Welcome to Darwin Gardens

As it appears some are unaware of the Darwin Gardens Millennium Project, even fewer will know where it all started. One might say the first seeds were sown in the late fifties while living in Kent. A favourite cycle ride would take in Down House, the Darwin abode. Little thinking in years to come I would work ( and live and work ) at the three buildings Darwin used while staying in Ilkley during 1859. Wells House, White Wells and Wells Terrace-North View House, known today as Hillside Annex.

While trying to have a footpath re-opened, fallen trees cleared and rails on footbridges renewed it struck me how overgrown West View Park was. I got a little carried away (understatement) and ‘Seeds of an Idea’ came into fruition. Later Ilkley Parish Council asked for Millennium Projects for the town and Darwin Gardens was put forward. It soon became clear the Project needed more expert attention and was passed over to Dr Peter Harnett. The rest is history.

Frazer Irwin

August 1995

Among the scenes which are deeply impressed on my mind, none exceed in sublimity the primeval
forests undefaced by man, no-one can stand in these solitude’s unmoved, and not feel that there is more
in man than the mere breath in his body.

     Charles Darwin
     ( 1809 - 1882 )

          Darwin Gardens will be a celebration of the Millennium.

They will become a place to educate our children, while remembering one of the world’s greatest
botanists. Darwin Gardens will be a living part of the twenty first century.

The concept of Darwin Gardens first came about during 1995, when closure of Ilkley College became
more of an issue. Having worked at Wells House, Hillside Annex and lived and worked at White Wells
in the past, also done an amount of research into Ilkley’s Hydropathic past, it wasn’t long before Project
Darwin saw light. Initially, my idea was for a University either at home or abroad, to buy Wells House,
similar to Harlaxton Manor in Lincolnshire. Possibly investing in Hillside Annex, too. Thirdly, to find a
way of refurbishing West View Park and re-naming it, Darwin Gardens.

Few people, new people, in Ilkley realise the connection between the Town and, Charles Darwin. Nor
that he stayed here during the first publication of his book - Origin of the Species, in 1859. He chose
Ilkley against Malvern, his normal watering place, even though Wells House Hydro had only opened
three years previously. On reaching Ilkley, he stayed at the Ilkley Wells House Hydropathic
Establishment and, took the waters at White Wells. Later, when his family joined him, they all moved to
North View House ( now a part of Hillside Annex ). Darwin would have taken one of Donkey Jackson’s
steeds to White Wells, to bathe. Wells House not having their own internal baths at the time.

Darwin Gardens ( West View Park ) are in an ideal position for a park/garden to commemorate, Ilkley’s
rise from a small hamlet to what became known as ‘The Heather Spa’, the Millennium and Darwin.
Being on the edge of Ilkley Moor, it is within sight of White Wells, Wells House and Hillside Annex, all
part of Darwin’s stay in this town. It is also in a unique position to receive visitors to one of Yorkshire’s
leading tourist areas. Not only from this country, but the world at large.

In PROJECT DARWIN, I proposed the work in West View park, to be done by those out of work.
Or, the British Trust for Countryside Volunteers. Perhaps both. At the time, I could not see Bradford
Council putting up the money for such a scheme. Thinking perhaps, Parish Councillors would have more
of an insight into this aspect of the project. It now appears we must forge ahead and do the work
ourselves. So be it!

Note.

Neither Bradford Council or Ilkley Parish Council have put up money for the scheme.

Darwin Gardens will become a Charitable Trust

A clock tower had been put forward as an one idea. This is 2000-2001 AD, not 1897! We already
have enough clocks in the town and none appear able to keep correct time, if at all. It would not be long
before a clock tower became taken for granted, apart for those checking their watches. One only has to
ask people of Otley what their clock tower in Kirkgate was erected for and by whom, to get the idea.
DARWIN GARDENS on the other hand, will provide a living memorial to all those who contributed
towards the scheme, the Town’s past and present for 2000-2001 AD and beyond.

