York Historic Environment Record

YORK SE6051NE PEASHOLME GREEN 1112-1/17/865 (North West side) 14/06/54 St Anthony's Hall GV I Guildhall; now Institute of Historical Research. 1446-53; refaced in brick and remodelled 1655; alterations of 1828 and 1839-50, including re-roofing. Renovated 1952-53. Original building for the Guild of St Anthony. MATERIALS: timber-framed: ground floor of magnesian limestone on two sides, ground floor elsewhere and first floor of red brick in irregular bond; moulded stone first floor string and moulded brick dressings; slate roofs in 3 parallel ranges, with brick stacks. Undercroft with chapel and hospital; 9-bay aisled hall on first floor. EXTERIOR: Peasholme Green: 2-storey 4-window front on chamfered and moulded plinths. Chamfered doorway to left of centre, with flush panelled double doors, beneath cross-glazed oeil-de-boeuf. To left, 4-centred window opening blocked by paired 30-pane sashes; to right, three restored square-headed windows with similar sashes; all window openings are moulded and all openings have coved hoodmoulds with shield stops. First floor windows are of 3 transomed lights with large-pane casements. Cogged brick eaves. Rear: one barred prison window survives on ground floor, beneath later pent canopy roof. Blocked first floor window at right end retains wide segmental brick arch. Aldwark front: 2 storeys, 3 gabled bays, centre bay higher, on chamfered and moulded plinths. Left bay has doorway with 4-centred head, now blocked by 12-pane sash window; on each side, round-headed niches with square hoodmoulds, beneath decayed stone panels. Centre bay has original window of 2 cinquefoiled lights in square head between later inserted windows, one similar, one a single top-opening light. Windows on first floor are of 3 lights beneath moulded brick pediments; window to left has moulded mullions and transom, centre one 2 tiers of 20-pane lights, right one as on Peasholme Green front: oeil-de-boeuf with crossed glazing bars in double chamfered brick surround in centre gable apex. Two rainwater heads, one box-shaped, enriched with winged cherubs and dated 1771, one inverted bell. At left end of ground floor, cast-iron boundary marker for ST SAVIOUR'S PARISH 1842 fixed to masonry. Right return to garden: as Aldwark front, on chamfered plinth. Glazed and panelled door beneath tall 16-pane overlight to left of central canted bay window with pulvinated cornice and 24:42:24-pane sashes. On either side, tripartite windows with 12:30:12-pane sashes in chamfered surrounds. First floor windows have moulded brick pediments. Centre oeil-de-boeuf and two winged cherub rainwater heads, dated, 1771 as on Aldwark front. INTERIOR: ground floor: little framing survives. At Aldwark end, braced wall posts and moulded corbels support moulded beams. Cross passage ceiling carried on 2-centred chamfered arches springing from moulded corbels. Open string staircase with cast-iron stick balusters and turned newel. At foot of stairs, blocked doorway in chamfered surround. First floor: hall roof carried on 3 crown post trusses with moulded ties and kerb principals at Aldwark end, continuing on 6 arch-braced collar trusses springing from demi-angel corbels. Arcades now closed beneath embattled plates. Aisle roofs ceiled with 4-centred plaster vaults between arch-braced moulded ties with renewed centre bosses, on angel corbels at post heads. HISTORICAL NOTE: the Guild of St Anthony was dissolved in 1627, after which the building served a number of purposes, including that of military hospital and prison in C17. From 1705 to 1946, it was occupied by the York Blue Coat School. (City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 91-93). Listing NGR: SE6073451996