Description

YORK

SE6052SW EXHIBITION SQUARE
1112-1/27/311 (South West side)
14/06/54 The King's Manor

GV I

Formerly known as: The King's Manor and The Abbot's House
EXHIBITION SQUARE.
Abbot's house of St Mary's Abbey (remains in Museum Gardens,
qv); offices of the King's Council of the North and occasional
royal residence 1539-1641; subdivided in multiple occupation
1660-1812; Manor National School 1813-1922 and Yorkshire
School for the Blind 1833-1958; part of the University of York
from 1964.
Abbot's house rebuilt 1483-1502. Porch and block of chambers,
now flats, added 1561-63. Huntington Room with kitchen below
added c1590. Abbot's house remodelled; hall, gallery and
anteroom range, outer west range of which cellars survive, and
extensions to chambers block added 1610-20. Some rebuilding
and repair of Civil War damage 1682. Alterations, part
refenestration and re-roofing of C15 range in C18. Remodelled
and rebuilt as school buildings by JB and W Atkinson c1870;
further alteration c1900 by WH Brierley. Restoration, some
rebuilding and modernisation by Fielden and Mawson 1963-64.
MATERIALS: Abbot's house timber-framed encased in orange-brown
brick in random bond with some brick diapering and on moulded
limestone plinth; faced on left return in ashlar c1900,
retaining C15 terracotta window of 3 segment-headed transomed
lights. Tumbled brick gable ends. Porch extension and chamber
block of re-used magnesian limestone ashlar and orange-brown
brick with stone quoins. C16 and C17 extensions of magnesian
limestone ashlar. Post-Civil War rebuilding in orange brick in
random bond. C19 school buildings partly red brick in English
garden-wall bond variant, partly ashlar. Refectory staircase
c1900 of concrete. C20 buildings of orange brick in stretcher
bond, banded with concrete. Roof to Abbot's house of plain
tiles edged in stone slates; other roofs of plain tile or
pantile, with stone copings; brick stacks, several diagonally
set. Abbot's house and porch extension enclosed in low stone
parapet above coved eaves cornice.

EXTERIOR: ABBOT'S HOUSE FRONT: 2 storey range part with attic;
irregular fenestration and diagonal buttress at right end.
Left of centre double doors in round-arched doorcase with
strapwork frieze and moulded cornice supported by herms on
high pedestals bearing defaced IR cyphers; above, pedimented
moulded panel enclosing the Royal Arms and initials CR. Right
of centre reset round-arched doorcase in original opening,
flanked by herms on high pedestals as first door, with
fretwork frieze and moulded cornice, spandrels carved with
female figures, soffit with jewel mouldings. Four 2-light

windows on ground floor are mullioned, other multi-light
windows are transomed or double transomed: at centre right,
one squat 2-light attic window. Two window surrounds to right
of central stack covered with early C19 Roman cement. At left
end of first floor is round-headed terracotta window. Various
elliptical brick arches are visible in the fabric. Two
external chimney stacks, one corbelled from first floor, the
other full height with moulded strings and weathering.
FIRST COURTYARD: rear of entrance range: 2 storeys and attics;
3-window centre range flanked by 4-window wings; porch
extension in re-entrant with right wing. Chamfered doorway
inserted in centre beneath projecting stack carried on cogged
brick corbels and rising through first floor. To left, blocked
quoined doorway with shaped lintel and 2-light window further
left: similar window at far right. On first floor, original
3-light window in quoined surround is broken by external
stack: to left is an inserted cross window, to right restored
5-light window in quoined surround: all beneath moulded string
stepped over windows and broken by stack. Early windows have
ovolo-moulded surrounds. Gabled extension incorporates re-used
moulded and chamfered plinth. Blocked original doorway in
moulded hollow chamfered surround on ground floor. First floor
and attic windows are of 3 lights with chamfered mullions.
Left side has inserted doorway to right of 2-light window,
both in chamfered surrounds.
WING TO RIGHT (NORTH): shallow projecting porch has glazed and
panelled door in restored moulded surround with depressed
arched head. To right, blocked door arch of moulded brick with
2-centred head: further right, two 2-light windows: to left,
two similar windows and at left end small inserted 1-light
window. On first floor, three windows are of 2 lights, one
with segmental brick arch altered from former door; one window
is of 4 lights with king mullion. Mullions and surrounds are
ovolo moulded.
WING TO LEFT (SOUTH): C20 board doors on strap hinges in
chamfered openings in centre and right end. Ground floor
windows are inserted or restored of 2-lights. On first floor,
windows are of 2, 3 and 5 lights in chamfered,
hollow-chamfered or ovolo-moulded surrounds, one of C16
rendered moulded brick. Gable end: on moulded and chamfered
plinth. Ground floor window is of 3 lights in double
hollow-chamfered opening: similar restored window of 5 lights
with return stopped hoodmould. Windows are diamond or square
lattice casements or divided vertically into 4 panes by iron
glazing bars. Unless indicated otherwise, windows are
mullioned, those on first floor transomed: attic windows are
gabled or half-hipped dormers with 2-light casements.
GALLERY RANGE: 2-storey 4-window front, flanked by 2-window
wings; south wing connected to Abbot's house by linking porch
and rebuilt staircase. Central semicircular passage arch
flanked by tapered pilasters beneath moulded cornice, with
spandrels and pilasters carved with strapwork: above is
pedimented panel with round-arched head bearing the crested

