Published 4th Mar 2023, 00:00 BST

And residents and visitors alike to the city can once again find peace in the gardens of Goddards as it reopens for the Spring season.

The house was once owned by the Terry family - of confectionary fame - and its five-acre gardens are arranged in a series of garden rooms, a nod to the Arts and Crafts movement that inspired the architecture of the house.

Now owned and run by the National Trust, the gardens are currently full of daffodils, with tulips set to follow on in the coming weeks.

Goddards gardens in York re-opens with a free weekend for York residents with some statues that were originally located in the gardens for visitors to discover.
Pictured is Tom Longridge, Senior Gardener with the griffin statues.
Picture Bruce Rollinson
28 February 2023. — Goddards gardens in York re-opens with a free weekend for York residents with some statues that were originally located in the gardens for visitors to discover. Pictured is Tom Longridge, Senior Gardener with the griffin statues. Picture Bruce Rollinson 28 February 2023.

And York residents will this weekend have the opportunity to explore for free with proof of address - and see some very old favourites that have returned to the garden for this season.

New to see, but very much an original part of the garden is a series of statues, including a pair of griffins, a pair of pelicans and a set of urns.

They were originally acquired by Noel and Kathleen Terry and family and placed in their garden at Goddards, probably in the 1930s, according to the National Trust.

The statues were removed from the garden on the sale of the house to the National Trust in 1984 and relocated to the gardens of other family members; In time, they have now been returned by the Terry family to their original home after nearly 40 years.

Senior Gardener Tom Longridge said: “We were aware of them because we could see them on old black and white photographs, and in a little painting that Betty Terry did

“Out of the blue a couple of years back, the Terry family got in touch and offered if we wanted them back.

“There was a bit of damage, they were repaired, they were conserved.

“And we're at that final stage now of just putting them back into the garden exactly where they used to be.

“It's wonderful to have them back and to be able to put them back in their rightful place.”

For Mr Longridge, the appeal of Goddards is completely unique among York’s many historic treasures.

He said: “One of the special things about the garden is that it hasn’t changed from its original plan.

“Five acres for a York garden is huge. You step off busy Tadcaster Road and suddenly you’re in this amazing little oasis of calm and wildlife.

"It’s a real tranquil escape from modern day life. You get the chance to see the garden in its original design, with amazing characterful areas like the tennis courts and the terraces.

“I love this garden. I’ve worked in many but this one just has that bit of everything, and some extra magic.”

York's hidden secret garden welcomes home historic statues after 40 years