The Black Swan is a
public house
A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...
in the city centre of
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
, in England.
The building lies on
Peasholme Green, on the site of an important Mediaeval house which had been occupied by various
Lord Mayors of York and Members of Parliament. In 1560,
Martin Bowes rebuilt the property, and in 1670
Henry Thompson made substantial alterations, rebuilding parts in brick, and altering the interior. Early in the 18th century, the house was owned by
Edward Thompson.
In the late 18th century, the house was converted into a pub, although much of its interior survives intact from the 1670 alterations, particularly in the entrance hall, the Smoke Room, and a room upstairs with a
trompe l'oeil
A trompe is a water-powered air compressor, commonly used before the advent of the electric-powered compressor. A trompe is somewhat like an airlift pump working in reverse.
Trompes were used to provide compressed air for bloomery furnaces ...
painting. Externally, the central section of the facade is
timber-framed with a
jettied first floor, dating from 1560. To its right is a brick and timber extension from 1670, and to the left, an extension built in 1940, with a wing of 1670 behind.
By the 1930s, the pub was owned by the Tadcaster Tower brewery, which undertook a major renovation intended to preserve the building's historical character. The pub later came into the ownership of
Bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Wood
* Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
. In 1954, it was
Grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
.
One tradition claims that the Black Swan is linked to
St Cuthbert's Church by an underground passage. The pub is also said to be haunted by several ghosts. Since 1978, it has hosted a folk music club, and since 2003, an annual folk festival. In 2009, it was voted Folk Club of the Year at the
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music, with the aim of raising the profile of folk and acoustic music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British rad ...
.
See also
*
The Swan, York, a pub on Bishopgate Street, York
*
Old White Swan, historic pub on Goodramgate, York
*
Grade II* listed buildings in the City of York
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Swan, The, York
Grade II* listed pubs in York
Grade II* listed houses
Houses completed in 1560
Houses in York
Timber framed buildings in Yorkshire
Timber framed pubs in England