Entertainments & Events

Italian Gardens

View towards the Italian Gardens at Holywell

Hidden away below Helen Gardens at Holywell are The Italian Gardens. These unusual and secluded lawned Gardens sit in a wooded amphitheatre carved out of the cliff face just yards from Holywell beach. The hollow in the chalk cliff face is due to the Garden's former use as a chalk quarry.

Quarrying was stopped after it was discovered that the excavations were polluting a nearby pure water spring which was essential for the town's water supply. The Council converted the quarry into the Gardens in the winter of 1904/5.

The trees growing from the sides of the amphitheatre provide shade on a hot day and help create the impression of a 'secret garden'.

The Italian Gardens are easily reached by foot or on the seafront Dotto Train and their proximity to the beach make them an ideal picnic spot. Located nearby is a special Millennium In Bloom flower bed designed by local school-children. The Italian Gardens also provide a beautiful setting for open air theatre in Midsummer.