York Civic Trust Events

3pm, Thursday 27 August [SOLD OUT] Meeting point: Askham Bog Car Park, A1036 (walk) We are very fortunate to be able to offer this event, to be led by Professor Sir John Lawton FRS, immediate past president of the host organisation of Askham Bog, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust together with Professor Dr Alastair Fitter, John’s successor as President of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.  The event comes as the YWT embarks on the replacement of the current boardwalk system around the site and will take the form of a walk and talk. Along with the boardwalk replacement, YWT is planning a reserve wide refresh. So it’s a really exciting time to learn more about how this process will work while the location’s bugs, birds and other wildlife are getting into the swing of springtime. The event will appeal to all age-groups and its timing, during the school holidays will hopefully encourage younger participants too. A limited amount of dedicated parking will be available near the main entrance : https://maps.app.goo.gl/wMmmL9VMcSmUPwTh9   Please book early to be sure of a place, because for logistical reasons, we shall be limited as to how many can safely use the current boardwalk. Also bear in mind that we might need to walk on the adjacent ground which may be wetter than usual this year and, bearing in mind the unpredictable weather.

2.30pm, Wednesday  2 September  Talk  (tour) Borthwick Institute, University of York Library The Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York, is home to the archives of the Merchant Taylors' Company of York, the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York, and the Merchants of the Staple.  All three organisations began life in the medieval period, and two of the three are still operating in the city today.  In this illustrated talk, Laura Yeoman will outline the development of all three guilds through their surviving archives, and explain the varied ways these archives can be used to support local and family history research. Laura Yeoman is Access and Digital Engagement Archivist at the Borthwick Institute for Archives, and has a specialism in the Borthwick’s medieval records.  She is also a current trustee of the British Association for Local History. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

10.30am, Tuesday  8 September  (tour) Meet: Entrance to the Hiscox Building, Stonebow York has been wrestling with waste for a thousand years. Viking and medieval rubbish pits provide archaeologists with the daily detritus from the city’s streets, lanes and rivers.  Over time, rubbish dumping became more organised culminating in the York Destructor of 1899 and the familiar wheelie bins and recycling boxes.  Maybe not glamorous but this walk alongside Andrew Morrison will be one of learning and innovation - caring for our city also means looking after everything we leave behind. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

5pm, Thursday 17 September [SOLD OUT] Meet: Meet at the steps at the western exit near Platform 11. York Railway Station The UK’s largest urban brownfield site surrounds York Railway Station, spanning from Leeman Road to Toft Green. The current plans include 1,000 new homes, a green park, a civic square at York Station’s western exit, a huge hub for cyclists, a 200-bed hotel along with provision for businesses.  And one of the UK’s largest new timber buildings!  The York Central development team will lead us around the site.  Come and see for yourselves how they propose to add new life to the city.  Additional information:  Walking shoes needed. Not an accessible event for wheelchair users. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

2.30pm, Wednesday 23 September (walk) - [SOLD OUT] Meet: Acomb Explore Library Join Christina Henzel, Heritage Engagement Officer at the Trust and project lead for Our Place: Acomb and Westfield, for a guided heritage walk exploring the rich history of Acomb. Follow Acomb’s journey from its village roots to the modern neighbourhoods of today, revealing how local heritage and personal stories intertwine to shape the area’s identity. This walk offers a fresh perspective on a part of York that is often overlooked, highlighting the people, places and events that have defined Acomb over time. It is a wonderful opportunity to explore the area through both historical evidence and the voices of those who call it home.  Additional information : route will be about one mile on footpaths. Not suitable for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues. Route tbc, please contact info@yorkcivictrust.co.uk for further information.  YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

Clifford’s Tower: Now and Then (talk) {SOLD OUT} 6pm, Tuesday 6 October,  Penn Room, Friends Meeting House,  Friargate Over the past few years, you will have noticed something going on around Clifford’s Tower.  But what is involved in tackling a development scheme for a landmark building? Julie Brookes and Jake Tatman of English Heritage have kindly agreed to give an illustrated talk on that recent project and the work undertaken at Clifford's Tower, including an overview of the site's history. Accessibility: The Quaker Meeting House is an accessible building. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

11am, Tuesday 13 October (walk) [SOLD OUT] Meet: Bile Beans sign, Lord Mayor’s Walk Dominating the northern approach to the city for more than seven centuries, Monk Bar is the finest and most complete of York’s four principal medieval gateways.  Join Dr Duncan Marks of York Civic Trust for a fascinating guided walk exploring the history, architecture and enduring significance of this remarkable monument and its approach roads.  Beginning at Monk Bar itself, the walk will trace the gateway’s development from its medieval origins, examining its role in the defence of the city, its impressive military design and the many changes it has witnessed through the centuries.  Along the way, Dr Marks will reveal how Monk Bar reflected its strategic importance, and will bring to life the people, events and daily activity associated with this iconic entrance to the city and the streets that developed around it. Accessibility : This tour will not be wheelchair accessible due to the nature of the paths. For more accessibility information please contact us: info@yorkcivictrust.co.uk. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