Drawing on experience gained while on the Grounds Staff at Askham Bryan Agricultural College, during
a National tree planting scheme, in the late sixties, I feel a similar project would fulfil the wishes for
Millennium Ilkley. The Askham Bryan/National Tree planting involved not just the College but local
people and organisations, schools, colleges, Universities and other training bodies. Churches and
religious groups, farmers and Landowners, businesses large and small. Menston Church Association
being one. In fact just about every walk of life. I envisaged something of the order of an Arboretum, for
Darwin Gardens. To follow the early wishes of Mr Middleton, for Mill Ghyll in the nineteenth Century.

We must not forget ROMBALDS HOTEL, one of the Town’s prestigious hotels, lies just across the
road from West View Park/Darwin Gardens. Another reason for re-generating the area and bringing
about that ‘good image’ we so often hear talked about in tourism circles. Already, there are residents
showing more than passing interest in Darwin Gardens. Perhaps helped by publicity during and after
1995 in Local and National Press of PROJECT DARWIN. One of our local tree suppliers had shown
interest earlier, as had other outlets, members of the clergy, teachers, a Landowner, Senior citizens and,
school children.

As pointed out earlier, Darwin Gardens will become a living part of Ilkley. A place where families can go
and enjoy the Moorland air, while visiting their tree or trees. They will be able to tend them for years to
come. those children whose school, family, youth club, even themselves, donated a tree, will bring their
own children even grandchildren, to see their FAMILY TREE!

There is another reason for choosing this site. Those who have lived in Ilkley for some time, will be
aware of the spa status which the town formerly enjoyed. But how many are aware where the fashion
started in Britain? The same may be said for our thousands of visitors. Darwin Gardens are within sight
of White Wells. Ilkley’s ‘Foundation Stone’. Again a reason for celebrating the Millennium near the
Moor, which helped to make the town World famous.

I also proposed something to go hand in hand with the trees. The Moor is widely known for it’s rock
carvings. We could place large boulders for artists and sculptors to carve, as did our ancient forebears.
Whether this be in the style of times gone by or, something modern, will be upto the carvers. Once again,
this too is something which has fired enthusiasm with certain archæological members of the community.
We must not forget other areas of the Town’s history. With careful planning, this too could be a part of
Darwin Gardens. One might say the "ORIGIN of ILKLEY" alongside the "ORIGIN of the SPECIES".
There will be those who say, ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Nothing could be further from the truth, Darwin
Gardens are passed by people many times a day, also overlooked by habitation. Against those in the
central area of Town, which are devoid of habitation after shops and offices close.

Darwin Gardens will be small enough to be personal to the people of Ilkley, yet large enough for those
who visit our Town to appreciate them as being something different from the rest of our Moors and
Countryside. They will see our celebration of the Millennium grow into something beautiful, instead of a
stone effigy which steadily becomes covered in grime. Only to disappear under some future
development.

The collection in Darwin Gardens will be added to over the next hundred or so years, whenever there is
something of Local, National or Family importance to celebrate. A little difficult to do with a clock
tower. Charles Darwin wrote, what many call the most significant book since the Bible. He started the
second phase while staying at North View House ( part of Hillside Annex ) in 1859, just across the road
from Darwin Gardens. I hope residents of Ilkley, Ilkley Parish Council, Bradford Metropolitan District
Council and Ilkley Tourist Management Committee plus all who eventually become involved with the
Project DARWIN, will realise the potential Darwin Gardens, has to offer the town.

We have a duty to our children, future generations and the world at large, to remember the part Ilkley
played in the life of one of our greatest botanists, scientists and writers. Also, his part in the rise of Ilkley,
from a small Yorkshire hamlet to a Spa Town of world re-known.

Here Ladies and Gentlemen I give you

     A Project for Millennium Ilkley.

          Darwin Gardens.

     A vision for the Future.

First Ideas 1995
Reviewed 1996/7
Revised 1998/9

Frazer Irwin.