Historic York townhouse attraction looks to open in May to advance bookings

Built as a townhouse for the priors of Nostell, Barley Hall would go on to become home to the Lord Mayor of York, William Snawsell.

Now the popular attraction, with a provisional date set for the opening of its doors in May, is readying to welcome people with advance bookings.

Jo Willcox, who works at the Barley Hall, is pictured dressed as a medieval servant as she cleans the Great Hall, hoping it will soon be able to have visitors return.

Barley Hall’s Magic & Mystery exhibition, which explores the relationship between superstition, magic and religion, will run throughout 2021.

Sarah Maltby, director of attractions for York Archaeological Trust, which owns Barley Hall, said: “We had expected to replace this exhibition in 2020.

“But with such restricted visitor numbers, this summer is the perfect opportunity for people to see it and explore how items were believed to be imbued with power – divine or magical – during this period, blurring the lines between science, magic and faith in some unexpected ways.”

The hall, extended in the 15th century, went into a slow decline and by the 20th century was sub-divided and in an increasingly poor physical condition.

The oldest parts of the building date back to around 1360, but its rich history, hidden under a modern facade, was only fully discovered in the 1980s.

Archeological investigations in the 1980s revealed the remains of the floor of the Great Hall, and restoration work began in 1990. It was reopened to the public in 1993.

Now fully restored to its medieval glory by the York Archeological Trust, it is decorated to replicate what it would have looked like as the Snawsell home around 1483.

The museum will open only to prebookings, in ensuring control over visitor numbers.

“Medieval buildings were not really designed to accommodate lots of people spaced out by at least two metres, but we hope by the summer that we can look to return to our normal free-flow,” added Ms Maltby.