This is a brief guide to researching records related to building and house history within our collections here at Explore York Libraries & Archives.

Aerial view of York City Centre, c. 1880 [Reference: y_12097]

There is a great variety in the buildings that make up the City of York. This a brief guide to researching the wealth of historic buildings and wide variety of houses that make up the city.

Getting started

Many of the buildings in the city have had a variety of uses over time so you may have to consult a variety of sources to trace the history of a particular building.

The City of York did not have a comprehensive register of deeds, which can be found in other nearby areas. The City’s register of deeds is held in the archive collections is not comprehensive as registration was not complusory and it only covers the early 18th century to the mid 19th century. This can make researching the history of your house more difficult, but for some areas of York, which were originally in the East West or North Ridings, transcripts of property deeds may be found at other archive services.

Further records relating to buildings and houses for these areas may be held at other archive services. Details of the websites for the other archive services are given in the ‘York-related resources held in other repositories’ section of this guide.

Records relating buildings and houses in the following areas may be held at the East Riding Archives: Deighton, Elvington, Escrick, Gate Fulford, Heslington, Grimston, Kexby, Langwith Naburn, Scoreby and Stamford Bridge, Stillingfleet with Moreby, Thorganby with West Cottingwith, Water Fulford and Wheldrake.

Records relating to buildings and houses in the following areas may be held at the North Yorkshire Archives: Heworth, Osbaldwick, Marygate, Clifton, Earswick, Huntington, Towthorpe. Gate Helmsley, Holtby, Murton, Upper Helmsley, Warthill, Stockton on the Forest, Buttercrambe, Claxton, Flaxton, Harton, Lillings Ambo, Sand Hutton, Strensall, Beningborough, Haxby, Overton, Rawcliffe, Skelton, Wigginton

Records relating to buildings and houses in the following areas may be held at the West Yorkshire Archive Service: Beningborough, Buttercrambe, Claxton, Clifton, Earswick, Flaxton, Gate Helmsley, Harton, Haxby, Heworth, Holtby, Huntington, Lillings Ambo, Marygate, Murton, Osbaldwick, Overton, Rawcliffe, Sand Hutton, Skelton, Stockton on the Forest, Strensall, Towthorpe, Upper Helmsley, Warthill and Wigginton.

Depending on the building or house you are researching, there may also be information in family or personal papers, or the archives of local solicitors in our collections.Information can be gained about the occupants of houses using many of the same sources as for family history, including electoral registers, birth, marriage and death certificates and wills. There is a seperate research guide for Family History.

For plans of houses and buildings that were built or maintained by the City of Council and its predecessors there is a seperate collection guide for the City Architects’ and Engineers’ Plans [Y/PPT/6]. Please contact us if you are searching for modern council houses plans.

There is a seperate Health, Clearance and Environmental Health Research Guide, which be may of interest if the building or house you are researching was within an area of York that part of improvement and clearance schemes during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Archive collections
  • Gray, Dodsworth & Cobb, York solicitors, c. 1523-1975 [Reference: GDC]
  • Hugh Murray Archive, 1867-2013 [Reference: HMU]
  • Plans and maps of York and Yorkshire, c. 1545-1895 [Reference: MAP]
  • Munby and Scott, York solicitors, 1698-1960 [Reference: MAS]
  • Photograph and image collection, 18th century-21st century [Reference: PHO]
  • York Civic Archive – Electoral Registers, 1835-date [Reference: Y/COU/6]
  • York Civic Archive – Y/LEG/2/2 – Registers of deeds acknowledged before the Lord Mayor, 1718-1866 [Reference: Y/LEG/2/2]
  • York Civic Archive Civic Building and Maintenance, [Reference: Y/PPT/1]
  • York Civic Archive – Town Planning, Clearances and Improvements, [Reference: Y/PPT/2]
  • York Civic Archive – Architects’ and Engineers’ plans, [Reference: Y/PPT/6]

Our archive collections can be searched and browsed on the archive catalogue: https://archives.exploreyork.org.uk/index.php/

You can find more information on how to search the archive catalogue on the ‘How to Search’ webpage: https://archives.exploreyork.org.uk/how-to-search

To book an appointment to access our archive collections and find details of our opening times and how to book an appointment, please refer to our ‘Visiting us’ webpage: https://exploreyork.org.uk/archives/visiting-us/

Library resources
  • Backe-Hansen, Melanie. House Histories : The Secrets Behind Your Front Door. Stroud : History Press, 2011. [Shelfmark: 728.09(FH)]
  • Blanchard, Gill. Tracing Your House History : A Guide For Family Historians. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2013.
  • Bushell, Peter. Tracing the History of Your House. London : Pavilion, 1989.
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus. The Buildings of England: Yorkshire : York and the East Riding, 2nd ed. London : Penguin, 1995 [Shelfmark: 720.9428(Y)]
  • Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York. Vol.3, South West of the Ouse. London : H.M. Stationery Office, 1972. [Shelfmark 936.2843(Y) HIS]
  • Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York. Vol.4, Outside the city walls east of the Ouse. London : H.M. Stationery Office, 1975. [ Shelfmark: 936.2843(Y)]
  • Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York. Vol.5, The Central Area. London : H.M. Stationery Office. [Shelfmark: 1981. 936.2843(Y) ART]
  • Trade and street directories, various titles, late 18th to late 20th centuries. [Shelfmark: 914.2843]. Please note that the trade directories are also available online via Ancestry, details of access to Ancestry can be found in the ‘Other resources accessible at Explore York’ section below.

Our local history and special collections can be searched and browsed using our library catalogue: https://catalogue.exploreyork.org.uk/client/en_GB/default/

Other resources accessible at Explore York
  • Ancestry (Free access available at all Explore sites)
  • British Newspaper Archive (Free access available at all Explore sites)
  • Find My Past (Free access available at all Explore sites)
  • Microfilmed local newspapers are available in the Family History Room, there is a street index available.

York-related resources held in other collections

Other research guides & resources