6.45pm, Thursday 22 October (talk) Friends Meeting House Join us for an absorbing journey through 80 years of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust celebrating the people, places and achievements that have shaped nature conservation across Yorkshire. From the purchase of Askham Bog by the visionary founders to pioneering conservation projects, such as peatland restoration and conservation grazing, this talk will explore the Trust’s remarkable history. Hear about the volunteers, staff, supporters and conservation champions whose passion and determination have had a lasting impact on wildlife and protected our natural heritage. With themes of collaboration, community and innovation plus Yorkshire grit, Archivist Lydia Dean and YWT’s Marie Fooks will reflect on key milestones from the past, celebrate successes and share their vision for Yorkshire’s nature. Whether a nature enthusiast or just curious about local wildlife, enjoy a unique opportunity to explore how eight decades of conservation have helped shape a wilder Yorkshire—and why the story is far from over.  Accessibility : The Quaker Meeting House is an accessible building. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

7pm, Wednesday 4 November Friends Meeting House  A talk by Professor Christopher Norton In 2026, 800 years since his canonisation, York continues to honour St William’s life and legacy. The St William Window of York Minster is one of the greatest surviving English works of art – a monumental stained-glass narrative created by master glazier John Thornton c. 1414. The window’s subject is the life and miracles of St William of York, a twelfth century Archbishop who died in 1154, buried at the east end of the nave. Miracles were reported at his tomb from 1177. In 1226, in recognition of these miracles and devotion, Pope Honorius III made him a saint. The 95 scenes of his life and miracles form one of the largest cycles of the life of a saint in existence. The modern conservation of the window, underpinned by ground-breaking historical research, enabled the unravelling of its complex narrative and allowed the repaired and conserved glass to be re-assembled correctly for the first time since its creation. It is now possible to read the window as originally envisaged by glass artist John Thornton. Professor Christopher Norton of the University of York will present the results of his painstaking analysis as he traces the story of St William’s life and miracles as depicted in the window. Since the enormous window is not easy to study in the Minster, this will be an opportunity to see the panels in comfort as projected via high-quality digital photographs.  Accessibility: The Quaker Meeting House is an accessible building. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

Hiscox Art Collection (tour) [SOLD OUT] 7pm Friday November 13, Hiscox Building, Peasholme Green York YO1 7PR Tour duration approx 90 mins A special opportunity to visit the iconic Hiscox Building designed by Make Architects - the practice behind London's Gherkin - a landmark featuring a striking curved glass atrium, a Soviet-era hypersonic rocket, and tour a curated selection of The Hiscox Art Collection. Started in 1971 by Robert Hiscox, the collection is one of the largest private collections in the world. On this tour, led by a Hiscox Volunteer Guide, you will encounter works by some of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, most of which are typically held by major national galleries. Discover captivating works by artists with Yorkshire connections, including David Hockney, Henry Moore, and Harland Miller, alongside masterpieces by broader British greats like Howard Hodgkin and Eduardo Paolozzi YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

2.30pm, Wednesday 18 November The Hub, Fairfax House A new type of event! Members may remember Angela Holmes, the founder of Droopy & Browns along with her husband and brother. The shops in Fossgate, Stonegate and Blake Street established in the early 1970 showcased her unique style. Come and celebrate Droopy & Brown’s iconic designs - if you are lucky enough to have them, bring along (or wear) your own for an informal ‘show and tell’ and meet other aficionados.  YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.

6.30pm, Thursday 26 November (talk) Friends Meeting House, Friargate You may be a longstanding member, a life member or new to the Civic Trust but what difference has the charity you support with your time and with your money actually made? One of the largest civic societies in the UK, Andrew Morrison will talk about its founding vision and the achievements of the past 80 years, focussing on the Trust’s impact on shaping and celebrating our city’s life, its people and (of course) its buildings.  Accessibility : The Quaker Meeting House is an accessible building. YORK CIVIC TRUST EVENTS York Civic Trust runs a varied programme of events for Members throughout the year. Our events are a chance to see York differently, on tours which open doors rarely unlocked and talks which reveal the city’s hidden histories.  Members’ priority booking: Friday 14 August, 10am. General public booking: Monday 14 September, 10am. Please make sure you are an active member before booking a member's ticket. Every attendee who has a member's ticket must be a member.