news article in the Derby Mercury on 4 July 1849, reporting on a match that took place on 23 June that year. The club has won the Village Cup Finals of Great Britain in 1994 and 2000 and finished runners-up in 2001 and 2002.
Point 4 – Only a short distance from Elvaston Cricket Club’s impressive tree-lined ground is St Bartholomew’s Church with its fine perpendicular west tower. There is an entry in the Domesday Book of a church and priest in the manor of Elvaston, Ambaston and Thulston. Marks can still be seen on Sir John Stanhope’s tomb, made by the Roundheads’ swords.
Point 5 – Elvaston Nature Reserve contains veteran trees that were originally part of William Barron’s landscape design from the 19th century. It is also connected to the more formal gardens and estate by waterways that feed Elvaston’s Lake and gardens. Most paths are open all year round, but unfortunately, they become muddy in winter or in prolonged wet weather. A few are closed seasonally to restrict access to the reed beds during the nesting season.
Point 6 – Only the weirs and watercourses of Borrowash Mill remain, together with the former mill house, a substantial late 18th century brick building (Grade II listed), now known as ‘Riverside House’. A corn mill stood by the river from the 12th century onwards. In about 1800, a cotton mill was erected on the site of the ancient corn mills and demolished in 1965. The River Derwent at this point divides into two and creates a large island. A weir on the southern channel enabled the water flow on the northern channel to be regulated.
WALK DETAILS
Length: 3.5 miles
Start: Elvaston Castle Car Park.
Location: Elvaston is located to the south-east of Derby and is accessed from Borrowash in the north and from the Alvaston to Shardlow road in the south, along the B5010 (SK413332).
Terrain:
Refreshments: The Harrington Arms is at Thulston, a short distance to the south of Elvaston village. It is a traditional village pub, serving fresh home-cooked food. Wyatts at Elvaston Castle is a café located within Elvaston Castle that provides an indoor service and takeaways.
THE ROUTE
1. Walk back towards the car park entrance; 25 yards before reaching the road, turn right down a wide gravel path. At a ‘T’ junction, go to the right, along a tarmac access road, which soon passes the entrance to the Old English Garden.
2. Turn left along the path down the side of the garden, where the wall ends, bear right and continue along the path to the end to reach Elvaston Lane, an estate road. Turn right to walk past the Golden Gates.
3. Continue to follow the road around as it bends to the right along Bridle Gate Lane to pass the tree-lined drive to Elvaston Cricket Ground.
4. St Bartholomew’s Church is accessed by the drive to the cricket ground and by a gap in the boundary of Elvaston Castle Gardens.
5. At another ‘T’ junction, turn left, and continue following the Bridleway towards Alvaston. On arriving at an intersection of tracks, just before reaching East Lodge, go to the right along a track, marked Riverside Path, which takes you by Elvaston Castle Nature Reserve.
6. Follow the track around as it bends to the right to reach Borrowash Weir on the River Derwent. Here you turn right and follow the track, which, until the latter stages, keeps close to the riverbank.
7. Where the track moves away from the riverbank to reach the Borrowash to Elvaston road, go to the right along the footpath beside the road.
8. After 300 yards, immediately after passing a cottage, turn right and after a further 35 yards, go to the left down a wide gravel path. Leading back to the entrance of Elvaston Castle Car Park, where you turn right to access the starting point of the walk.
ELVASTON
