Castlegate House: A potted history

1762
Peter Johnson (Born 1719) Recorder (Crown Court Judge) of York, a position he held for 30 years (1759-
1789). He appointed John Carr (1723–1807) to design and build the house.
Peter Johnson had a daughter, Dorothea, 1744 -1792. Dorothea married Sir John Eden 4th Baronet in 1767.

1763
The house was completed.

1811
Sir Robert Eden, (Dorothea’s son and a grandson of Peter Johnson) had succeeded to the Baronetcy and at
the request of his grandmother, Peter’s Widow, assumed the additional surname of Johnson.
On her death, Sir Robert Johnson – Eden, 5th Baronet, Inherited Castlegate House,

1831
Castlegate house was offered for lease to the Society of Friends - Quakers headed by: Thomas Backhouse,
William Alexander, Joseph Rountree and Samuel Tuke, who wanted to establish a school for girls (for
approximately 30 students) now that the boys’ school had been established in Lawrence Street. The girls
who trained at the school left equipped with the ability to earn a living and become independent women.
The boys’ school moved to Bootham in 1846. The Quakers already had their Friends Meeting House 1693 to
present, nearby overlooking Castlegate House’s Garden.

1844
Sir Robert Johnson-Eden dies, and the house passes to his cousin Sir William.

1855
“The lease on the house came to an end and the Yorkshire Quakers decided not to buy it. There had been
several epidemics in York in the 1830's to 1840’s. In the late 1840’s a girl had died of an unspecified fever.
The city was growing and the house was becoming hemmed in.
It was felt a new premises were a necessity” - Joseph Rowntree bought the land from the Driffield estate at a
cost of £1,400 to build the new school. (Source: Among Friends – The story of The Mount School, York).

1856
The school moves to the Mount and becomes The Mount School for Girls.

1855
Castlegate Higher Grade School and Castlegate Council School followed.

1873
Sir William dies and Castlegate House is held in trust for the 2nd son Charles until he comes of age in 1883.
The eldest son, Sir William is held to be life Tenant for that period and in 1875 agrees to the sale of the
stable block to C.R. Garwood for use as a solicitor’s office. Now the Rustique restaurant.

1881
Census still shows of a school in residence, headed by a Mrs Goodricke (no tie to Goodricke college at York
University).

1883
The Trustees of Charles Eden sell Castlegate House and other properties to Dr William Hood for £1,950.

1911
Dr Hood sells the house to his son, Dr Noel Hood.

1919
Dr Noel Hood buys back the stables and uses them as his surgery

1927
The House was bought by the Agricola Lodge of Freemasons from Dr Noel Lockwood Hood for £3,500.

1928
The Temple (Lodge Room) was added to the side of Castlegate House at a cost of £3,298. Walter Henry
Brierley was employed to design the temple (an artist impression is above the Fireplace in the Robing room)
and Messrs William Birch were commissioned to build the Temple.

14th June 1954
Castlegate house received Grade 1 Status

April 1995
The Consortium Committee held an extraordinary general meeting of Consortium members. It was agreed to
apply for registration as a Trust Fund under the Charities act. Which was granted.
The Object of the Charity:
“To promote the preservation and maintenance of Castlegate House as a building of historic and
architectural interest for the benefit of the people of York and the nation at large”
Charity number: 1047366