Description:A postcard view of the Cascade, one of various features and themed gardens at Alton Towers including Dutch and Italian Gardens, the Chinese Pagoda Fountain, the Swiss Cottage, Stonehenge and the Gothic Prospect Tower. The gardens were created by the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury between about 1810 and 1827.
The gardens at Alton Towers re-opened to the public after World War II in 1952. During the 1960s, under the management of Denis and Anthony Bagshaw, Alton Towers became an increasingly popular visitor attraction. In 1973 John Broome married Denis Bagshaw's daughter and soon after became the majority shareholder. In 1980 he began introducing the rides for which Alton Towers is now famous.