By Freya Gibson
Nestled in the centre of the city, Treasurer’s House is one of York’s most prestigious buildings. Featuring royal visits, ghostly encounters, and parties attended by iconic actors and actresses of the past, read on to learn about the fascinating history of this famous building.
Ownership of the house was gifted to The National Trust by Mr. Frank Green in 1930. Mr Green was a wealthy industrialist who renovated Treasurer’s House to showcase historical pieces. When he donated the house, he wanted the condition of the house to remain the same as how he left it, and vowed to haunt the building if any changes were made to his prized possession.
Mr. Green had many rules that the staff must follow to make sure it was kept to his standards. He had signs around the house that dictated how and where staff were to be kept in line, made his workers wear slippers to avoid dirt transferring into the house, and even wrapped coal in newspaper so there was no clattering to be heard. Despite his great contributions to York’s historical preservation it sounds like the house probably wouldn’t be the most fun place to pick up a bit of part-time hospitality work!
There are 13 main rooms, each of which is based on different time periods and filled with art and collectables from each period. Some of the rooms are named after royal residents that have stayed —such as Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, The Prince and Princess of Wales and their daughter Victoria!
It was after their visit that the King’s room, Queen’s room and Princess Victoria’s room were named. The famous townhouse has also seen other spectacular residents such as the famous writer Elizabeth Montagu, and the astronomer John Goodricke. Today you can visit Treasurer’s House to explore some of the old artefacts left behind in some of these rooms and what life was like.
Mr Green was known as a striking party host that adored entertaining his guests. He often invited actors and musicians so he could showcase his picturesque townhouse, hosting gala balls where he flaunted his outfits to guests. He was known as a fastidious dresser who changed his outfits three times a day. He certainly didn’t fail to make a statement!
The gardens of Treasurer’s House brilliantly reflected Mr Green’s personality. He liked to keep it as clean and pristine as he did the townhouse. He added wrought-iron gates and garden statues. A lot of them depict Greek Mythological Gods like Ceres the Goddess of Agriculture and Vulcan the God of Fire. There was also a statue of Mercury but this is tragically no longer standing, however a replica was made to keep the presence of Mr Frank Green’s art alive. Today, when winter arrives some of the more delicate and fragile art pieces are wrapped up to protect them from harsh weather.
If you would like to know more information about Treasurer’s House please visit
nationaltrust.org.uk.
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