Thanks to our sister organisation at York Conservation Trust, we are able to offer an additional tour of this fascinating building. This fine medieval house was the first restoration of a building at risk, by JB and Cuthbert Morrell in 1946. Today, the York Conservation Trust, founded by the brothers, is carrying out a major […]
This fine medieval house was the first restoration of a building at risk, by JB and Cuthbert Morrell in 1946. Today, the York Conservation Trust, founded by the brothers, is carrying out a major refurbishment of the building and members of the Civic Trust have privileged access to see the whole of the building before […]
Askham Bog, one of the most important nature reserves in northern England, is administered by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. The Trust was established to take ownership of the site in 1946 as a gift from Sir Francis Terry and Arnold Rowntree, and the staff and pupils of Bootham School played a significant part in development. […]
“I haven’t seen anybody dead before and we’re in the water, wading to the shore and we’re literally brushing against… bodies rolling in the surf…eighteen, nineteen year olds...people that we know...” Bomb Happy is a play which evocatively brings to life the verbatim memories of the last five York Normandy Veterans who, as young lads […]
One of the ways we encourage our young people to take an interest in the heritage of York is to organise a public speaking competition. We anticipate that around 10 schools will wish to compete. We do hope members will join us to support the schools and their teams of speakers for what is always […]
It is 12 years since Janet Hopton, the then Lord Mayor and Civic Trust Board member, launched the York Design Awards, a scheme designed to encourage excellence in architectural design and conservation, in and around the City of York. Peter Brown, former Civic Trust Director, has selected a range of winners, including some hidden gems, […]
York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship AGM and lecture Sustaining Objects: Conservation Skills for the 21st Century St Martin Cum Gregory Stained Glass Centre Emily Williams is Associate Professor for Archaeological Conservation at Durham University where she directs the Masters program in the Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects. Prior to coming to Durham, she […]
The area we now know as the Museum Gardens has been occupied by the Roman army, the Northumbrian Earls, the Normans, Benedictine monks, Henry VIII, (the real) Lord Grantham, the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, and CYC – among others. On this walk we will also hear stories about the Garden’s creators, the effects of wars, pistol […]
York Archaeological Trust opens the doors to its facility on Huntington Road to showcase its collection of finds from over 2,000 years of the City’s history. From roof tiles to Viking combs and Victorian dolls, there are many stories that these objects can tell us about the people in York over the centuries. Visitors will […]
This is one of the highlights of the year. Members meet to have a delicious lunch in a charming nineteenth century setting, the home of our Past President Darrell Buttery. They also hear about the Trust’s current plans and work and have a chance to express their own views. The meeting comes first, after which […]
This is a special opportunity to see at close quarters and better understand the huge organ in the historic St Michael-le-Belfrey Church, High Petergate, York. The instrument is in the process of being carefully dismantled for a full historical restoration in the Nicholson & Co organ workshops in Malvern, Worcester, before then being installed into […]
Following Peter Brown’s fascinating lecture on Wentworth Woodhouse and its eighteenth-century contents, we are taking the bold step of leaving York and arranging a private visit to the house. Peter has kindly agreed to accompany the group so we shall have the benefit of his knowledge and recent research findings to enlighten us. We shall […]
With 7,000 students and 800 staff, this growing University is recognised for its commitment to making higher education accessible to people from all backgrounds, successful graduate employability and a strong sense of community. This visit will begin with refreshments in the Dining Room Extension, followed by an introduction from Vice Chancellor Professor Karen Stanton. A […]
In 2018, Explore York Libraries and Archives successfully applied for funding from the Archives Revealed programme to catalogue and make available the vast collection of 19th and 20th century City Architects’ and Engineers’ plans of York. The collection includes thousands of drawings which cover all aspects of York’s built environment including: buildings, bridges, sewers, parks, […]
Due to popular demand, we have organised a second visit this year to St Denys. The church of St. Denys, Walmgate, is first recorded in about 1160 but is built on the foundations of two earlier structures, an Anglo-Saxon church and a Roman building. Under the patronage of the Percy family, Earls of Northumberland, the […]
