Mansion House, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mansion House |
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The Mansion House at St Helen's Square in York
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| Type | Official residence |
| Location | St Helen's Square, YO1 9QL, York, England |
| Built | 1725–1732 |
| Built for | Lord Mayor of York |
| Original use | Official residence |
| Restored | 2015 |
| Restored by | York Civic Trust |
| Current use | Museum and residence |
| Architect | William Etty |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian |
| Owner | City of York Council |
| Website | www.mansionhouseyork.com |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Mansion House, railings and gas lamps attached to front | |
| Designated | 14 June 1954 |
| Reference no. | 1257969 |
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The Mansion House in York, England is the official home for the Lord Mayors of York. They live here during their time in office. This important building is found in St Helen's Square, where two main streets, Coney Street and Lendal, meet in the city centre. It was built in an early Georgian style. The Mansion House is the oldest building made specifically for a Lord Mayor that is still standing today. It was built even before the Mansion House in London.
Work on the Mansion House began in 1725. It took seven years to finish, opening in 1732. We don't know for sure who designed the whole building. However, the front part might have been designed by William Etty.
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History of York's Mansion House
The Mansion House stands where old buildings once were. These included the "Common Hall Gates," which led to the Guildhall. There was also a chapel and other properties belonging to a group called the Guild of St. Christopher and St. George. These buildings were taken down in 1724 to make way for the new Mansion House.
The York Guildhall is right behind the Mansion House. This is where the city council used to meet many years ago. Even today, a special event called the "Mayor Making ceremony" happens there each May. After this ceremony, the new Lord Mayor moves into the Mansion House.
Restoring the Mansion House
In 1998, the York Civic Trust helped to restore the house. More recently, in October 2015, the Mansion House closed for a big update. This project was called "Opening Doors." It was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The house reopened to visitors in 2017.
The "Opening Doors" project had several goals. It aimed to bring back the original look of the kitchens. It also worked on making the displays better for visitors. A big part was taking care of the city's collection of gold and silver items. The project also created a plan to protect the building and its collections. Finally, it involved collecting stories from people who knew the house.
Discovering the Mansion House Collections
The Mansion House is home to one of the largest collections of civic silver in England. These amazing items are now shown in a new Silver Gallery. Visitors have been able to see them since January 2017.
The Rawdon Gold Cup and Silver Pot
Two of the oldest pieces in the collection are from the 1600s. These are a silver pot and a gold cup. They were bought for the City of York with money left by Marmaduke Rawdon in 1669. Marmaduke wanted to give "one drinking cup of pure gold" worth one hundred pounds. He asked for the city's coat of arms and his own to be engraved on it. He also gave "a silver chamber pott" worth ten pounds. He said these items must always go from one Lord Mayor to the next. If they were ever used for anything else, their value should go back to his family.
The City Swords and Regalia
The Mansion House also has a collection of important city items, known as civic regalia. These include a mace from the 1600s and two city swords.
The Bowes Sword
The Bowes Sword was given to the City of York by Sir Martin Bowes in 1549. Sir Martin was the Lord Mayor of London in 1545. He was born in York and had many family members buried there. In the 1500s, there was a plan to reduce the number of churches in York. Sir Martin asked the council to save St. Cuthbert's Church. To thank him for saving the church, Sir Martin sent a "fair sword" to York. It had a crimson velvet sheath decorated with pearls and stones set on silver and gold.
In 1603, when King James VI of Scotland visited York, the Bowes sword traveled with one of his helpers to London. When the sword came back, the original precious stones were gone. It was repaired with less valuable stones instead.
The Sigismund Sword
The Sigismund sword once belonged to the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. In 1416, Sigismund became a Knight of the Order of the Garter. This was part of King Henry V's plan to form an alliance against France. Sigismund sent a sword to be hung in St. George's Chapel, Windsor. The sword was still there when he died in 1437.
Later, Henry Hanslapp got the sword. He was a dean in Windsor and also from York. On May 5, 1439, Henry Hanslapp gave the sword to the City of York. The blade of the Sigismund sword is blue and has the Royal Arms of Queen Elizabeth I on it. The scabbard (the sword's cover) is made of crimson velvet. It is decorated with "scorpions" or dragons. These designs are similar to the symbol of the knightly Order of the Dragon, which Sigismund founded in 1408.
Portraits of Past Leaders
The Mansion House also displays a collection of oil paintings. These paintings show many of the past Lord Mayors of York. Some famous people pictured include George IV (when he was Prince Regent), Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquis of Rockingham, and George Hudson.
