It was the kind of morning that made you ready to hope again. As an early spring sun pierced
through the frost to reveal a carpet of crocuses, snowbells and daffodils, we quickly forgot the dreariness of the last few months and realised we were standing at the centre of something really special.
I am of course talking about a recent trip we took to the gardens at Goddards in York.
Before we begin, I’m actually going to let you all in on a little secret about the production process here at YLL (as long as you promise not to tell anyone). To make it possible for you all to be reading an April-themed magazine in April we sometimes have to attend events and attractions ahead of time or out of season, and on occasion it can be a little hard to imagine what it’s going to be like in a few weeks’ time. This wasn’t the case at Goddards.
Despite our visit taking pace in the last week of February (another shock I’m sure), it really did feel like the height of Spring. So, while the house’s famed hyacinth wall wasn’t in bloom yet, and there weren’t any tulips to speak of, what we can tell you about is how the garden makes you feel. Caught between the busyness of Tadcaster Road on one side and the Knavesmire on the other — this charming and intricately designed garden is an oasis of tranquillity. It’s quiet, it’s calm, and shockingly expansive especially considering how close it is to the centre of town.
But what really makes Goddards so special? After all, York isn’t exactly short on history; to say the very least I’ve been writing this column for nearly a year now and haven’t had to repeat myself yet— so why should you consider a trip to the Goddards gardens instead of Clifford’s Tower or the
Castle Museum?
Well, let me start with this, ” Unlike some people I don’t aspire to fame, riches,
rank and power. No, I aspire beyond that. I aspire to a home.”
It’s a quotation from Noel Terry who, as you can probably guess from his last name, was part of the lucrative Terry’s Chocolate family. He was a director at Terry’s in the early 1920s, and more importantly (for this column at least) he was an avid supporter of something we call the Arts and Craft movement (we’ll get into what this was in a second). And it is in Mr Terry’s aspiration — to use his wealth and influence to create something beautiful — that marks out Goddards as worthy of
our attention.
The Arts and Crafts movement emerged during the middle of the 19th century. It aimed to promote real artistry and craftsmanship at a time when they were being left behind by the rapid industrialisation brought about by the industrial revolution. Think of someone choosing to handcraft a new cabinet in a workshop themselves instead of picking up a mass produced one from IKEA.
The movement was led by William Morris (who you might recognise if you went to the recent exhibition at York Art Gallery). It’s fair to say that The Goddards house and gardens you see today, are a standing testament to those artistic principles. The doors and window frames have joints rather than nails and all of the window fixings are themselves beautiful ornaments, handcrafted by skilled craftspeople. Plus, the exterior of the house features handmade bricks arranged in geometric patterns. In this way the site stands as an act of defiance against a moment of time in which art itself was dying out.
In any discussion of the house, the garden must also be considered. Again, in tune with the Arts and Crafts movement, the gardens are an extension of the stylistic choices made in designing the house. The garden is divided up into various sections, each of which reflects a room. An intention that has been maintained to this very day! As we wandered around, even in February, it was clear as day where each “room” was. They are all separated by shrubs, hedges, and in some cases trees or herbaceous borders.
Amongst a lawn and lily pool, a tennis court, a fragrant garden (it really does smell incredible!), croquet lawn, and bowling lawn — my favourite spot is without doubt the enclosed rock garden at the very back. There are two pools of water, plenty of lovely shade and a little bridge. Its less regimented and wilder feel reminded me a little of Monet’s water lily garden in Giverny. Second place though has to go to the orchard. The orchard of apple trees is where we saw the vast majority of those crocuses and snowdrops — so just imagine how beautiful the meadow must be
in summer!
To conclude in just a sentence — in Goddards, we discovered a testament to the enduring power of true art—built from the profits of one of York’s famous chocolate factories. It is a house born of chocolate yet designed for beauty. So, whether it’s to see the daffodils this spring, or the full splendour of the herbaceous wall in the summer, we really urge you to seek out some of that beauty at some point this year. It’s what Mr Terry would’ve wanted after all!
However, if you don’t go for the history and still aren’t stirred by our own experiences, then take it from one of Goddards’ brilliant gardeners Carol. When I asked why she enjoys spending time helping out at Goddards, Carol said, “It’s the history of it — I used to sell Terry chocolates and sweets at sweetshop when I was a teenager. So, it’s got a real history to me. And it’s such special garden and it hasn’t changed. It’s beautiful, unchanged, peaceful and it’s in the middle of York.”
Carol’s story, just like that of the house, is a reminder that chocolate is an inescapable part of York’s modern history. Maybe that’s something we should all think about as we tuck into those Easter chocolate treats later in the month.
Goddards House is located at 27 Tadcaster Road in York and is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-4pm. Head to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire to learn more.
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