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The
King's Manor sits just inside York's walls, close to the city's
art gallery. Set back from the road, it is a peaceful haven, populated
by students and those who know about the refectory tucked away in
the first courtyard.
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The King's Manor |
The
place is steeped in history, walking into the reception you may
not notice the coat of arms above your head. Sitting in a seminar
you may not notice the timber roof that dates back to 1480.
The
Manor was developed from the 13th century lodging of the abbey of
St Mary's, now much extended, its architecture spans 700 years.
Following
the dissolution of St Mary's Abbey in 1539, the Manor was retained
by Henry VIII and allocated to the Council of the North. It acted
as the seat of the Council of the North until that body was abolished
in 1641.
Since
its days as a base for the northern parliament, the King's Manor
has played host to diverse groups.
The
abolition of the Council in 1641 marked the beginning of two centuries
of retrenchment. After 1688, the Manor was leased out, divided into
apartments and gradually declined.
The
foundation in 1833 of the Yorkshire School for the Blind marked
a new start.
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The King's Manor |
On
the departure of the Blind School in 1958, the Manor was acquired
by the City of York Council, who leased it to the University in
1963 which used it to house the Institute for Advanced Architectural
Studies.
It
is now home to the Department of Archaeology, the Centre for Medieval
Studies and the Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies of the University
of York.
Incidentally
the refectory is in the 17th century Council Chamber - meaning you
can now have a cup of tea in the former northern powerbase!
(Thanks
to the University of York for providing historical information.)
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It is claimed that the King's Manor is haunted by a very well
dressed Tudor lady. Could she be the Queen Catherine Howard,
who was King Henry VIII's guest here in 1541?