arms of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford. Windows on both
floors are of 4 mullioned lights; similar fenestration to
north wing. Arcaded frieze beneath moulded cornice runs above
ground floor windows and returns on north wing. South wing has
two double chamfered semicircular arches blocked by
multi-light windows on ground floor: on first floor two
4-light windows. Windows have ovolo mouldings; first floor
windows are transomed. Porch bay approached by external
staircase with squat balusters and flat coping on square piers
with ball finials. On first floor, round-arched doorway is
flanked by tapered pilasters carved with strapwork supporting
entablature and pedimented achievement of Stuart arms in
round-headed panel. Wrought-iron weathervane with KM pennant
on gable end.
SECOND COURTYARD: rear of gallery range: 2-storey 5-window
front, gabled at north end. South range of 2 storeys of
varying heights, 5 bays, terminating in C16 gatehouse with
attic. West range of 2 storeys on high basement, 14 bays, with
2-storey cross-gabled return at north end. Courtyard completed
by 2-storey 5-bay school extension to north end of gallery
range, with gabled centre bay and pent-roofed bay at end.
Gabled return and school extension linked by 1-storey 7-bay
covered way forming northern boundary of courtyard. Rear of
gallery range has doorway with moulded 4-centred head in
square-headed surround and, further north, blocked doorway
with keyblock. Windows are of 2, 3 and 4 lights,
ovolo-moulded. South range has blocked doorway adjacent to
gallery range: windows generally are of 2 lights on ground
floor, of 3 or 4 lights with transoms on first floor, those in
centre block gabled half dormers. Gatehouse has 4-centred arch
with 3-light window above and half-hipped attic dormer with
similar window: traces of C17 windows remain on outer side. In
west range, C17 basement retains ovolo-moulded windows and
moulded string stepped up over C20 door. Two external flights
of concrete stairs lead to glazed doors on first floor: C20
aluminium windows are slide horizontally. C19 bay at north end
has C20 door on ground floor, 3-light mullioned and transomed
window on first floor. School extension has inserted C20 door;
1- and 2-light windows are ovolo-moulded, some with transoms,
with square-lattice glazing, in surrounds of contrasting
stone. Covered way has chamfered ogee-arched doorway at each
end: between are 5 arcades of segment-headed lights separated
by short gabled pilaster buttresses. Wall capped with moulded
coping.
CHAMBERS BLOCK AND EXTENSION: 2 storeys and attics; 5-bay
front, two bays gabled. Central doorway is quoined and
chamfered with sunk-panelled door. To left, two 3-light square
lattice casement windows with ovolo mullions in hollow
chamfered surrounds: to right, three 18-pane sashes. First
floor windows are five 18-pane sashes, mostly original. Gables
have 2-light attic windows, one in double chamfered surround,
one ovolo moulded.
Rear: 2-storey parallel extension with gabled attics; 4-window

front on moulded plinth. Windows on ground floor are 3-light,
on first floor 3- or 4-light, to attic 2-light: surrounds and
mullions are ovolo moulded.
Right side: paired gable ends of chambers block and extension,
of 2 storeys with attics. Original block has 2-storey
polygonal bay window on chamfered plinth. Window side lights
are blocked on both floors: ground floor windows are 18-pane
sashes, first floor cross-windows with diamond lattice
casements. On both floors, windows have coved cornices, with
plain parapet over first floor. Extension range has former
door altered to 2-light window on ground floor; 3-light window
on first floor. In both ranges, attic windows are of 2 diamond
latticed lights in ovolo moulded surrounds.
EARLY C17 EXTENSION: 3 storeys with attics; 3-bay front on
chamfered plinth: two upper storeys articulated by tiered
brick pilasters with stone bases beneath moulded brick
entablatures. Outer bays are gabled and joined by flat parapet
over centre bay: gables enclose glazed oeils de boeuf. Ground
floor has 3-light window flanked by 1-light windows: first
floor three cross-windows, centre one recessed beneath
1-course segmental brick arch: second floor three mullioned
windows. Windows are square latticed in ovolo-moulded or
chamfered stone surrounds. Right return has inserted doorway
on ground floor; blocked window on second floor; C20 flat
dormer with 5-light window to attic.

INTERIOR: ABBOT'S HOUSE: some timber-framed partition walls
retained in front range: a number of C15 and C16 moulded
doorways with depressed 4-centred arched heads survive in
various places. Original and reset fireplaces include the
following: on ground floor, in end left room C18 timber carved
surround; in end right room early C17 surround sunk carved
with jewel motifs; in room beneath Huntington Room, wide
kitchen hearth with segmental brick arch. On first floor, in
south wing, one of moulded brick, one of moulded stone, one of
stone with chamfered brick arch; Huntington Room has surround
of carved stone pilasters and arch of voussoirs. Fine ceilings
include the following: room on ground floor, room above and
part of Huntington Room panelled with C15 moulded beams; room
beneath Huntington Room with C16 moulded beams; room on first
floor fitted with elaborate early C17 plaster ceiling saved
from demolished house in North Street. Other important
fittings include: in Huntington Room, plaster frieze depicting
Huntington heraldic motifs and C18 graffiti on the window
glass.
GALLERY RANGE: on ground floor, round-arched stairhall doorway
carved with heraldic flowers with heavy moulded entablature
and cornice on elaborate voluted brackets. C17 stone staircase
with roll moulded coping to balustrade. On first floor,
fireplace in anteroom enriched with jewel ornament. Doorway to
Huntington Room has pedimented entablature flanked by squat
pyramid finials on carved pedestals. Hall on first floor has
chamfered fireplace with 4-centred head; early C18 octagonal

ceiling lantern.
WEST RANGE: early C17 vaulted cellars survive. Reset C14
2-centred arched doorway with colonnette jamb shafts beneath
damaged crocketed gable filled with blind tracery.
(An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York:
RCHME: Outside the City Walls East of the Ouse: HMSO London:
1975-: 30-43).

Listing NGR: SE6002452195

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• King's Manor at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q6411006

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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