York Historic Environment Record

Listing description downloaded August 2005:

House with attached loggia and gateway opening on to terrace: now the Yorkshire Regional Office of The National Trust. Built 1926-27: by WH Brierley for Kathleen and Noel Goddard Terry; gardens by G Dillistone; plasterwork by G Bankart. MATERIALS: red brick in English bond, with black header diaper patterns, ashlar doorcase and oriel window and moulded brick plinth and dressings. Hipped, pitched and gabled roofs are tiled with brick corbelled kneelers and banks of tall octagonal stacks of moulded brick. Lead lined timber guttering on iron clamps, and rainwater goods of lead with clamps embossed with initials NTK, date 1927 and lion crest. Windows are framed in timber with wooden pegs. Terrace retaining wall of red brick in English bond with bands, strings and coping of moulded brick. Surface is stone paved, inlaid with cobbles in strips and panels.
EXTERIOR: ENTRANCE FRONT: 2-storey central range with 2-storey projecting gabled porch; cross-gabled wing with attic to left, gabled crosswing to right, both with external gable stacks; the whole on high plinth with moulded string. Porch has moulded and quoined doorcase with square head and hoodmould, Tudor arched opening and spandrels carved with dragons: double doors are of nail-studded sunk panels. Datestones at base of doorcase are inscribed PNLT to left, KTPT to right, both dated 27 Jan 1926. Within the porch is hemi-domed niche to left; inner front door is panelled, in moulded Tudor arched doorcase. On first floor of porch is 4-light oriel window with cinquefoiled lights and decorative glazing. Finials on gable are tapered and octagonal. To left of door and in left wing, fenestration is irregular with 2-light double transomed window at left end of first floor and 1, 2 or 3 lights elsewhere. To right, ground floor of centre range has one 3-light window flanked by 2-light windows, all diamond latticed with moulded brick sills; on first floor, three windows are of 3 lights: wing has one 3-light window on ground floor and single light on first floor. Generally, ground floor windows are transomed and have square hoodmoulds; first floor windows have narrow sills: all are square latticed casements, unless indicated otherwise, some with top-hung lights. Gable end chimney stacks elaborated with decorative brickwork.
GARDEN FRONT: 2-storey 3-window main range between shallow projecting cross-gables: main range extends further right for 3 bays with half hipped 2-light attic dormers: 1-storey loggia projects forward to right of right cross-gable, enclosing terrace. To left of right cross-gable is glazed garden door in chamfer-stopped opening beneath pedimented and return stopped hoodmould. Windows on ground floor are of 2, 4, 5 and 6 transomed lights beneath return stopped hoodmoulds with pendants. On first floor, 4- and 5-light windows in gables and 3-light window with decorative glazing at right end are transomed, those in gables having hoodmoulds as on ground floor: others are of 4 and 5 lights, one projecting slightly as false oriel. All windows have narrow moulded brick sills. Left gable apex pierced by small vents, right one has single diamond latticed light beneath cornice hood: both are filled with decorative brickwork. Beyond the loggia, windows are mullioned, one at right end of first floor of 4 transomed lights. Detailing obscured by Virginia creeper. Loggia is of 2 open and 1 closed bays. Two open bays are trabeated with 2 square and 1 cylindrical piers of moulded brick. Within, floor is of herringbone brick. Tudor arched opening of two orders at inner end leads to small vaulted lobby from which three other arches lead, two with sunk panelled doors, one blind. Similar door and doorway at outer end leads to closed bay which has two 2-light diamond latticed windows with return stopped hoodmoulds and moulded sillstring. RIGHT RETURN: 2 storeys, 4 windows, 2-window centre flanked by cross- gabled projecting wings. Except for one 1-light and one 4-light window in centre of first floor, all windows are transomed and have return stopped hoodmoulds with pendants: the left window in centre of ground floor altered to fire escape door with boarded lower part. Ground floor window sills are formed by moulded plinth string. Gables have slits in the apex and are filled with lozenge panels of raised brickwork.
INTERIOR: GROUND FLOOR: gallery hall and stairhall: both are wainscoted, gallery to full height, stairhall to dado height. Hall ceiling is coffered with moulded beams, some coffers having plaster mouldings; stairhall ceiling fitted with fielded panelling. Doors are of 2 moulded panels, in stairhall set in eared architraves, some with faceted blocks in the ears, one with broken pediment. Door and window reveals are panelled. Stairhall approached through 2-bay Tudor arched screen with spandrels and frieze carved with floral motifs and flutes: one bay is closed with balustrade of thick splat balusters and moulded rail. Staircase to first floor has similar balustrade, square newels carved with fretwork on the outer faces and bulbous square pendants and finials. Drawing room: fully lined with bolection moulded panelling including deep window reveals with window seats over radiators: 2-panel door in eared bolection moulded architrave. Bolection moulded chimney piece with enriched moulded cornice shelf and overmantel panel: fire surround and fender of
polished stone and stone paved hearth. Semicircular fireplace alcoves in eared and keyed round-arched surrounds with shell moulded heads and shaped shelves. Part of ceiling is segment vaulted: all parts decorated with plaster moulded arabesque frieze of pomegranates and rosettes, panels enclosing flower and foliage sprays, and isolated motifs. Original chandelier and wall light fittings survive. Dining room: fully lined with fielded panelling incorporating 2-panel doors in bolection moulded architraves and 4-panel doors in plain architraves: panelled window reveal with window seat over radiator. Eared chimneypiece has enriched moulded and dentilled cornice shelf and overmantel painting in eared panel: Tudor arched stone fire surround has carved flowers and flutes, dragons in the spandrels, moulded stone fender and paved hearth. Moulded and enriched ceiling cornice and original chandelier. Former study has 2-panel door in bolection moulded architrave and stencilled wallpaper, possibly original. Carved wood chimney piece with fluted jambs, enriched moulded cornice shelf and lively acanthus frieze, probably re-used: metal fireplace in stone surround with moulded stone fender and paved hearth. Former recreation or morning room has 4-panel doors in bolection moulded architraves: eared bolection moulded chimneypiece with polished stone fireplace, fender and hearth: moulded ceiling cornice. Tudor arched opening leads to service wing lobby. Kitchen and other service rooms retain fitted cupboards and drawers, shelving, original sinks and tiling: bell panel survives and fireplace in original servants hall. FIRST FLOOR: gallery openings are Tudor arched as on ground floor. Doors are 2-panelled and window and doorcases eared with faceted blocks: window reveals are panelled. Elsewhere doorcases are bolection moulded, some eared, and doors are 2- or 4-panelled. Some rooms have stone fireplaces with integral fenders and moulded surrounds with cornice shelves; others have metal fireplaces in tiled surrounds. One room retains built-in corner cupboard fitted with washbasin. A number of ceilings are deeply coved: two rooms have ceilings segmented by moulded corniced beams; others have moulded cornices. Attic: most rooms retain cast-iron fireplaces, some painted woodgrain. FITTINGS: the interior of the house is so little altered that fittings have been replaced in only one cloakroom: others retain original baths, water closets, washbasins and heated towel radiators. Throughout the house original light switches, bell pushes, door and window furniture survive.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: garden wall attached to right return is approximately 4 metres high, on moulded plinth between square section terminal piers encircled by moulded brick strings: coping is stepped up over gateway. Chamfered Tudor arched gateway leads to terrace. Terrace retaining wall is
approximately 1.5 metres high with moulded plinth, moulded brick strings and flat coping: square piers are continuous with wall.
This house is the finest surviving example of the work of Walter Brierley, the Lutyens of the north. (Country Life: Aslet C: Scholarly Sensibility The Country Houses of W H Brierley - I: 1982-: 878; Nuttgens P: Brierley In Yorkshire: York: 1984-: 28).
Listing NGR: SE5891249721

