York’s history, as it happened
York’s archives are among the most important in the country. The collection contains thousands of documents, plans, and photographs that tell the story of the city. The oldest item dates from 1155, the most recent from a few years ago.
Until fairly recently, a visit to the archives was in itself like going back in time. They were housed in rooms off the main art gallery and anyone wishing to consult them had to make an appointment. Expert and convivial archivists would listen to what you were interested in before miraculously finding precisely the right cardboard box containing the specific historical treasure you were digging for.
Info
Address York Explore, Library Square, York YO1 7DS, +44 (0)1904 552800, www.exploreyork.org.uk, archives@exploreyork.org.uk | Public Transport 5-minute walk from Bootham Row car park. Closest bus stop: Museum Street | Hours Mon–Wed 9:30am–5pm, Sat 9:30am–4:30pm, closed Thu, Fri, and Sun| Tip The ground-floor cafe serves up tasty drinks and snacks, while Brew & Brownie across the road offers a fine breakfast.
Things are very different now. A whacking Lottery Fund grant has enabled the collection to be transported away from those musty rooms into a golden box above the main central library, now known as York Explore. This box houses the city’s history in a secure, climate-controlled environment. And the 150,000 cards in the old manual index have been transferred online, accessible with a few keystrokes.
Nowadays you don’t need an appointment. And if you are interested in history, there is no better way to while away an afternoon than with a deep delve into the archives. Here are just a few of the things you might find …
– The records of the York Penitentiary Society, established in 1822 with the aim of reforming girls who had strayed from the righteous path. “I am wishful to abandon my sinful life …” began a card they had to sign.
– A list of arms and materials kept in Clifford’s Tower between 1667 and 1670, which included “12 barrels of powder, 1 tunn of match.”
– An 18th-century pawnbroker’s pledge book, listing personal items left with the broker and the money paid. These included a silver watch, a “black petticoat & 18 yards of black lace” and a silk gown “to be forfeited if not redeemed in 2 months.”
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