A HIDDEN attraction in the middle of a UK city is set to reopen its doors later this year and dazzle visitors once again.
Said to be “one of the finest surviving examples of an 18th century garden grotto” in Britain, Goldney Grotto in Bristol is set to be shown off to the public from April.
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The Grade I listed building was built in 1739 and has its own shell room and running water.
The walls of the grotto are lined with sea shells collected from all over the world, including the Caribbean and Africa.
It also has some artificial stalactites made from Bath stone, as well as chunks of Bristol Diamond – a type of quartz found in the nearby Avon Gorge.
The grotto is made up of several chambers, each divided by pillars also lined with shells.
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The central chamber is home to a life-sized stone lion protecting both a lioness and a lion’s den built into the whimsical attraction.
Inside the shell room sits a statue of a River God, who overlooks a rock pool filled with giant clams.
Visiting the grotto is done as part of a tour of the Goldney Gardens, which are found at Goldney Hall, a mansion built in 1724 that is now part of Bristol University’s student accommodation.
As well as the grotto, there’s a statue of Greek hero Hercules, an orangery, a Gothic tower, an ornamental canal and a flag garden.
However, Secret Bristol describes the Grotto as “the biggest treasure” in the garden, adding: “It is a dazzling sight to behold.”
Others have been impressed by the secret gem hidden away in the garden, with one reviewer on Google writing: “Very unexpected and such an interesting place to visit.
“The garden around is beautiful as well, a lovely place to spend few hours.”
The gardens have also been used as a filming location, with the university website explaining that the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch have visited to shoot some of his best known work.
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They wrote: “The gardens with orangery are regarded as a ‘hidden gem’ and have featured in many TV and film productions.
“Among others are the 1988 BBC Drama Series the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and the 2010 series Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch.”
Public tours in the gardens run on certain days between April and September, with new dates yet to be released.
For those who simply can’t wait until April to visit the grotto, similar experiences exist elsewhere in the UK.
Margate Shell Grotto
For instance, Margate in Kent is also home to a grotto made of millions of shells.
The thing that really makes Shell Grotto so interesting is that no one knows exactly how old it is or why it was built.
It was discovered in 1835, but historians believe it dates back much further.
Painshill, Surrey
The largest man-made crystal grotto in Europe can be found an hour outside of London and has been labelled “the most magical place in England”.
More than 10,000 crystals make up the attraction, which is found at Painshill – a garden filled with follies, water features and views.
The grotto is considered the highlight of the garden.
Meanwhile, this new coastal attraction is set to open in the UK’s most underrated city this year.
And Sun Travel visited the UK’s only underground theme park.
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