Name: Egyptian Garden, Biddulph Grange
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United Kingdom

England

West Midlands Region

Staffordshire

Staffordshire Moorlands

Biddulph

Egyptian Garden, Biddulph Grange

Discover

Places to see

United Kingdom

England

West Midlands Region

Staffordshire

Staffordshire Moorlands

Biddulph

Egyptian Garden, Biddulph Grange

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Location: Biddulph, Staffordshire Moorlands, Staffordshire, West Midlands Region, England, United Kingdom

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Best Hikes to Egyptian Garden, Biddulph Grange

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1. Biddulph Grange House – Biddulph Grange Gardens loop from Gillow Heath

1.67km

00:28

30m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Sasha Taylor

October 15, 2022

A secluded space, hidden by beech hedges

Even though it is dominated by a grand temple doorway in stone, bearing an image of the sun god Ra and four stone sphinxes, the rest of its massive sculptural presence is created entirely from clipped yew.

Through the centre of a rectangular grass court, surrounded by hedges, runs a path flanked by two pairs of sphinxes and by topiary obelisks. It leads to the stone doorway with the top of a pyramid, also in yew, rising high behind it.

Two Sphinx guard the entrance to the tunnel in Egypt

To create his topiary obelisks, Bateman planted plain green yews to make the obelisk shafts, but around their base, as a plinth, he planted golden yews. The mix was a regular trick of Victorian gardening that continues to this day in formal gardens where contrast is required between clipped shapes.

The heart of the temple

Biddulph’s temple doorway leads directly down a gloomy passageway and through further doorways to a small chamber lit by red light from a stained-glass panel above. Here sits the monkey-god Thoth, Buddha-like, squat, hands on knees like a seated man, but with the head of a baboon. Today it seems simultaneously shocking and humorous. There is a curious light-heartedness about all the sculptures in the garden which were created by the English sculptor and naturalist, Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.

Sasha Taylor

October 15, 2022

Egypt is home to 5 sculptures by sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse-Hawkins - 4 sphynx and Thoth, the ape god of botany. It is surrounded by a beech hedge, the only non-evergreen hedge in the garden which comes alive in autumn, glowing golden orange in the watery sunlight.

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Elevation 170 m

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Sunday 5 October

13°C

11°C

10 %

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Max wind speed: 30.0 km/h

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Location: Biddulph, Staffordshire Moorlands, Staffordshire, West Midlands Region, England, United Kingdom

Egyptian Garden, Biddulph Grange

1. Biddulph Grange House – Biddulph Grange Gardens loop from Gillow Heath

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