Explore York Archive
LightNews LightNews
banner
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Explore York Archive
@yorkarchive.bsky.social
520 followers 490 following 230 posts
Making over 850 years of the city of York's history accessible to all. Keep up to date with our latest projects and activities here.

Website: https://exploreyork.org.uk/archives/
Blog: http://citymakinghistory.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Door 15⛄❄️

Today's Panorama panel celebrates York's relationship with chocolate. 

Artist and creator Emily Harvey:

"Terrys, Rowntrees and now Nestles factories were/are all important for York. These were Quaker businesses and Joseph Rowntree has been a major influence in York...

#Archives #York
Three chefs in white uniforms and hats are depicted making pastries on an assembly line. Above them are whimsical, industrial pipes and mechanical elements. Text on either side frames the scene, though its full content isn't shown. The style is playful and illustrative, suggesting a mix of culinary and industrial themes.
December 15, 2025 at 10:02 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
14🎄📅

Today’s #ArchiveAdventCalendar takes us back to the walls of #York, one of many spots in the city popular with tourists. 

#Archives #Christmas
A ceramic mural depicting a woman taking a photograph of a couple, with a man kneeling and proposing to a woman standing by a wall. Text above reads "The sound of the SHUNTERS all through" and below "Walking on the CITY WALLS: meeting."
December 14, 2025 at 10:02 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
To follow on from our #archiveadventcalendar we have an image of the famous street from c.1895.

A horse and cart making a delivery on the Shambles. This was the 'street of the butchers' and it is easy to see why from this picture, as at least four butchers shops are visible. 

#archives #york
A narrow, cobblestone street in an old English town, lined with historic buildings. A horse-drawn cart is being pushed by men. Signs for inns and shops hang from the buildings.
December 13, 2025 at 2:02 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
13❄️📅

Behind today’s door we have the Panorama’s tribute to the Shambles. You may not recognise it with how empty the street is, especially at this time of the year with the Christmas bustle. 

#York #ArchiveAdventCalendar #archives #Christmas #Shambles
Two children, one in a wheelchair, navigate a cobblestone street, passing a green post box. A figure sits nearby with a dog.
December 13, 2025 at 10:02 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Day 12 of our #ArchiveAdventCalendar 🎅🗓️

Today we are back at York Station and adding in some theatre 🚂🎭

Creator, Emily Harvey, describes this tile : "As well as the station this block shows a scene from the Railway Children – a community production by the Theatre Royal at the Railway Museum."
A textured mural depicting a woman waving a red sheet on a railway platform. Text reads: "The remarkable LIVES of ordinary PEOPLE" and "The sound of the SHUNTERS all through the NIGHT".
December 12, 2025 at 9:06 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Following on from our York Panorama advent calendar image this morning we are have some images of costume designs for the Mystery Plays from the 1960's. 

Which design is your favourite?

Archive ref - YMP/2 

#archives #costumes #art #york #ArchivesAdventCalendar #MysteryPlays
Three fashion sketches feature whimsical costumes with elaborate details and handwritten notes, focusing on fabric choices and colors. Artwork depicting a person in black sitting against a pillar on an arched balcony, with handwritten notes and sketches in the background. A sketch of a historical costume design with annotations detailing fabric choices.
December 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
11🎄📅

Today we have the Mystery Plays.

The York Mystery Plays are a cycle of 48 pageants or individual plays covering biblical events from Creation to The Last Judgement. Originally they were performed in York from the middle of the 14th C. until 1569.

#ArchiveAdventCalendar #christmas #archives
Colorful mural depicting a whimsical scene of people, watching a performance play in a park setting. A tree with labeled leaves, a small dog, and a group of people watching playful red creatures are shown. Surrounding text mentions racing boats, feeding squirrels, and cycling by the river.
December 11, 2025 at 9:45 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
It is day 10 of our advent calendar celebrating 10 years of our York Panorama artwork.  already! 

Today we have our stargazing slab🔭🌟

The astronomers are looking at the constellations featured in day 3 of our calendar. 

#archives #archiveadventcalendar #york #christmas
Two people, one pointing, stand by a telescope under a starry sky. Text reads: "CHOCOLATE smells WAFT over the CITY. BEGGARS and homeless PEOPLE on the streets."
December 10, 2025 at 10:02 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
It is #NationalChristmasCardDay today and what better what better way to celebrate the day than by getting some of our archive inspired Christmas cards ⛄✉️.
yorkarchive.bsky.social Explore York Archive @yorkarchive.bsky.social · 11d
You can help conserve York’s archives this Christmas!

We are selling our archive inspired Christmas Cards. The designs are inspired by collections of the Knowles Family papers in the archives.

A pack of five cards are availble for £6.

The cards are availble this week in most Explore locations
Two handmade Christmas cards with intricate designs. The top card features a red and green crisscross pattern, while the bottom card displays golden and red floral motifs. Both cards have "Merry Christmas" written at the top.
December 9, 2025 at 4:07 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
9 ⛄📅

This block celebrates the skilled workers of York's Carriage Works. The Carriage Works opened in 1884, at one point employing over 3000 people, before its closure in 1996.

#archivesadventcalendar #archives #york #christmas #railways
Mural with large gears, cogs, and tools, depicting construction workers building and operating machinery. Text references Bishy Road parties and railways.
December 9, 2025 at 9:03 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
8🎄📅

Today we have Clifford's tower illuminated by the fireworks show we saw behind door 6🎆.

#archiveadventcalendar #archives #york #christmas
Illustration depicting a crowd with colorful umbrellas and two large swords. Text around it highlights York's bloody history and fireworks at Clifford's Tower.
December 8, 2025 at 10:03 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
This image explores the theme of #EYAYourArchives as it highlights York history as well as the wider history of Britian. It explores the celebrations for Queen Victorias Diamond Jubilee and the coming together of the community, through either teas or galas. 

