Hunt set to begin for Richard III’s favourite York haunt

ARCHAEOLOGISTS are to probe around York’s Guildhall for evidence of an Augustinian friary which was once Richard III’s favourite place to stay during visits to the city.

By The Newsroom

Published 24th Mar 2014, 14:32 BST

Timber buildings close to the Guildhall which first went up around the time of the Second World War will be documented and then demolished giving archaeologists access to the ground underneath.

Two archaeological trenches will be dug over the summer to see what the site reveals about the area’s history.

City archaeologist John Oxley said: “We want to see if there are any archaeological remains and in particular anything related to the medieval friary that we know occupied the site.”

It is expected the site will be open for public tours and some people will have the chance to try their hand at recording the archaeology.

The area could eventually be the site of a new digital media centre as part of wider council plans for the Guildhall.

York