Trifter

THE York Castle Museum tells the original story of everyday life in the City of York, through its collections which span six hundred years of history. Visitors can wander through the streets of a Britain that has long since disappeared.

York Castle Museum was originally built as a prison and the buildings still carry the marks of this earlier history. Tourists can see what the life of those who were awaiting judgement and the fate of those who had already been judged was really like in those times.

A famous name in York is that of Dick Turpin. He was an Essex butcher turned footpad and highwayman who avoided capture near London. He escaped to York where he was recognised by his former teacher and arrested. Turpin was tried, found guilty and executed. People can decide whether he was the romantic hero of legend or merely a vicious thug and common thief when they see the jail in which he spent his last night on earth.

The World of Interiors lets visitors experience life from past times by exploring the universe of inside rooms that range from a modest moorland cottage to a grand Georgian town house of the gentry.

Tourists can confront the mysteries of life and death as they learn the meaning of the three rites of passage: Birth, Marriage and Death in the From Cradle to Grave Exhibition. They will come face-to-face with the dangers of childbirth in past times or admire the beauty of some exquisitely hand-made wedding dresses and experience the intensity of Victorian mourning.

Sightseers can pay a visit to Raindale Mill and meet the friendly miller in his 19th Century working water mill. They will discover how the mill was powered, how its machinery was kept in good condition and all the processes that were used to produce the different types of grain.

Half Moon Court gives a tantalising insight into British life during the Edwardian period. They can see the shops piled high with goods ranging from linen to hardware and can visit the garage which houses the early motor vehicles that are in for a service or drop into the typical turn of the 20th Century pub.

Outside, visitors can step into the recreated Victorian streets of Kirkgate and wander along the cobbled roads, listening to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They are really experiencing a day out in Victorian Britain.

They can look into the window of the Apothecary’s shop and see all his cures, including the jar of leeches which were used to bleed patients. There is the sweet shop with its mouth-watering range of confectionary. Tourists can visit the fire engine, complete with the original fie appliance or take a glimpse into the workshop of the candle-maker. There is something in Kirkgate for everyone.

Short Films is a joint project in conjunction with the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, which involves local people working with professional animators to produce short, animated films inspired by objects from the various collections in York Castle Museum.

The museum holds animated family activities throughout the school holidays. This holiday fun includes hands-on activities which are based on puppets, optical instruments, illusions and mechanical toys. There are also other regular events, talks, workshops and family days during the year.

York Museums Trust offers a series of unique and atmospheric venues that are suitable for corporate hospitality and evening entertainment.

The Castle Café serves full meals or light snacks as well as offering stunning views of Clifford’s Tower. A wide range of gifts that have been inspired by over six centuries of everyday life in York are sold in the Gift Shop.

A programme of innovative and wide ranging educational services covering Key Stages 1 to 4 is available at the museum. More information on these can be obtained from 01904 650333.

The museum has full wheelchair access to the main areas on the ground floor, but not to the upper floors. Pushchairs and buggies are not allowed into the galleries, due to space limitations. However the museum does offer a free buggy park and a choice of backpacks and carrycots for use during museum visits. There are also baby changing facilities available,

York Castle Museum is open daily from 09:30 to 17:00, though it does open at 10:00 on Fridays during the school holidays. It remains closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

The museum is opposite Clifford’s Tower and close to the Coppergate Shopping Centre in the Eye of York. It can be reached by following the green tourist signs marked “Castle Area”.

Other York Museums Trust attractions include York Art Gallery and the Yorkshire Museum and Gardens.

Further information on York Castle Museum can be obtained by phoning 01904 687687.