York Unlocked is an annual event started in 2022 to allow visitors to see inside a wide variety of buildings in York that are not normally open to the public, and over the weekend around 50 buildings welcomed guests.
Katharine and I had a list of eleven that we were interested in, and we managed to visit nine of them, which was rather better than I expected, given the amount of time that some buildings take to explore.
At the same time, we had a list of the six 'Ghosts in the Gardens' that are new for 2024 and we saw five of them as we made our way around the city. We also discovered an open day at St Olaves Church where we spent some time.
So, a busy weekend! Our first building visit was to Herbert House, a magnificent timber framed building originating in 1545. For many years since the early 20th century, the ground floor has been a shop, for a long time selling shoes, but at the moment home to York Gin. The rest of the building is currently disused, but the owners, York Conservation Trust, are looking for ideas for its future use. In the past, much of it has been used as offices.
This shot shows the Great Hall, which has a fascinating mix of old and new features, and where there was a display of new artworks commissioned for York Conservation Trust.
This building proved a popular venue for visitors, with over 550 people visiting over the weekend.
Thank you all for your lovely comments, they are very much appreciated.
It will be interesting to see what York Conservation Trust does with this building. The building does need restoration work doing, and that is what they plan, though as always finance will be a challenge. It may take a few years to complete, but based on what they have done with other buildings, the result will be worth waiting for.
Ian
October 8th, 2024
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
There probably other ways to keep heather controlled but burning is easier and cheaper.
Thank you all for your lovely comments, they are very much appreciated.
It will be interesting to see what York Conservation Trust does with this building. The building does need restoration work doing, and that is what they plan, though as always finance will be a challenge. It may take a few years to complete, but based on what they have done with other buildings, the result will be worth waiting for.
Ian