York Historic Environment Record

YORK SE5951NE MICKLEGATE 1112-1/15/658 (North side) 01/07/68 No.68 and verandah railings attached at rear GV II* House and railings attached to verandah spanning basement area at rear. Mid C17, with earlier origins; remodelled with added third storey c1823; late C19 and C20 alteration and renovation. Front of stucco, rear of brick, ground and first floor painted; moulded cornice and low parapet at front, masking hipped roof of slate. Cast-iron verandah railings. EXTERIOR: basement and 3 storeys; 2-window front. Doorcase of Doric pilasters, frieze and cornice, with round-arched architrave: recessed door of six raised and fielded panels beneath radial fanlight. To right, C20 shopfront. To right of first floor, inserted canted bay window with moulded dentil cornice over pulvinated frieze. Remaining windows are of 2 lights, in raised moulded architraves with painted sills. All windows are casements. Moulded bands at first and second floor levels. Rear: 3 storeys and attic; 2-window gabled front. Ground floor window to right is tripartite with panelled half doors beneath centre sash opening on to verandah. First floor window to right also tripartite with 12-pane centre sash; other windows are 12-pane sashes beneath flat arches of brick. Circular window in pedimented gable. Railings attached to verandah spanning basement area at rear are alternately straight and serpentine. INTERIOR: cellars: room to rear left has plain fireplace in which set pot survives the removal in 1987 of early C19 range. Room to right is groined, and said to be of brick beneath later plastering. Ground floor: entrance passage leads to stairhall, both paved with diagonally set flags. At end of entrance passage, screen of two round arches beneath moulded cornice leads to stairhall; arches are moulded with keyblocks, on square section centre pier with moulded impost and plain base. Close string staircase rising to first floor has bulbous balusters, square newels with ball finials, and broad, moulded handrail. Original 2-panel door beneath stairs, to left of length of studded wall, now boarded over, leads to stone newel stair to cellars. Opposite foot of main staircase, early C18 door of 6 fielded panels in fluted architrave with frieze, angle blocks and plain cornice hood, leads to small workshop. At rear of hall, two early C19 6-panel doors have similar architraves. Rear ground floor rooms not accessible at time of survey, but in left room RCHM record ceiling with moulded beams and cornice; fluted doorcase with angle paterae; and early Victorian fireplace. In room to right, RCHM record ceiling beams carried on stop-chamfered posts; a segment-headed recess beside fireplace; and recessed cupboard with moulded surround and Gothick-glazed doors (said to have been removed). On staircase, 6-light window with moulded mullions originally contained painted glass window of 1665 by Henry Gyles, in possession of York Glaziers' Trust at time of survey. On staircase half landing is a wall cupboard with small plank door rehung on butterfly hinges. First floor: on landing, 4 moulded doorcases with 6-panel doors; one doorcase with 3-panel door rehung on iron pins. Close string staircase to second floor, closed off behind door, has stick balusters, turned newels and ramped-up moulded handrail. Front room to right: moulded beams and cornice; marble corner fireplace with tiled surround. Front left room: marble chimneypiece with cast-iron hob grate; moulded beams and cornice. Rear right room: fielded dado panelling and moulded dado rail; plank cupboard door with pegged-on panelling. Rear left room: marble chimneypiece with reeded jambs and frieze, and angle blocks carved with flower posies; moulded beams and cornice. Second floor: several re-used 6-panel doors. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: railings attached to verandah spanning basement area at rear are alternately straight and serpentine. HISTORICAL NOTE: between c1650 and 1709, the house was the residence of Edmund Gyles, glazier, and his son Henry, the notable glass painter. It was also the meeting place of the York Virtuosi, of which Henry Gyles was a leading member, and consequently visited by a number of his distinguished contemporaries, including Ralph Thoresby, the Leeds historian; Dr Martin Lister, physician to Queen Anne; and artists William Lodge and Francis Place. For some time, Francis Place lodged with Henry Gyles. From 1813 to 1823, William Stead, carver and monumental mason, was the occupant. (City of York: RCHME: South-west of the Ouse: HMSO: 1972-: 79; York Historian: Pearson C: A Forgotten Memorial: the Family Window of E and S Gyles, etc.: York: 1986-: 34-38). Listing NGR: SE5991451639