Autumn Heritage Walk
at The Retreat, York
We welcomed members of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society for a heritage walk
04
November, 2025
There are few places in York where history, nature, and community meet as gracefully as they do at The Retreat York. On Sunday 2nd November, the gardens came alive in the soft glow of autumn as we welcomed members of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society for a heritage walk celebrating the site’s remarkable past.
Hosted by Chris Webb, Chair and Trustee of the Yorkshire Gardens Trust, and Dr Laura Potts, one of The Retreat’s dedicated orchard volunteers, the event offered an enlightening journey through the landscape and legacy of The Retreat. The morning sunlight caught every shade of copper and gold – a vivid reminder of why autumn remains the most atmospheric of seasons.
Stories Beneath the Leaves
Beyond the natural beauty, it was the stories shared that truly brought the day to life. One guest brought along a small but powerful piece of The Retreat’s history – a letter sent to her grandmother in 1951 by The Retreat itself.
The letter expressed gratitude for the donation of a Bible once owned by George Jepson, who oversaw the daily life of The Retreat in the 1820s, during the height of William Tuke’s “Moral Treatment”.
She also shared a reproduction of Jepson’s obituary from the Leeds Mercury in 1836 – alongside the original newspaper itself – offering a tangible link to the people and practices that shaped the institution nearly two centuries ago.
To complete this unexpected archive moment, she revealed one final treasure: an item depicting Lindley Murray, the celebrated Quaker grammarian who was among the first to support William Tuke’s founding vision for The Retreat in 1796.
Where Past and Present Meet
Standing amid the autumn light, it felt as though all the layers of history had gathered in one place – the landscape, the people, and their stories interwoven. The gardens of The Retreat are more than beautiful grounds; they are a living archive, continuing to connect York’s past with its present.