In recent years, Barley Hall has become a familiar feature of the historic city of York. What is not so well known is that it is probably one the most exciting historical projects in the country. The timber-framed house, which has its origins in the fourteenth century, was rediscovered in 1987 behind a layer of brick cladding and the additions of many centuries.

Originally the building, now known as Barley Hall, was a monastic town house for the Augustinian Priors of Nostell in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Shortage of money forced the priors to let the house in the fifteenth century. For members of the Richard III Society the most important tenant, and the one around whom the reconstruction of the hall is being done, was Alderman Snawsell, Lord Mayor of York in 1468, Master of the Royal Mint in York and MP for the City in 1470. He visited Prince Edward at Middleham in July 1483, together with his fellow aldermen, to present gifts, and he attended the investiture of King Richard’s son, Edward, as Prince of Wales in the Minster in September 1483.

Barley Hall was purchased by York Archaeological Trust (YAT) and excavations took place, together with research into documentary evidence. It was then decided by the YAT to restore the hall, as accurately as possible, to its late fifteenth-century form when it belonged to William Snawsell. Most of the building work has been completed but much of the furnishing and equipping of the hall is still to be done. This requires dedication and money.

A Barley Hall Trust was established on 1 April 1998 to progress matters and, following formation, it was thought appropriate to set up a group of Friends within the Richard III Society to support this imaginative and exciting project. The original support group has now merged with a new group known as the Friends and Supporters of Barley Hall which is open to all.

Barley Hall is now supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund to extend its educational activities and it now offers schools a range of options that are closely linked to the requirements of the National Curriculum and to many QCA Schemes of Work.

One of the major achievements has been the completion of the great hall. By a rather curious quirk, the hall, which is at the heart of this building, is bordered by a public right of way that was the original screen passage and which now separates this historic building at the ground-floor level. The passage is presently the link between Stonegate and Swinegate through Grape Lane. The passage end of the hall is glass-faced thus providing a unique and unexpected glimpse into the past for passers-by. Other rooms that have been completed include the buttery, the pantry and the first-floor parlour.

Furnishing of the great and lesser chambers is yet to be completed and is now the subject of a series of appeals to raise the necessary funds. The research into what these rooms would have looked like is completed and concept drawings are shown below.

The great chamber, the bedroom of William Snawsell, is hung with cloth that will be dyed with woad that has already been specially grown for Barley Hall at the Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire.

Two items of furniture for the great chamber have been financed by the YAT and the Ricardian Friends. The English chair has been given by the YAT. 'Set by the bedside, this fine framed oak chair with carved decorations is made in the distinctive English style of the mid-fifteenth century, and derived from contemporary manuscript drawings.' The bench, set to the left of the entrance into the great chamber, has been funded by the Ricardian Friends. 'This boarded oak bench, of superior ''chamber'' quality and copied from contemporary illustrations, provides seating for both fifteenth century and modern visitors to the chamber'. There are fund-raising plans for the commode or 'stool of ease' which is shown under the ladder. 'This lidded oak-box commode, with removeable ''pisspot'', is based on one of the few medieval illustrations of a ''jakes stool'' in use'.

The descriptions of these items are by Dr Charles Kightly who has undertaken the research for the entire project.

Further Reading

Barley Hall: A day in a medieval town house by Charles Kightly
Published by Wayland, Hove, 1997
ISBN 0-7502-2141-0

Barley Hall York by Charles Kightly
Published by the Barley Hall Trust, 1999
ISBN 0-9535-3940-7

If you would like to support the appeals for the completion of the furnishing of Barley Hall, require further information about the hall, the Friends and Supporters of Barley Hall, or information about opening times and admission charges please contact:

Barley Hall
2 Coffee Yard
Off Stonegate
York
YO1 8AR
Telephone: 01904 610275
Fax: 01904 65333848
E-mail: barley.hall@btconnect.com
www.barleyhall.org.uk

The Society’s liaison officer with the Barley Hall Trust is Lynda Pigeon, who is also a trustee, and she can be contacted at:

42 Osborne Street
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN2 1DA
UK
E-mail: lynda.pidgeon@btinternet.com 

One of the major achievements has been the completion of the great hall. By a rather curious quirk, the hall, which is at the heart of this building, is bordered by a public right of way that was the original screen passage and which now separates this historic building at the ground-floor level. The passage is presently the link between Stonegate and Swinegate through Grape Lane. The passage end of the hall is glass-faced thus providing a unique and unexpected glimpse into the past for passers-by. Other rooms that have been completed include the buttery, the pantry and the first-floor parlour.

The new chair at Barley Hall

The English chair is being given by the YAT. 'Set by the bedside, this fine framed oak chair with carved decorations is made in the distinctive English style of the mid-fifteenth century, and derived from contemporary manuscript drawings.'

The bench, set to the left of the entrance into the great chamber, is being funded by the Ricardian Friends. 'This boarded oak bench, of superior ''chamber'' quality and copied from contemporary illustrations, provides seating for both fifteenth century and modern visitors to the chamber'

The lesser chamber, or Jennet Snawsell's bedroom. There are fund-raising plans for the commode or 'stool of ease' which is shown under the ladder. 'This lidded oak-box commode, with removeable ''pisspot'', is based on one of the few medieval illustrations of a ''jakes stool'' in use'

Barley Hall: A day in a medieval town house by Charles Kightly Published by Wayland, Hove, 1997 ISBN 0-7502-2141-0

Barley Hall York by Charles Kightly Published by the Barley Hall Trust, 1999 ISBN 0-9535-3940-7

Launch of Barley Hall York by Charles Kightly

Following his delightful Barley Hall - A Day in a Medieval Town House, Dr Kightly's booklet on this prestigious medieval project was launched at Barley Hall on Tuesday 22 June 1999.

Guest of honour was the present Mayor of York, Cllr Peter Vaughan and the Lady Mayoress, Mrs Vaughan, predecessor by some 531 years was the York goldsmith, William Snawsell, who leased Barley Hall in 1466.

In this lavishly illustrated publication, Dr Kightly writes of the rediscovery and excavation of the hall, its reconstruction and its furnishing together with the history of the house.

Peter and Carolyn Hammond, respectively the Society's former Research Officer and former Librarian, put the booklet through the press and are pictured below with the author and the Mayor and Lady Mayoress of York.

Barley Hall York is available from the Society (members only) and on sale at: Barley Hall Coffee Yard, Off Stonegate, York YO1 8AR

Dr Charles Kightly, Carolyn and Peter Hammond, Lady Mayoress, Mrs Vaughan
Mayor of York, Cllr Peter Vaughan

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