Home of two spotty camels
The lesser known of York’s two surviving medieval guildhalls, Merchant Taylors’ Hall is tucked away off Aldwark. But it is just as worthy of a visit as its better-known brother, the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.
The Company of Merchant Taylors is one of only three city guilds that have existed without a break since medieval times. First mentioned in the Freemen’s rolls in 1273, a members’ register for the company dating back to 1387 survives in the city archives. At its height there were some 130 master tailors in the guild, demonstrating the importance of the tailoring business to York at the time.
Info
Address Aldwark, York YO1 7BX, +44 01904 624889, www.merchant-taylors-york.org, clerk@merchant-taylors-york.org | Public Transport 4-minute walk from Monk Bar car park. Closest bus stops: Lord Mayor’s Walk and Monk Bar | Tip Nearby on Goodramgate you’ll find a number of good cafes including the Kafeneion Café Bar.
The Merchant Taylors’ Hall itself dates back to at least 1380. Its Great Hall, with its oak-beamed roof, was ambitious in size, pushing medieval builders to their limits – the fact that it still stands today is a testament to their workmanship. Since it was first constructed, the building has gone through numerous alterations and upgrades. One of the most interesting additions is the waits, or minstrels gallery, built in 1649 and replaced 76 years later.
A smaller wing added in the 16th century, now known as the Little Hall, may have been intended as a chapel. Here you find two windows installed in the 1660s by the renowned York glass painter Henry Gyles. One bears the legend, “This Company has beene dignified in the yeare 1679 by having in their Fraternity, eight Kings, eleven Dukes, thirty Earles and fortyfour Lords.”
Complete bunkum. This boast refers to the London company, and no one is quite sure why it was given a place in York. For many years the York guild had no coat of arms of its own, an omission only rectified in 1963: it’s a rather jolly affair featuring two spotty camels.
The hall is rarely open to visitors but does host public events, as well as being a popular wedding venue. If you get the chance to visit, go.
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