History of York

1300AD - 1500AD

The Hospitium was one of the abbey's support buildings.

It's not known for sure what it was originally used for, the official listing of the building suggests that it was a place for visitors to stay.  There was a gate onto the river right next to the Hospitium so  it would have been well placed to serve guests arriving by boat. 

Being next to the river it might also have been a warehouse, possibly with accommodation on the upper floor.  The lower storey of the building was most likely built from stone to withstand the regular floods.  Stone would also have given an extra degree of security.

The Hospitium has had several different uses and a number of renovations over the years.  The earliest images show it used as a farm building or derelict.  In the 19th century, the Yorkshire Philosophical Society  repaired the building and used it to display museum objects.  In the 1930s the upper storey was extended with a new roof.

In 2008 the Hospitium underwent another major renovation with the installation, for the first time, of services such as running water, toilets, a passenger lift and a kitchen.  The building is now the centre of York Museum Trust's hospitality business.