Discover 700 years of history in York's Hidden Ancient Hall

Discover 700 years of history in York's Hidden Ancient Hall

Timeline

1248

Land is given to the Vicar’s Choral, a group of priests who sang the eight daily services at York Minster, for the formation of a religious college in York.

1360

Stone buildings are constructed in the Bedern, including the current hall, to encourage the Vicars Choral to live and eat communally.

c.1500

Bedern Hall and other buildings within the area known as the Bedern are leased out to private tenants.

1644-1730

St. Peter’s School is moved to the Bedern after the former campus is destroyed in the civil war siege of York.

1841-1883

Bedern Hall is split into three tenements and becomes a part of York’s “sad spectacle of poverty and wretchedness”. Irish Immigrants fleeing the potato famine settle in Walmgate and the Bedern.

1918

G.E. Bartons, a baker, confectioner, and caterer, takes over Bedern Hall for use as a coach house and adds a first floor workshop.

1953

Messrs William Wright, Pork Butchers purchase the hall and use it for meat storage.

1971

Bedern Hall becomes a scheduled ancient monument, and is saved from a major redevelopment project.

1982

Three York Guilds- the Company of Cordwainers, the Gild of Freemen and the York Guild of Building- form the Bedern Hall Company and take a 99-year lease on the building.

1996

Bedern Hall Company secures the future of the Hall with the purchase of the Freehold from City of York Council.

2021

A successful bid to The National Heritage Lottery’s Cultural Recovery Fund enables Bedern Hall to open to the public on a regular basis and to become a Community Interest Company.

2023

The Bedern Hall guild family grows with the inclusion of The Company of Butchers of The City of York.

Timeline

1248

Land is given to the Vicar’s Choral, a group of priests who sang the eight daily services at York Minster, for the formation of a religious college in York.
Bedern Hall Timeline

1360

Stone buildings are constructed in the Bedern, including the current hall, to encourage the Vicars Choral to live and eat communally.

Bedern Hall Timeline

c.1500

Bedern Hall and other buildings within the area known as the Bedern are leased out to private tenants.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1644-1730

St. Peter’s School is moved to the Bedern after the former campus is destroyed in the civil war siege of York.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1841-1883

Bedern Hall is split into three tenements and becomes a part of York’s “sad spectacle of poverty and wretchedness”. Irish Immigrants fleeing the potato famine settle in Walmgate and the Bedern.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1918

G.E. Bartons, a baker, confectioner, and caterer, takes over Bedern Hall for use as a coach house and adds a first floor workshop.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1953

Messrs William Wright, Pork Butchers purchase the hall and use it for meat storage.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1971

Bedern Hall becomes a scheduled ancient monument, and is saved from a major redevelopment project.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1982

Three York Guilds- the Company of Cordwainers, the Gild of Freemen and the York Guild of Building- form the Bedern Hall Company and take a 99-year lease on the building.

Bedern Hall Timeline

1996

Bedern Hall Company secures the future of the Hall with the purchase of the Freehold from City of York Council.

Bedern Hall Timeline

2021

A successful bid to The National Heritage Lottery’s Cultural Recovery Fund enables Bedern Hall to open to the public on a regular basis and to become a Community Interest Company.

Bedern Hall Timeline

2023

The Bedern Hall guild family grows with the inclusion of The Company of Butchers of The City of York.