York's historic Guildhall is situated on the river Ouse behind the Mansion House.

Access is through the Mansion House arch on St Helen's Square.

Accessibility guide for the Guildhall on the Disabled Go access website

History of the Guildhall

The building is a restoration of the fifteenth Century Commonhall that was almost totally destroyed by an air raid in 1942.

Originally the seat of local trades guilds it then became seat of local government in York. It now houses the council chamber, committee rooms and the Chief Executive's department.

Visiting the Guildhall

The Guildhall is open for visitors to view from 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday (subject to the hall being privately hired), and all weekends throughout the summer, from 1 May until the end of October. Events held in the Guildhall are listed on the Yortime website.

Location of the Guildhall

Location of the Guildhall

The link above shows you a map of the Guildhall using our online maps (Localview). You can zoom in and out of the map. You can also enter your address details and search for services near to your home.

Room hire

The Guildhall and some committee rooms can be hired. You download a list of room sizes and current charges from the right of this page. A 50% discount applies to all registered charity and council events.