#exploreyourarchive #archives #york
A large crowd gathers on a field, facing a historic building in the background.
December 7, 2025 at 12:02 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Day 7🎅🗓️

Today, transport along the River Ouse features prominently in what our participants considered important to them, and to York's history and heritage.

#archives #york #archiveadventcalendar #christmas
A whimsical illustration shows a river with a boat with sails, cyclists on paths along both sides.
December 7, 2025 at 9:03 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
This image was an entry as part of the “Snap your street” collection from 1998, which was a collection of images from York’s recent history. The image itself is from the 1984 York Minster fire, with this year marking the 41st #EYAAnniversaries of the fire. 

#archives #york #yorkminster
Colour photograph of the Rose Window engulfed in flames in the South Transept of the Minster.
December 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
6🎄📅

Behind today's door we have a lovely depiciton of the fireworks in the night sky on bonfire night. 

#york #archives #adventcalendar #christmas
Colorful abstract mural divided into sections with swirling patterns and textures. Text at the borders mentions social, educational, and moral influences of York, alongside phrases like "My family's" and "York has a BLOODY RICH history."
December 6, 2025 at 8:30 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Tomorrow!

To celebrate Explore Your Archive week we will be hosting an exhibition of all things Clifton. We will be showcasing records offering an insight into life in Clifton and the stories of its people through the years.

📅Saturday 6th December 
🕰️10:00am-12:30pm & 1:00-3:30pm
📍Clifton Explore.
Explore Your Archives event in Clifton on Saturday, 6th December, 10:30am-12:30pm & 1:00pm-3:30pm, at Clifton Explore.
December 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Next week the reading room will be closed as part of our Setting the Record Straight project.

To find out more about setting the record straight and upcoming closure dates take a look at the dedicated page on our website below.

https://exploreyork.org.uk/archives/setting-the-record-straight/
December 5, 2025 at 10:02 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Day 5❄️ 🗓️

Today we have the York Walls represented, with a bird flying in a (rare) blue sky above the city and some hidden designs and tasty treats in the bricks of the wall. 

#Archives #York #Christmas #ArchiveAdventCalendar
Colorful ceramic mural featuring a blue sky with a bird, stylized rooftops, greenery, and text about community and rivers.
December 5, 2025 at 9:03 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Check out our Explore newsletter for December and find out more about what our team have been upto recently.

shorturl.at/v9nSi
Hello! Here's Your December Newsletter from Explore
shorturl.at
December 4, 2025 at 4:15 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
4🎄📅

Behind door number four we have images of the Panorama being created. Highlighting some of the artistic methods used by the wonderful artist, Emily Harvey, who created the panorama co-creatively with York residents. 

#archives #york #art #christmas #adventcalendar
Clay tile with imprints of leaves and spiders, surrounded by plastic wrap. Toy spiders and a leaf lie on a wooden table nearby. A detailed sketch of a sailing ship is juxtaposed with a carved block featuring a similar ship design, ready for printing.
December 4, 2025 at 10:15 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
You can help conserve York’s archives this Christmas!

We are selling our archive inspired Christmas Cards. The designs are inspired by collections of the Knowles Family papers in the archives.

A pack of five cards are availble for £6.

The cards are availble this week in most Explore locations
Two handmade Christmas cards with intricate designs. The top card features a red and green crisscross pattern, while the bottom card displays golden and red floral motifs. Both cards have "Merry Christmas" written at the top.
December 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
3🎄📅

Today we are also celebrating the #ExploreYourArchive theme of #EYAPets. This panorama tile features a design inspired by observations over York of the astronomers John Goodricke, Nathaniel Piggott and Edward Piggott. (archive ref: GPP)

#archives #York #Christmas #adventcalendar
Colorful ceramic mural depicting constelations with animals, plants, and swirling patterns. Text mentions Civil War, archaeology, and chocolate aroma. A handwritten page from 1787 detailing observations of a comet, with a sketched map showing its trajectory past constellations and coordinates.
December 3, 2025 at 11:20 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
Day 2 📅🎄

Behind door number two of our York Panorama advent calendar shows two iconic features of York's landscape, the railway station and Holgate windmill. 

#archives #york #adventcalendar #christmas
Artistic mural depicting a landscape with a windmill, birds, and trees. Text reads: "Seeing Holgate Windmill turn in the sun" and mentions parties at Bishy Road.
December 2, 2025 at 10:15 AM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
This is the remains of a Norman house, the oldest domestic building in York being believed to be built c.1170, found near Stonegate in the 1960's. 

Where the house is was going to be used for a sub station for North Eastern Electric but was saved and restored by the Ministry of Public Buildings.
Ancient stone wall with a small arched window and overgrown plants at its base. These are the remains of a Norman House found near Stonegate in York believed to be from the 12th Century.
December 1, 2025 at 3:30 PM
yorkarchive.bsky.social
It is day one of our archives advent calendar! 🎄📅

We will be sharing images from our amazing York Panorama: What York means to us artwork, which celebrated its 10th birthday this year. 

#archvies #york #christmas #adventcalendar 

Today you we are sharing with you a depiction of Ouse Bridge.
Colorful ceramic artwork depicting a cyclist on a decorated bridge with surrounding text mentioning York, a clock inn, and a dragon boat race. Plaque titled "York Panorama" by Emily Harvey, inspired by 600 residents' thoughts, part of the Heritage Lottery funded "York: Gateway to History" project.
December 1, 2025 at 10:50 AM