With the annual York Georgian Festival just around the corner, Sophie is dedicating this week's blogpost to The York Georgian Society, and their efforts to preserve the elegant architecture of Georgian York.
What is the York Georgian Society and what do they do?
The York Georgian Society was founded in 1939 to promote the preservation and care, and to foster the study and appreciation, of Georgian buildings in and around the City of York. It is one of the oldest societies in the world devoted to the Georgian era, and the second oldest such society in Great Britain outside London.
Unlike other groups, the Society’s remit extends beyond architecture and the crafts associated with building to include the arts, culture and society of the period from 1660, the year of George I’s birth, to1837, the year of William IV’s death.
"The York Georgian Society aims to encourage the conservation, restoration and maintenance of Georgian buildings and architecture; to prevent disfigurement to settings and other features of Georgian character; to promote interest and education in, and knowledge and learning of all aspects of Georgian architecture, arts, culture and society, all with special but not exclusive reference to the City of York and its neighbourhood.”
The York Georgian Society continues to work towards achieving its charitable objectives of ‘the preservation, study and appreciation of York’s Georgian past’. In late 2022, the society published a three-year Strategic Plan with the objective of building resilience and increasing relevance by growing membership, strengthening partnerships and expanding our activities. In 2023, it appointed a Project Co-ordination officer to support the aims of the Strategic Plan including digitising activities, expanding the types of events offered, broadening audiences to new demographics and strengthening planning casework.
Joining the York Georgian Society
Sophie has been an active member of the York Georgian Society for the past two years, having joined the society as a Trustee in 2023, whilst completing her masters degree in the Conservation of Historic Buildings at the University of York. Her motivation for joining the society was in part spurred on by a former colleague who, at the time, had just taken up the position of Historic Buildings Representative and was keen to invite Sophie to assist in establishing a dedicated planning casework team; an offering that the society had, until this point, lacked. However, Sophie's decision was also driven by her far-reaching love for Georgian architecture. Indeed, she has always loved Georgian architecture, having grown up close to the Spa town of Leamington in Warwickshire and also Ragley Hall, where she spent many pleasant summer afternoons as a child having picnics and running about the grounds with her family.
After graduating, and of course, having much more time to invest in the study of all things Georgian, Sophie gladly took up the role of Assistant Historic Buildings Representative for the City of York and Environs. Assisting her former colleague, Sophie has since been jointly responsible for managing a dedicated group of planning casework volunteers in uploading, critiquing and writing letters of response to planning applications in and around North Yorkshire. The team comprise an enviable mix of heritage professionals, students from the University of York, and fellow Georgian enthusiasts. Applications of all types are considered by the team, ranging from small householder applications, to larger schemes of restoration and conversion of grand country estates. Some examples of cases that the society have commented on recently can be found below.
Case 1: Adams House, Low Petergate
Case 2: 19 to 33 Coney Street
Assessment of incoming applications is facilitated by use of the well established Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies (JCNAS) Online Casework Hub, as well as the societies dedicated Planning Casework Database. Although the York Georgian Society is not a national amenity society nor indeed a statutory consultee on listed building consent and planning applications, it has a far reaching history of working closely with the national amenity societies to inform managed change to the historic built environment in North Yorkshire. The society also has a long standing relationship with the York Conservation Area Advisory Panel, with whom the society frequently provides joint responses to planning applications.
Sophie and the volunteer team, who are referred to more widely as the 'Planning Casework Panel', meet once a month, in a suitable York-based watering hole for a healthy round table discussion. Progress of their efforts is then fed back to the wider Society Committee every month or so. If you would like to learn more about the Planning Casework Panel and how you can get involved, please do get in touch - we would be delighted to hear from you.
How else can I get involved?
Although casework constitutes one of the societies core offerings, there are many other ways in which you can get involved, should you wish to join us as a volunteer or member. The York Georgian Society regularly hosts a series of lectures and events, covering all aspects of Georgian history, architecture, society and culture. Our ever popular lecture programme, which runs from October to February each year is free for members and £8 for non-members. You can register for the events online and add them to your calendar although no advanced booking is required. Last year we particularly enjoyed hearing a joint lecture from the society's Nuttgen Award Winners. The Award is named in honour of Patrick Nuttgens (1930 - 2004). It was first offered in 2008 and is the result of a fruitful collaboration between York Georgian Society and the University of York. The award provides a grant of £500 to be awarded annually to two PhD students researching any aspect of the Georgian period. Applications for the Award are judged according to the following criteria:
- Originality of the research project,
- Nature of the expenditure proposed and its value in developing the project,
- Financial need.
Patrick Nuttgens was a well-known and warmly remembered figure, both locally and nationally. He was founding Director of the Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies within the University of York, and successively Secretary, Chairman and President of the York Georgian Society. Applications open in February each year and are managed by the University of York.
The York Georgian Festival
This summer, the society is fortunate enough to be working in collaboration with York Mansion House who are hosting the York Georgian Festival, between the 1st and 4th August. Throughout the festival there will be tours, talks and tasting events, as well as balls, performances, demonstrations, and much much more. All of these events are set to celebrate York's truly fascinating hidden Georgian gems. If you haven't already, do check out the full programme of events on the York Mansion House website. Following the success of Rachel Feldberg's Family Walking Tour, the York Georgian Society are delighted to offer the event again, as part of the festival.
Although not part of the festival, the society are also delighted to offer its first ever Georgian concert, on the 28th September. In 1732 Senesino, the most famous castrato of the day (along with Farinelli), as a guest of Lord Burlington, gave a concert in York, at the Assembly Rooms which Burlington had designed and had only recently been opened, shortly after the close of the opera season in London. For its first ever Georgian concert, York Georgian Society has organised a modern equivalent of that event. The Society’s new President, Iestyn Davies, one of the finest countertenors of our time (who also sang the role of Farinelli in Claire van Kampen’s play Farinelli and the King) will sing four Italian cantatas for alto by Handel accompanied by members of the English Concert, interspersed with some of his instrumental music, in the glamorous but also intimate space of the State Room in the Mansion House. Handel of course was the premier composer of the early Georgian period, and this is a rare opportunity to hear his music in a suitable Georgian setting. Each ticket will include a glass of wine in the interval. There will also be a pre-concert talk by the musicologist Dr David Vickers, a leading expert on Handel’s music, and the editor of a number of baroque works including Handel’s Partenope.
Join York Georgian Society!
If you've enjoyed reading about the work of the York Georgian Society and would like to get involved, why not join and become a member today!
Blue Willow are proud to support the work of both local and national societies that help to inform managed change in the historic built environment. Whether you're looking for a heritage consultant, specialist design advice, or simply have a question about our range of services, please feel free to call on 01423642129 or email at info@bluewillowheritage.co.uk, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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