York Minster

The Archives & Manuscripts

The Library and Archives are located in a thirteenth-century chapel, in the peaceful surroundings of the Dean's Park, to the north of the Minster. The Archives department, which houses material dating from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day, is open to all who wish to use it for research, although an appointment is required.

Holdings

The Archives holds the following categories of material:

• The archives of the Minster and associated organisations (c.1150-present)
• Papers of some archbishops of York (17th cent.-1985)
• Some local Methodist material (1797-1916)
• Archives of local societies (1840s-present)
• Manuscript collections, which include bibles, liturgies, lives of the saints, sermons and theology (10th-20th cent.)
• Music manuscripts (16th-20th cent.), printed music is in the Library.
• Antiquarian collections of material mainly relating to Yorkshire (12th-20th cent.)
• Collections of photographs mainly relating to the Minster and York (19th cent.-present)
• Video and sound recordings mainly relating to the Minster (1930s-present)

Please note:

• The Archives does not hold original parish records but the Library collects the published registers of Yorkshire parishes.

The Borthwick Institute for Archives is the official repository of the Archbishop of York's records.

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Requesting material

1.    First, make an appointment for the day on which you would like to read in the Archives by contacting the Archivist.

2.    On the day of your appointment, complete one document request slip (available in the Archives area of the Reading Room) for each item or run of items that you would like to see.

3.    Submit your document request slips to the Archivist in advance of one of the four daily document-production times, which are as follows:

·       9.15 a.m.

·       10.45 a.m.

·       2.15 p.m.

·       3.45 p.m.

 

Please note:

·       Readers may submit a maximum of four tickets per production

·       The reading room closes at 4.45 p.m.

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Consulting the material

Please observe the following rules for the Archives reading area:

1. Gloves, book rests and weights are to be used as directed by Archives staff.

2. You may only use pencil or a computer to take notes.

3. Food and drink of any description are not permitted in the Reading Room.

4. Photocopying is by Archives staff only. If you would like to order photocopies or photographs, please fill in a request form, available on the Archives Reading Area tables.

5. Readers may only take their own photographs after making a request and paying the appropriate fee. Please ask a member of staff for details.

6. Please leave your documents on the table when you have finished with them, in the order and/or wrappings in which they were supplied to you.

If you require assistance with the above or anything else, please ask a member of Archives staff.

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How to contact us?

Please see our Contacts page for contact details and directions to York Minster Library & Archives.

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