History of York

Georgian good society loved to promenade and York Corporation wanted to encourage good society.  In 1730 it decided to construct a New Walk by the River Ouse, bordered by lime and elm trees. 

It was so popular that by the end of the decade the original 480 yard walk was extended by a further 3/4's of a mile, South of the city centre.  This included a new wooden draw bridge to take the walkers over the River Foss.  In 1824 many of the original trees were replaced by a wide variety of new trees, 820 were planted in total.

In 1754 the, perhaps a little biased, York Courant commented 'This Terrace Walk made on the banks of the River Ouse and nearly a mile long may be justly esteemed one of the most agreeable publick walks in the Kingdom for its great neatness, beautiful town and situation which is so advantageously seen in its prospect as to render it not unlike nor inferior to any of the views in Venice'.