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

YORKSHIRE GARDENS TRUST Historic Designed Landscapes Project - Goddards, Dringhouses, York January 2021 (see full report attached)
George Dillistone, who designed the garden at Goddards, is a neglected figure in garden history, despite the gardens he designed, the approval of his contemporaries, his extensive writing on garden design and planning, his importance in the history of the British Iris Society, and his founding role in the Institute of Landscape Architects. Goddards may be the only garden where Dillistone designed both hard landscaping and planting, and that still exists in its entirety and attached to the house for which it was designed.
The rich archival record for Goddards’ garden provides detailed examples of Dillistone’s planting ideas that challenge implications that he held onto the coat tails of Gertrude Jekyll. Dillistone may have towed the Edwardian planting line in his earlier years but the shaping and repetition in his planting plans, and his colour palette and plant choices at Goddards suggest something different and more modern. Similarly, the clean and sharp lines of the hard landscaping, and its use of English Renaissance devices indicate other influences. The evidence also shows that the hard landscaping was Dillistone’s alone – an issue that is often unclear in writing about his other gardens.
In 1978, even in its then overgrown state, James Russell described ‘well-landscaped gardens’ and the lower garden as, ‘very well planted with interesting and rare trees, and [with] a beautifully designed rock-garden’.
In 1998, the garden’s importance was acknowledged, being described as ‘a remarkably complete and well-documented example of an inter-war design influenced strongly by the Arts and Crafts tradition’ where ‘imaginative treatment of an awkwardly oriented site results in a very harmonious and well-integrated creation’ with ‘[m]eticulous attention to detail in the design and composition’ (GGF Garden Reports, Garden Report 1998). The National Trust produced a Statement of Significance for the garden in 2006 (GGF Garden Reports, Goddards: Statement of Significance for the Garden).
The history of Goddards is also important for the light it throws on an under-researched period of ‘suburban’ garden history between the two world wars and on the relationship between garden designer, architect and owner.



NMR information:
(SE 58924972 ) Goddards (NAT)
(SE 5880497 ) Lodge (NAT) (1)

1. TADCASTER ROAD
5343 (east side) Dringhouses Goddards
SE 5849 NE 26/2 Grade II*
1926-7. Architect, Walter Brierley. A large imposing house in restrained Tudor style. Red brick; 2 storeys; a projecting gabled wing at either side each with an oriel window in stone surround; centre has 3 windows each side, those to ground story with wood mullions and transom; leaded lights; projecting porch bay at centre with doorway having shallow arched head, hood moulded and oak panelled, divided door; plain eaves; tall clustered stacks with diagonal shafts; tiles. Good interior, which is all in keeping, includes decorated vaulted plaster ceiling to living room. The house stands back from road in grounds.

1. TADCASTER ROAD
5343 (east side) Dringhouses Nos 25, 27 and carriage entrance of Goddards
SE 5849 NE 26/3 Grade II
1927. Architect, Walter Brierley. Red brick; one storey plus attick; large carriage opening at centre rising to eaves; a polygonal bay to right and left; casement windows in wood surrounds with leaded lights; 3 dormers; plain eaves; tiles. The building incorporates a lodge at either side, that on left-hand side extending to rear. (2)

1 VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION OS 1:2500 1963.
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest DOE(HHR) City of York, N.Yorks, June 1983, 344

NMR, 2019, NMR data (Digital archive). SYO2214.

YORKSHIRE GARDENS TRUST, 2021, Historic Designed Landscapes Project Goddards, Dringhouses, York (Unpublished document). SYO3139.