Whinfell Quarry Gardens, originally Whirlow Quarry, produced flagstones until the 1880s. In 1895, Samuel Doncaster leased the land from the Fitzwilliam Estate to create a garden for his new house, Whinfell. He gathered rare and exotic plants worldwide, designing the Quarry Garden with winding walks, ponds, and waterfalls.
The 'Small Quarry' became a limestone rock garden with a water cascade, designed by horticulturist Clarence Elliott in 1912. The 'Large Quarry' featured a long vista from the 'Top Seat,' accessed via 'Frog Walk' along a series of pools.
Frederick Neill, the first High Sheriff of Hallamshire, acquired the property in 1933 and renovated it. After Whinfell House was destroyed by fire in 1971 and demolished in 1979, flats and houses were built on its site, now Whinfell Court. The garden was gifted to Sheffield in 1968 as a memorial for Sir Frederick Neill and has been open to the public since.
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