History of York

In 1736, surgeon and local historian Francis Drake recorded the recent building of a house for Doctor Clifton Winteringham in Lendal, which he described as one of the  ‘best built houses in the city’.  It was built, between 1710 and 1727 on the churchyard of the previous church of St Wilfred, and Drake recalls that when the foundations were dug ‘several cart loads of human bones were thrown up’.

John Cossins included an image of the house on his New and Exact Plan of the City of York in 1727, as one of the smart new town houses recently built in the city.  The house is a very early example of the classical style which was to become popular throughout the eighteenth century.  Festoons of fruit emphasise the unusual stone door surround, which is framed by a Venetian style arch.   The keystone of the arch is carved with a bearded mask representing Aesculapius, the Greek demi-god of medicine.

 Dr Winteringham was a governor of the County Hospital, the author of a number of books and attended the Earl of Carlisle at nearby Castle Howard.  His son, Sir Clifton Winteringham was a military physician who rose to be the king’s surgeon.

The house is now called the Judge’s Lodging House, since from 1806 it used to provide accommodation for judges visiting to sit in the Assize Courts near the Castle Museum.  The lower floors are now dedicated to The Judges’ Chambers, a popular bar and restaurant.