Treasurer's House - National Trust

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Treasurer's House - National Trust A tucked away town house in the centre of York, explore the house and visit the café and garden. For anything urgent contact the property directly.

Treasurer's House in York is now cared for by the National Trust. Given in 1930 by Frank Green, a wealthy Edwardian industrialist and avid collector, it was the first house to ever be given to the charity complete with a collection. The Treasurer's House you see today is the work and commitment of Frank Green, who owned the house between 1897 and 1930. During this time, he redesigned the rooms in the style of different historic periods to house his ever-growing collection of antiques. Things are a little different just now, pre-book your place via the website, for a small group tour around the house or drop in to check availability on the day, and to enjoy the garden on open days. No booking is needed to explore the house without a tour during the festive season. Just around the corner on Goodramgate is the large National Trust shop for all your browsing needs. We will respond to any messages and comment just as soon as we can, although this might not always be on the same day. Got a membership enquiry? Please email: [email protected]

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As darkness falls at Treasurer's House, a familiar royal visitor returns... On Thursday, 29 October, gather in the Great...
13/10/2026

As darkness falls at Treasurer's House, a familiar royal visitor returns...

On Thursday, 29 October, gather in the Great Hall for Deadtime Stories for Families, where King Edward VII, once a guest at Treasurer's House, shares delightfully spooky tales inspired by the house's fascinating past.

Expect local history, and plenty of spooky not scary storytelling in an experience designed for children aged 6-12 and their grown-ups.

Plus, every child's ticket includes a hot chocolate to enjoy afterwards.

There are still tickets available, but don't leave it too long! Find out more and get your tickets on our website.

The house is open, even if our booking system isn't!If our booking system is suggesting we're closed on Tuesday 1 Septem...
31/08/2026

The house is open, even if our booking system isn't!

If our booking system is suggesting we're closed on Tuesday 1 September, please don't let it put you off, we're welcoming walk-in visitors on guided tours throughout the day today and tomorrow.

The house is open from 11am to 4pm as usual, with the last tour departing at 3pm, so if you're in York today or tomorrow, feel free to drop by and explore the fascinating stories inside this historic house.

Thank you for bearing with us while we resolve the issue.

Please note that all visits are still by guided tour only.

📸: Sue

The moment we've all been waiting for...We're delighted to reveal the newest addition to the Treasurer’s House collectio...
29/07/2026

The moment we've all been waiting for...

We're delighted to reveal the newest addition to the Treasurer’s House collection: an apron worn by Mary Kathleen Hornby, who worked in service at Treasurer’s House during the First World War!

Read on to find out more about the apron 👇

Mary Kathleen’s apron and shirt were generously donated by her granddaughter, Susan, in May this year. Susan recalls her grandmother’s stories of life at Treasurer’s House, including the terror of watching a German zeppelin pass over York Minster during one of the city’s three air raids in 1916. Mary Kathleen was just 23 or 24 years old at the time.

The apron was made from Horrockses Cloth, produced by the prestigious Preston textile manufacturer founded in 1791. Renowned for its quality, Horrockses cloth was described in a 1914 advertisement as the “Hall Mark of Excellence”.
More than a century later, Mary Kathleen’s apron — complete with its original Horrockses label — remains in remarkable condition.

On the anniversary of Frank Green’s gift of Treasurer’s House to the National Trust, Mary Kathleen's apron is a good reminder that 'preserving the vision' means not only caring for the house and collections, but also uncovering and sharing the stories of the people who helped shape it.

Did you guess the object before the reveal? Let us know in the comments 👇

Image Description: (Image 1)A white apron is positioned in a wooden doorway (Image 2) a white cloth covered button is set against a white cloth shirt (Image 3) a red embroidered clothing tag is set against a white cloth background

📸: Catherine

The clock is ticking down to our reveal tomorrow! 🕰️But before we wind up our week of conservation appreciation, read on...
28/07/2026

The clock is ticking down to our reveal tomorrow! 🕰️

But before we wind up our week of conservation appreciation, read on below for some more details about the clocks at Treasurer's House 👇

The clock in Princess Victoria’s Room was made by Nicholas Fortin in Paris (c.1720). It is veneered in tortoise shell and brass Boulle Work on an oak body, and is fitted with gilt brass mounts, including a figure of fame on the top. As well as keeping time, this clock was also designed to indicate the phases of the moon and the time of the tides. This is known as an eight-day clock as it should only need to be wound every eight days.

Treasurer’s House is actually home to six clocks, which are looked after on a day-to-day basis by the Collections Team at the property. This work includes winding the clocks to keep them running as close to time as possible, although this is easier said than done with some! Once a year, our clocks are serviced by a horologist, to ensure that it is safe for the clock to continue being wound.

It is important for a balance to be struck between the benefit to the visitor experience of having the clocks running and the impact that daily use has on the mechanism of a clock.

Image Description: (Image 1) a close up image of a gold clock face (Image 2) a close up image of the engraved signature of the maker of the clock (Image 3) an image of the statue of the personification of fame

📸: Lydia, Catherine, Autumn

Conservation is about seeing the bigger picture.By caring for objects, artworks and historic interiors, we can help pres...
27/07/2026

Conservation is about seeing the bigger picture.

By caring for objects, artworks and historic interiors, we can help preserve and share the stories of people and places they represent.

