York Georgian Society invites you to join us for an afternoon getting to know The Retreat, prior to its conversion to residential use. This is a rare chance to see inside the historic mental healthcare facility famous for pioneering the humane treatment of patients in the 18th century. The Retreat’s influence on improvements in mental healthcare reached across Europe and North America.
The local Tuke family established The Retreat in 1792, as a reaction to the mistreatment of patients at Bootham Park Hospital, York. Designed to emulate a country house set within a parkland landscape, the new hospital represented a radical departure from prevailing 18th century treatment methods.
The Retreat continued in its original use until the 2020s, when it was sold by the Quaker trust to PJ Livesey for residential redevelopment.
Join us to learn about the site’s history, the importance of the Grade-II* listed landscape, and the challenges of conversion to a viable new use. The visit will end with refreshments and a short lecture on the human stories of The Retreat through a visual exploration of the digitised archives.
We hope that you will be able to join us for what promises to be a fascinating event with knowledgeable speakers. Tickets are limited: so book now to avoid disappointment!
Agenda
2.00 Arrival – Recreation Room
2.15 Gardens tour – The therapeutic landscape, Thomas Whitfield, The Georgian Group
3.15 18th century buildings tour – The challenges of restoration, Richard Lawrence, PJ Livesey
4.15 Refreshments
4.45 Lecture - Human Stories: Understanding 18th century mental healthcare facilities through visual depictions, Rebecca Burrows, York Georgian Society
5.15 Questions
5.30 Close
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