gardens centre york england cover area acres grounds created 1830s contain gardens held trust managed designed style landscape architect sir contain variety species plants trees birds admission free variety events place gardens open air theatre performances festival activities historic buildings gardens contain remains west corner roman fort including parts roman walls area probably built remains late roman period fortress middle ages tower expanded roman walls incorporated york city walls buildings dating middle ages associated including ruins abbey church lodge surviving wall remains chapel east gardens constructed buildings gardens 19th early 20th century including octagonal observatory museum houses permanent collections covering biology geology astronomy history gardens given occupy grounds mary abbey society acquired land build museum house collections completed land granted condition botanical gardens established site created 1830s style design landscape architect sir originally contained pond destroyed bear escaped brief control area princess victoria visited gardens year open public gardens described principal attractions york time entrance free members non members entrance cost saturday cost gardens given trust public park managed gardens maintained description gardens cover area acres north bank outside city walls centre york entrances gardens museum street path riverside walk site slopes gently river historical buildings interspersed plants trees gardens open public daylight hours opening closing times vary year normally admission free charges events estimated gardens attract million visitors year drinking alcohol cycling ball games allowed gardens gardens home population semi grey species birds family residence years approximately plants trees collection varieties native england parts world planting consists large beds containing predominantly shrubs trees interspersed individual trees species tree include monkey puzzle tree oak chestnut trees trees gardens classed united_kingdom champion trees entrance ruins abbey church entrance terrace bordered beds white roses symbol yorkshire geological close main gates consisting large boulder pink granite discovered construction city railway station type stone local determined having transported glacial action ice age activities popular recreational space residents visitors gardens venue special events open air theatre music performances bands including pink staged concerts lord chamberlain men presented production 20th century revival performances held fixed stage gardens ruins 1950s york actress dame acted plays performed gardens played virgin mary sees york mystery plays return gardens august involve thousand local volunteers york festivals use gardens venue events people celebrated chinese new year displays included lion dancers viking festival demonstrations viking craft skills battle training gardens location united_kingdom gun fired noon celebrate occasions related year times military band marches gardens salute fired buildings roman northeast remains west corner fortifications surrounded roman fort original defences consisting turf green wood foundation built later replaced clay mound turf new oak foundation eventually wooden added replaced limestone walls towers stone defences roman remains visible ground york tower western corner tower roman fortress consists roman medieval architecture tower sides derives modern feet high built late roman form early 4th century constructed floors house catapult roman stone brought areas york foot section 4th century wall connects small interval tower wall towers facing carefully faced stone roman period display originally covered earth bank wall towers use end roman period britain subsequently incorporated medieval city walls late english civil war defend city hole wall period roman parts wall towers constructed regular rectangular limestone blocks band red tile running later medieval additions identified use larger blocks limestone cut red tiles places cross shaped arrow slits north stretch medieval city wall remains original roman wall running parallel city built wall stone tower thought built reign generally thought late roman period series banks showing level defences roman early middle ages norman late medieval periods medieval main article abbey mary abbey york gardens contain buildings dating medieval period relating abbey origins date brittany granted adjoining land monk stephen abbot small larger church style built nearby foundation stone laid replaced church gothic style abbey wealthiest monastery worth year dissolved henry_viii november years abbey fell disrepair abbey church largely dismantled stone stones abbey church seen lining paths gardens major ruins church western church aligned northeast axis shape size site instead pointing east normal alignment churches england north west walls formed nave crossing designed gothic style architect simon 13th century remain standing ruins include dummy windows windows remains patterns alternated single large circle lights small circles lights column capitals decorated foliage stiff leaf style style stonework decoration hard distinguish sections foundations church norman predecessor exposed plan seen grass finds excavated site including life sized statues christian saints seen lodge built addition late 12th century buildings formed gatehouse main entrance abbey entrance gardens remains 12th century gatehouse seen particular attached lodge lodge built stone contain timber framing like nearby lodge attached gates gate piers grade listed buildings means outstanding interest originally lodge abbey point poor claim abbey abbey dissolution lodge courthouse building brown cow pub curator restored converted use home retaining external appearance lodge subsequently offices early 21st century headquarters lodge abbey walls standing section remaining walls runs north west gardens extends walls constructed increased height royal licence originally defensive ditch outside walls walls include towers dating medieval period tower near gatehouse 19th century reconstruction walls towers abbey defence disputes land ownership taxes played role defence city located ruins thought originally guest house visitors abbey low social rank possibly barn originally group buildings abbey grounds included house stables mill near main gate boarding school pupils oldest parts ground floor built upper storey extensively restored modern times ruined gateway dates 15th century probably entrance passage ran water gate river remains chapel east gardens museum street entrance hospital largest england middle ages run community men women order 14th century hospital contained patients clergy closed dissolution monasteries surrendered henry_viii chapel built interior accessible gardens rib vaulted ceiling houses collection roman medieval stonework hospital surrounding area sites york feature edition television museum street entrance gardens short stretch york city walls ends medieval tower 19th 20th century instrumental establishing gardens reports follows lecturer services rendered years deserve grateful thanks devoted leisure time convert waste land botanical ornamental garden work assisted late sub curator yorkshire philosophical society constructed buildings gardens 19th early 20th centuries including purpose built museums britain designed architect greek revival style officially opened february september inaugural meeting held yorkshire museum museum permanent collections housed building english designated collection status means pre eminent collections national international importance biology collection contains specimens including fauna flora collection insects stuffed specimens extinct great complete skeleton extinct large collection specimens yorkshire region including remains elephants cave bears dated period years ago geological collection contains specimens rocks minerals fossils fossils collection numbering samples include important specimens periods collection close million objects date 20th century including helmet discovered york intricate example museum astronomy collection housed octagonal observatory centre gardens built design rotating roof credited designer inch built instrument maker york installed observatory restoration yorkshire oldest working observatory august opened public team volunteers building currently opened thursday saturday clock observatory london 19th century set time york eastern museum street entrance gardens lodge built design victorian gothic revival style lodge houses offices reading room curator house built originally called keeper house located designed built reclaimed limestone seat auditorium style lecture theatre built york surgeon presented hall replace existing lecture theatre designed early example use reinforced concrete grade listed building late 20th century housed cinema conference venue lecture theatre
York Museum Gardens