Just a short walk from Museum Street, we arrive at this beautiful Grade One listed townhouse. In the United Kingdom, Grade One means a building is of exceptional national historical interest, and looking at it, you can easily see why. Standing here at the front-left of the Judges' Lodgings, you get a wonderful view of its early eighteenth-century classical design. Notice the outside front stairs leading up to the main door... they were actually added in the nineteenth century. Originally, there was just a single flight.
Look closely at the stone door surround. It is framed by a Venetian-style arch, decorated with carved festoons of fruit. Right in the center, on the keystone, there is a carved face. That bearded mask represents Aesculapius, the ancient god of medicine. He is there because this house was first built between 1711 and 1726 as a private residence for Dr. Clifton Wintringham, a prominent medical practitioner. Building his perfect home came with quite a surprise, though. The house sits on land that once belonged to St Wilfred's Church, which had been demolished much earlier. A local historian recorded that when workers dug the foundations, they threw up several cart loads of human bones. And in the 1980s, excavations in the cellar uncovered even older secrets... the cobblestone foundations of a late Roman interval tower.
In 1806, the building took on the role that gave it its name. It was purchased to house visiting judges. They came to York four times a year to preside over the Assize Courts, which were special criminal courts handling the most serious offenses in the country. A couple named Mr. and Mrs. Kilvington lived in the side wing as paid housekeepers, ensuring the high court judges had everything they needed. And they really prioritized convenience. Inside the dining room, hidden discreetly behind a secret panel concealed by a window shutter, is a built-in chamber pot just for the dining gentlemen. Today, this historic townhouse is a hotel run by the Daniel Thwaites group, and it is open for visitors every day from early morning until ten at night.
Take a moment to admire the intricate stone carvings on the archway. Whenever you are ready to continue, we can head out to our next stop.