Members of Ripon Civic Society will meet us for coffee at the Old Deanery Hotel, following which they will lead a guided walk around this unspoilt cathedral city. We will concentrate on the streets and exteriors of buildings of interest. The walk will finish in time to lunch independently, with the afternoon free to visit […]
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND - AN ADDITIONAL DATE HAS BEEN RELEASED Anglian York is virtually invisible, and yet the four centuries which separate the Roman and the Anglo-Scandinavian periods were fundamental to the city’s later development. On this walk Dr Ailsa Mainman will trace a route through Anglian York, gleaning evidence from written sources and […]
Anglian York is virtually invisible, and yet the four centuries which separate the Roman and the Anglo-Scandinavian periods were fundamental to the city’s later development. On this walk Dr Ailsa Mainman will trace a route through Anglian York, gleaning evidence from written sources and discussing archaeological discovery, and we will come to understand the legacy […]
YCT Annual General Meeting - in the presence of the Civic Party. Our most important formal meeting of the year, the AGM receives reports on the past year’s activities and finances, and appoints Trustees for future years. There is a chance to gather before the formal proceedings to meet Trustees and other members – particularly […]
In 1844, when photography was an exciting new phenomenon, David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson came down to York from their studio in Edinburgh to photograph delegates attending the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The conference was centred on the Yorkshire Museum and Museum Gardens, where Hill and Adamson set up […]
'Beyond carols and stained glass' Eric Milner-White, churchman, civic leader and connoisseur, 1884-1963 Eric Milner-White was Dean of York from 1941 until his death in 1963, having previously been Dean of King's College, Cambridge. Today he is best known for his moulding of the modern Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols and for his controversial […]
The archaeology of Hungate, York has provided evidence for at least 2000 years of continuous human connection to this low lying parcel of land nestled in the Foss valley. During his talk Peter will trace these connections from the use of the area as a Roman cemetery on the edge of Eboracum, through the organised […]
Pocklington School celebrated its quincentenary in 2014. It has been on the same site ever since it was founded and its links with York are strong. For centuries the Minster Chancellor, Dean and the Archbishop were involved with its administration. York architects, including Walter Brierley, were used. A notable Victorian Headmaster was keen on buying […]
Written sources tell us that the Vikings destroyed York in 866/7, and yet by the 10thcentury Jorvik was a thriving town with far-reaching connections. Archaeological discoveries in York have retrieved a rich store of evidence from the city’s waterlogged soils, helping us to understand the extent and character of the Anglo-Scandinavian city. Dr Ailsa Mainman will explore streets, […]
York is home to a major production and research site of one of the world’s biggest multi-national companies. Nestle is also the largest private employer in our city. We are surrounded by the legacy of Nestle’s predecessor, and this sometimes distracts from the contribution that Nestle makes to the local economy today. At a time […]
Ever wondered what is involved in running a successful cinema? Visit City Screen Picture house with YCT member Dave Taylor. Tour the former Yorkshire Herald building beside the Ouse, and hear about the history of cinema in York. Note: visiting the projection room itself involves a steep narrow staircase; otherwise all accessible. Coffee/tea included. Meet: […]
“Behind the Scenes at the Royal Mint” We return to Darrell Buttery’s beautiful Regency home for a pre-Christmas gathering. As has now become our custom, the evening will begin with a talk from one of our members. On this occasion Roger Holmes CB, former Deputy Master (Chief Executive) of the Royal Mint, has agreed to […]
George Pace was the country’s most prolific church architect in the post war period. He designed new churches, restored cathedrals and re-ordered hundreds of parish churches including locally St. Martin le Grand. He had an exceptional knowledge of mediaeval architecture, but was a modernist designing in concrete and steel using Yorkshire craftsmen to make a church an […]
Coney Street is about to undergo a renaissance as the Coney Street Riverside project transforms York’s premier shopping street. Join York Civic Trust to find out more about the Roman origins of Coney Street and how this history has affected the area over the last 2000 years and impacted on the upcoming development.
Do you wonder what happens in the Magistrates’ Court?