Merchant Adventurers’ Business Breakfast

Merchant Adventurers’ Business Breakfast

Wednesday 12th February 2025: 7.45am - 9.15am Join us for a networking breakfast with Merchant Adventurer Rachel Goddard.   Rachel is the founder and Managing Director of Intandem Communications, a York-based PR and marketing agency which she established in 2002....

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Merchant Adventurers’ Charity Beer Festival

Merchant Adventurers’ Charity Beer Festival

Tickets available now! The Merchant Adventurers’ Charity Beer Festival will be back on Friday 4 July and Saturday 5 July 2025.  Taking place at the stunning Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, the festival will be split across four sessions.  The event is a unique opportunity...

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New Photo Portrait of First Female Governor

New Photo Portrait of First Female Governor

The Merchant Adventurers' Hall celebrates its first Woman Governor with a specially commissioned photo portrait     In 2022, the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall appointed Dr Delma Tomlin, DUniv, MBE as its Governor, the first woman in the role since its foundation in...

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New Digital Guide Launched

New Digital Guide Launched

Explore the Hall in a new way with our new digital guide! Launching this Easter, our new guide features the Hall's captivating 667 years of history to enrich both onsite and offside visits.   This Easter, the Hall has launched a new, digital guide on Bloomberg...

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A new 21st century home for our historic archive

A new 21st century home for our historic archive

In 2023, the Company of Merchant Adventurers and the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York entered into a partnership where the Company's archive; one of the oldest and most significant collections of documents in the city would move from the Hall...

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Art Unlocked: Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

Art Unlocked: Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

On Wednesday 27th September we explored the history of York in 6 paintings! We heard from Lauren Marshall, Director of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall who told us about which building in York had Yorkshire's first public toilets and other fascinating stories; through...

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A Royal Connection – Blog Three

A Royal Connection – Blog Three

In celebration of the Coronation of King Charles III, we are delving into the past to discover some of the treasures in the Hall’s collections made in the lifetimes of King Charles I, King Charles II and King Charles III. We will also explore how these momentous and...

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A Royal Connection – Blog Two

A Royal Connection – Blog Two

In celebration of the Coronation of King Charles III, we are delving into the past to discover some of the treasures in the Hall’s collections made in the lifetimes of King Charles I, King Charles II and King Charles III. We will also explore how these momentous and...

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A Royal Connection – Blog One

A Royal Connection – Blog One

In celebration of the Coronation of King Charles III, we are delving into the past to discover some of the treasures in the Hall’s collections made in the lifetimes of King Charles I, King Charles II and King Charles III. We will also explore how these momentous and...

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Museums are good for you!

Museums are good for you!

We are certain that for most of you, this information doesn't come as a surprise but we now have a fantastic study to back it up; visiting the Merchant Adventurers' Hall is good for your health!   The study, conducted in early 2022 by Amy Luck and Dr Faye Sayer...

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The Elizabethans – Blog Four

The Elizabethans – Blog Four

This post was published in June 2022. In celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, we are delving into the past to meet some of the Merchant Adventurers making waves during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth II and her namesake, Queen Elizabeth I. From...

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The Elizabethans – Blog Three

The Elizabethans – Blog Three

This post was published in June 2022. In celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, we are delving into the past to meet some of the Merchant Adventurers making waves during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth II and her namesake, Queen Elizabeth I. From...

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The Elizabethans – Blog Two

The Elizabethans – Blog Two

This post was published in June 2022. In celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, we are delving into the past to meet some of the Merchant Adventurers making waves during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth II and her namesake, Queen Elizabeth I. From...

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The Elizabethans – Blog One

The Elizabethans – Blog One

This post was published in June 2022. In celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, we are delving into the past to meet some of the Merchant Adventurers making waves during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth II and her namesake, Queen Elizabeth I. From...

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Hall Highlights: Napoleon

Hall Highlights: Napoleon

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall has accumulated many treasures over the centuries: art, artefacts, architecture and the stories of those who have passed through its walls. This series seeks to shine a spotlight on the Hall’s incredible collections.   Carved out of...

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Hall Highlights: The Minute Books

Hall Highlights: The Minute Books

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall has accumulated many treasures over the centuries: art, artefacts, architecture and the stories of those who have passed through its walls. This series seeks to shine a spotlight on the Hall’s incredible collections.     The...

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Hall Highlights: The Loving Cup Ceremony

Hall Highlights: The Loving Cup Ceremony

Within the silver collection of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall are a number of large silver cups which are known as 'Loving Cups'. These are used yearly at the Merchant Adventurers' Venison Feast within a ceremony which is a symbol of friendship and fraternity....

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Hall Highlights: Stained Glass

Hall Highlights: Stained Glass

For this blog post we are looking the stained glass windows which can be found in the Undercroft, Chapel and the Governor's Parlour of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall. The Hall has a small but beautiful collection of stained glass windows dating from the last 150...

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Hall Highlights: Female Merchants

Hall Highlights: Female Merchants

It is perhaps a surprise to many to find out that women have played an active role in The Company of Merchant Adventurers since its foundation in 1357. There are three in particular who lived remarkable lives and feature in the extensive archive of the Guild.  ...

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Merchant Adventurers Hall….this is your life! (Part One)

Merchant Adventurers Hall….this is your life! (Part One)

When you're over 660 years old you've witnessed quite a bit of history. So here below is a list of some of the important dates in the Merchant Adventurers history. As well as a few choice snippets from further afield...   1357      Construction begins on the...

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Hall Highlights: The Banners

Hall Highlights: The Banners

The Merchant Adventurers' Hall has accumulated many treasures over the centuries: art, artefacts, architecture and the stories of those who have passed through its walls. This series seeks to shine a spotlight on the Hall's incredible collections.   Part of what...

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A Medieval mystery: The Percys or Percehays?

A Medieval mystery: The Percys or Percehays?

In 1356 Sir William Percy granted a plot of land - a former Norman manorial site by the River Foss, and the future location of the Merchant Adventurers' Hall - to three merchants from York...or did he?   In this new, thoroughly researched book, David Brewer...

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Hall Highlights: Dr Maud Sellers

Hall Highlights: Dr Maud Sellers

The Merchant Adventurers' Hall has accumulated many treasures over the centuries: art, artefacts, architecture and the stories of those who have passed through it's walls. This blog series seeks to shine a spotlight on the Hall's incredible collections and individuals...

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Hall Highlights: The Pancake Bell

Hall Highlights: The Pancake Bell

The Merchant Adventurers' Hall has accumulated many treasures over the centuries: art, artefacts, architecture and the stories of those who have passed through it's walls. This blog series seeks to shine a spotlight on some of the Hall's incredible collections. In...

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