Unseen buildings to open up to public view

Holgate Windmill is one of the venues open as part of the project

York’s original railway station, a shipping container farm, a 16th-century home and a grand Georgian house are among the buildings open to visitors for one weekend in October.

The historic and unusual buildings across York will be open as part of York Unlocked, which runs from 5 to 6 October.

Now in its third year, event organisers are expecting between 10,000 and 15,000 people to visit more than 50 sites.

Project lead Steve Morgan said the event had been inspired by “curiosity and nosiness” and a chance for people to see places they have never visited before.

Visitors will be able to see inside Terry’s Factory Clock Tower

Friends of York Art Gallery’s Fine Art Store will be open for the first time as part of the project, allowing visitors to see 900 paintings which cannot be seen on the walls, as well as artists' papers and sketch books.

Mr Morgan said the specially designed conservation room was “packed full of treasure", with the gallery curator signed up to lead tours.

York’s original railway station, which is inside the City Walls, will also be open.

The grade II listed building was converted into offices in 2010, but many of the original features remain visible.

At the current railway station, visitors will be able to see an old ballroom and the disused station masters’ office.

At Spark York, a venue made up of upcycled shipping containers, visitors will be able to see inside Grow It York, a farm controlled by an app.

Mr Morgan said: “It was a scrap of uninspiring land that was quite hard to do something with.

"Now they grow microgreens and leaves in the shipping container and then use them in the restaurants inside the venue.”

There are also private homes on show, including the grade I listed Garforth House.

The Georgian house on Micklegate, was built by Yorkshire architect John Carr in 1757 for Edmund and Elizabeth Garforth before becoming a school between 1912 and 1968.

“I think if you own a house that’s significant, you see yourself as a custodian,” said Mr Morgan.

"It’s part of people’s history. It used to be a school, so there will be people who went to school there. This is all of our heritage.”

The 16th-century Herbert House on the Shambles is home to York Gin

Also on the programme is Herbert House on the Shambles.

The 16th Century property is home to York Gin, but the upstairs of the building is unused and retains many of the original features.

Mr Morgan said the team invites owners to take part in the project by knocking on doors and posting notes.

"Our aspiration is to make the event sustainable so we can hold it every year," he said.

Other new locations for 2024 include Thin Ice Press, an old school house at Peasholme Green, where a team collect and restore traditional printing presses, and St Anthony’s Gardens where a team of conservation architects from Pinnacle Conservation will be running workshops.

Venues also include the clock tower at the former Terry's Factory, the Hospitium in the Museum Gardens and Holgate Windmill.

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