More York

10/7/2017


Despite visiting York many times in the last 29 years, we've never explored the mediaeval Merchant Adventurers' Hall. It lies just above the River Foss,  which joins the Ouse in York.
It was build in the 14th century by wealthy business people, the cloth merchants among them.
The building and its garden are still owned by the company these entrepreneurs formed. It operated as an alms house, a company meeting room,  with apprenticeships and charity as aims. It still today supports selected pensioners. The company's emblem is a ship, and its early wealth came from trade, despite pirate attacks, also recorded. These early records were stored in a low, long 'evidence chest', iron banded, blackened, showing its nearly 800 yeats of service.

While this is remarkable, it is the building itself which entranced us. Its frames and floors are  of English oak,  and is held together with oak pegs. The records of its construction,  including the names of the master craftsmen, are all available.

The interior photos are of the building, and the river photo is of the area immediately below the hall.

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