Grays Court is a
Grade I listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
house in
York, England. The house is within the
city walls
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
near
York Minster. Dating back in part to 1080 and commissioned by the first Norman Archbishop of York to provide the official residence for the Treasurers of York Minster.
History
The house was surrendered to the Crown on 26 May 1547 and
William Cliffe
William Cliffe, Clyffe or Clyff (died 1558) was an English churchman and lawyer, dean of Chester from 1547.
Life
Cliffe was educated at the University of Cambridge, where he graduated LL.B. in 1514. He was admitted advocate at Doctors' Commons o ...
, the last of the medieval Treasurers, was made dean of
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
. The first post-Reformation owner was Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset. He was given the house in 1547 by
Edward VI, the son of Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII.
The Sterne Room was built in mid 18th century for Jaques Sterne, Precentor and Canon Residentiary of the Minster and uncle of Laurence Sterne. The marble plaque on the fireplace is of Augusta, wife of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and mother of George III of the United Kingdom, George III.
The house became "Gray's Court" when William and Faith Gray moved into the house in Minster Yard in 1788. Life at the house was recorded by Faith Gray who was a keen diarist but she also worked, with Catharine Cappe et al, to establish a school for poor girls. She helped transform the York Bluecoat School, Grey (now Blue) Coat School and she started a Friendly Society. Faith died at Gray's Court on Boxing Day in 1826.
The 300m stretch of the city walls which bounds Grays Court was donated to the City in 1878 by Edwin Gray (c 1847-1929), the Lord Mayor of York. His wife, Almyra Gray wrote a history of her family in this building ''Papers and diaries of a York family 1764–1839''. The book includes details of the family.
Almyra died here in 1939. Composer Alan Gray (1855-1935), was the brother of Edwin Gray and grew up in the house.
History of the Gray and Other Families
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Grays Court has been privately owned since 2005, and is now a hotel.
References
External links
grayscourtyork.com
{{coord, 53.9633, N, 1.0807, W, source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:GB, display=title
Grade I listed buildings in York
Hotels in York