Sight guide · York · United Kingdom
Visiting Merchant Adventurers' Hall
One of the finest medieval guild halls in the world, built in the 1350s for York's merchants, has a great timber-framed hall, an undercroft once used as an almshouse and a private chapel, with displays on the guild's trade.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mramoeba, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Merchant Adventurers' Hall is a historic site in Fossgate, York. Allow 1 hour; it is low cost. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Historic site
- Area
- Fossgate
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, architecture, rainy day and off the beaten path
- Best months
- January and October–November
About Merchant Adventurers' Hall
One of the finest medieval guild halls in the world, built in the 1350s for York's merchants, has a great timber-framed hall, an undercroft once used as an almshouse and a private chapel, with displays on the guild's trade.
Tip: Look up at the huge oak roof timbers in the Great Hall, then visit the undercroft below.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 1 hour.
- Cost: Low cost.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Fossgate, independent restaurants and bars on the quieter eastern side of the centre.
Best time to visit Merchant Adventurers' Hall
Merchant Adventurers' Hall is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- January: 7°C (45°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
- October: 14°C (57°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, moderate crowds.
- November: 10°C (50°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, busy crowds.
When to visit York has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Merchant Adventurers' Hall is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen York Minster and York City Walls.
- No. 8 of the 15 sights in our York things-to-do list.
- One of the picks in york on a rainy day.
- One of the picks in historic sites in York.
If you like Merchant Adventurers' Hall
- York Minster — Minster Quarter, 2–3 hours with the tower
- York City Walls — City Centre, 1–2 hours
- JORVIK Viking Centre — Coppergate, 1.5 hours
- National Railway Museum — Leeman Road, 2–3 hours
Staying near Merchant Adventurers' Hall
Stay in Fossgate and Walmgate ($$) to walk here: independent restaurants and bars on the quieter eastern side of the centre. All areas to stay in York.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Merchant Adventurers' Hall?
Plan 1 hour.
+Is Merchant Adventurers' Hall free?
No, it is low cost. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Merchant Adventurers' Hall?
January and October–November, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Look up at the huge oak roof timbers in the Great Hall, then visit the undercroft below.
+Do I need to book Merchant Adventurers' Hall in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.