King's Manor

King's Manor was originally built to house the abbots of St Mary's Abbey, York. The Abbot's house probably occupied the site since the eleventh century, but the earliest remains date from the fifteenth century. When the abbey was dissolved in 1539, Henry VIII instructed that it be the seat of the Council of the North. King James made plans for a large public reception at York. Lord Burghley stocked the wine cellars and larders. King James came to the "Manor of St Mary's" on 16 April 1603 and stayed in York for three days. The buildings were upgraded and embellished by Thomas Wentworth, President of the North from 1628 to 1631, with new doorways and coats of arms. From 1667 to 1688, the…

On the departure of the Blind School in 1958, the manor was acquired by York City Council, who leased it to the university in 1963. The IoAAS was a leading UK provider of mid-career education for architects and related professionals, specialising latterly in architectural conservation studies. The main public room of the manor is the Huntingdon Room, used for courses and meetings. As well as the IoAAS, there were several other departments in the King's Manor, the main ones being the Centre for Medieval Studies, a Language Teaching centre and the Design Unit (an architectural practice, but part of the IoAAS). The building also housed six university staff flats. The Dining Room provided an…