The oldest continuously occupied house in the country
In a city blessed with a surfeit of beautiful buildings, none is lovelier than Gray’s Court. It is approached down Chapter House Street, which the 1980 Bartholomew Guide rapturously described as “York at its best: Cobbles and pleached planes, gateposts with belligerent lions framing pretty gardens by the walls.”
Gray’s Court has quite the history. It is believed to be the oldest continuously occupied house in Britain. Commissioned in 1080 by the first Norman archbishop of York, it was home to the treasurers of York Minster before Treasurer’s House was built. Surrendered to the Crown during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, Gray’s Court passed into private hands. Among the owners were Sir Thomas Fairfax, who preceded Oliver Cromwell as commander-in-chief of the Parliamentary armies in the Civil War; and John Aislabie, notoriously chancellor of the exchequer when the South Sea Bubble burst in 1720.
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Address Chapter House Street, York YO1 7JH, +44 (0)1904 612613, www.grayscourtyork.com, enquiries@grayscourtyork.com | Public Transport 7-minute walk from the Monk Bar car park; or 1-minute walk northeast on Chapter House Street from York Minster; parking on-site is limited. Closest bus stop: Monk Bar | Hours Restaurant: daily 11am–9pm; bar: Sun–Thu until 10:30pm, Fri–Sat until 11:30pm| Tip Nearby College Street has a number of independent cafes serving tea, cake, and lunches.
Aislabie’s father, George, died in the Long Gallery in 1674 from a wound received in a duel for the honour of a lady, Miss Mallorie. It was in the same gallery in which James I knighted eight noblemen in the 17th century. In 1718, Elizabeth Robinson was born in Gray’s Court: she went on to found the Blue Stocking Club, “where literary topics were to be discussed, but politics, gossip, and card-playing were barred.”
Interest and intrigue cling to Gray’s Court like ivy. An award-winning documentary made a star of Helen Heraty after it charted her attempt to stay afloat after buying the 72-roomed mansion in 2005. The credit crunch, and battles with the National Trust and York council, turned her dream into a nightmare. But Helen is a redoubtable character and has transformed Gray’s Court into a stunning boutique hotel and restaurant. With beautiful gardens which include the only private access to the city walls, Gray’s Court has begun its second millennium in fine fettle.
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