Read on for some more information below about this particular painting 👇

At Treasurer’s House, the collections team work with objects of all different sizes. The painting of King Charles I in the Great Hall is one of the largest pieces in the house and is also a favourite of Collections Assistant Sally. To remove dust from paintings and frames the team use soft brushes made from natural fibres, such as badger hair.

This painting is a copy by the artist Charles Jervas (1675-1739) of an original by Van Dyck (1599-1641)which is on display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. As the principal painter to the King, Charles Jervas would have had plenty of opportunities to copy the original Van D**e royal portraits.

Be sure to have a look at the painting when you next visit Treasurer’s House. How do you think people in the past would have moved such a large painting?

Image Description: 1. gloved hands hold a soft bristled brush and a vacuum to remove dust from a picture frame 2. a large portrait hangs on the wall in the great hall at Treasurer's House

📸: Lydia

Before new collections objects take their places, we need to care for the spaces that help tell their stories. Read on f...
26/07/2026

Before new collections objects take their places, we need to care for the spaces that help tell their stories.

Read on for some more info about the historic wallpaper 👇

The alcove of the West Sitting Room is decorated with circa 1920s chinoiserie wallpaper. The woven grass paper features painted imagery typical of this style and popular during this period; colourful birds, insects and plants that are intended invoke a bright and “exotic” scene.

By the 1990s, areas of this paper had been lost or damaged. The paper was restored in 1991, and a large panel on the South wall was replaced with Japanese woven grass paper and repainted using historic photographs to replicate the design.

Historic wallpapers are some of our more delicate collection pieces. They are often made of natural fibres and dyed or painted, making them particularly sensitive to light, which can speed up their deterioration. Historically, people knew that sunlight could damage furniture and would keep curtains drawn in unused rooms. We also keep our blinds drawn in certain areas where sunlight is particularly strong or could damage sensitive collection like this wallpaper.

This allows us to offer more protection to these pieces while also keeping the house open for visitors to enjoy.

Image Description: a bleached and cracking historic wallpaper with a green leaf design is shown next to a more modern reproduction wallpaper with more vibrant colors

📸: Autumn

Ahead of anything going on show, we check that environmental conditions are just right. Read on for more about some of t...
25/07/2026

Ahead of anything going on show, we check that environmental conditions are just right.

Read on for more about some of the tools we use to monitor conditions at Treasurer's House 👇

While most conservation work happens when the house is closed, you can still see signs of it happening on your visit. Blue wool dosimeters, like the one in the image can help conservators determine how many light hours a collection object has been exposed to, as the blue dye fades with exposure to light.

To record temperature and relative humidity, there are conservation heating systems throughout the house. If either one gets too high or too low, it can cause cracking, mould growth and warping of delicate collection pieces.

If you look around on a tour, you might also spot something called a blunder trap. These are sticky traps designed to catch crawling insects like silverfish, carpet beetles, and others which pose a serious threat to different materials in the collection. As we continue to see more humid winters due to climate change, we are also seeing a rise in pests, so collecting data about the number and variety help us keep track of both local and national trends.

Image Description: A vibrant blue strip of wool rests on the base of a glass and bronze candlestick

📸: Autumn

Every detail matters! As we count down to the unveiling of our newest collection item, we're taking some time over the n...
24/07/2026

Every detail matters!

As we count down to the unveiling of our newest collection item, we're taking some time over the next few days to celebrate the collections team whose skill and attention to detail help preserve the objects and stories in our care.

Follow along this week for a behind-the-scenes look at a couple of special objects and the careful work that makes next week's reveal possible.

Image Description: a boy with a magnifying glass looks closely at a framed tapestry

📸: ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Another clue...🔍Have you guessed what our mystery new collection object might be yet?We're revealing a new addition to t...
22/07/2026

Another clue...🔍

Have you guessed what our mystery new collection object might be yet?

We're revealing a new addition to the collection later this month, but until then, we'd love to hear your predictions.

Don't forget to join us for Preserving the Vision, a week of celebrating some of the work that goes on behind the scenes, starting on Saturday 25 July, and finishing on Wednesday 29 July with live conservation demonstrations and the first chance to see the new acquisition.

What do you think it is? Let us know below!

Image Description: A label with red thread sits against a backdrop of white cloth

We've been keeping a secret. 🤫Later this month, we'll be unveiling a remarkable new addition to our collection for the v...
15/07/2026

We've been keeping a secret. 🤫

Later this month, we'll be unveiling a remarkable new addition to our collection for the very first time.

For now, we're keeping the details under wraps—but trust us, it's worth the wait!

Before the reveal, join us for a week celebrating the work that happens behind the scenes. From 25 July - 29 July, you can discover 'Preserving the Vision' with a chance to learn about some of the specialist tools our conservators use, and join an award winning tour to explore stories of conservation work carried out on objects across the collection.

On Wednesday 29 July, marking the anniversary of Frank Green's gift of Treasurer's House to the National Trust, join our collections staff and volunteers for live conservation demonstrations and a first look at our exciting new addition!

Any guesses? 👇

Image Description: A close up image of a new collection object

Address

Treasurer's House, Minster Yard
York
YO17JL

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 4pm
Tuesday 11am - 4pm
Wednesday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

01904 624247

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