HERITAGE experts have bought an historic building in York city-centre - and found a trove of hidden social history.

York Conservation Trust has completed the purchase of 14 Lendal, which was Robson & Cooper for 103 years until its closure last year.

It was built as a house in around 1714 and was once the home of the renowned York astronomer John Goodricke, who was deaf and dumb but made remarkable discoveries before dying aged just 21 in 1786.

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Philip Thake in one of the basement rooms (All photos: Nigel Holland)

Philip Thake, chief executive of the Trust, said: "York Civic Trust was keen for us to purchase it, because they knew we would bring it back to the way it was. That's why we buy these old buildings.

"Most of it has not been in use for very many years and it really needs to be lived in again in one way or another."

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The shop closed last year

The Conservation Trust hopes to let the building fully for business use, but if that is not possible it would look at accommodating a shop on the ground floor and flats above.

Mr Thake said: "I would like it to be a commercial use because it's good for the city and that's what it has been for the past hundred years.

"But it's a big building and finding people to take on something like this is not always easy."

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One of the upper rooms, looks out across the Ouse

York Conservation Trust had worked with York Civic Trust ahead of the shop's closure, to try to catalogue and preserve some of the shop's contents. After the shop closed, many of the items were removed and auctioned before the Trusts realised, but others remained, particularly on the upper floors.

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Some of the items left behind on the first floor

On the top floor, workbenches are still covered in tools, old tins, work equipment and leather ware, and there are also old inkwells, bottles of ink, leather dye, and newspapers. The Trust also found an ageing wooden-framed toilet on an upper floor, old saddles, cases and furniture in the attic, and a stunning old iron range fireplace in the basement.

York Press: The stairs leading to the upper floors

Mr Thake said the building would need a lot of renovation work, but not as much as in some other buildings the Trust has acquired in recent years. This is the 96th York building the Trust has bought.

In the short term, York Theatre Royal will use some of the building as office and storage space while repairs are carried out at the Theatre in St Leonard's Place.

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Above and below: The main room on the first floor, which faces on to Lendal

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A fire exit sign in the attic.

 

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An ageing toilet in the second floor

 

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Switches in the main first-floor room

 

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Trestle tables found in a basement cupboard

 

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One of the basement rooms