York Historic Environment Record

YORK SE6051NW CONEY STREET 1112-1/28/245 (South West side) 14/06/54 No.1 Mansion House, railings and two gas lamps attached to front GV I Mansion House, and railings and gas lamp standards attached to front. 1725-33, with alterations of 1884. Possibly by William Etty. MATERIALS: front has basement of painted stone; upper floors of painted brick in Flemish bond, with raised chamfered quoins and dressings of painted stone; rear of pink and cream mottled brick in stretcher bond, with orange-red gauged brick window arches; right return partly rendered, partly as front. Double span roof of slate, with brick stacks, right ones rendered. Wrought-iron railings on stone plinth, and cast-iron lamp standards. EXTERIOR: 3-storey 5-bay front. Ground floor rusticated and arcaded with openings stepped back beneath keyed round arches of radiating voussoirs with moulded impost band. In centre, double doors of raised and fielded panelling beneath radial-glazed fanlight, and at right end, round-arched through-carriageway: windows are radial-glazed sashes. Quoined upper floors form pedimented temple front articulated by Ionic pilasters. First floor windows are 12-pane sashes in eared architraves with aprons beneath moulded sills and alternately triangular and segmental pediments. Second floor windows are squat 6-pane sashes in raised architraves. Dentilled cornice is sharply moulded beneath plain parapet. Pediment tympanum contains a cartouche moulded with the arms of the City of York, between palm fronds. Rear: to left, round carriageway arch of voussoirs with triple keyblock and impost blocks. Round-arched staircase window in centre. Raised brick bands to each floor. Detailing of right return repeats that of front, with blocked window openings. Flat parapet masks roof valley. INTERIOR: ground floor: paved floors to entrance and stair-halls. Entrance hall has panelled dado and enriched ceiling cornice. Rooms to left are panelled in two heights and have moulded cornices and marble fireplace surrounds. Stairhall approached through keyed round arch with panelled reveals, flanked by fluted Corinthian pilasters, with winged putti heads in the arch spandrels. Main staircase has open string, turned tapering balusters, two to a tread, and moulded serpentine handrail wreathed at foot. Staircase wall panelled beneath ramped-up dado rail. Staircase window has moulded round arch on pilastered jambs between fluted Corinthian pilasters. Secondary staircase screened off to right of stairhall retains original flight to basement, with close string, column balusters and square newels. First floor: enriched cornice to stairwell ceiling. Arched doorway similar to stairhall arch leads to the State Room. State Room lined with full-height panelling between fluted Corinthian pilasters carrying enriched cornice. Above cornice, attic is panelled and pilastered beneath coved ceiling divided into geometric panels by raised ribs with guilloche mouldings. Panelled double doors, painted with arabesques, in moulded architrave beneath frieze moulded with a female head between cornucopias. Doorcase forms shallow Corinthian portico of detached fluted columns and entablature which forms parapet of small musicians gallery above. Fireplaces at each end of room have moulded marble surrounds and overmantels, and are flanked by paired fluted pilasters surmounted by pediments: one has the Royal Arms carved above overmantel; the other, the City Arms over a crossed sword and mace surmounted by the Cap of Maintenance. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: front railings: on low plinth, swept up flight of stone steps to door. Railings are square section with bottom band of palmette, leafy scrollwork between the bars, and top band of scrolls. Gas lamp standards, flanking foot of steps, are turned and fluted, and have moulded crossbars on foliated brackets, and tapered lanterns with lion finials. HISTORICAL NOTE: the Mansion House was built as the residence of the Lord Mayor of York, predating any other Mansion House in England, and still used for its original purpose. (City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 96-97). Listing NGR: SE6014551921