Coney Street Heritage project by Fabrication Crafts
This website pulls together the research done by us as part of the Coney Street Heritage Project. To look at the craftsmen who lived and worked on the street from 1600-1900. As well as to run some classes based on our findings. The research was kindly paid for by The Heritage Lottery Fund
There is a lot of information about the history of Coney Street, and it’s status as a shopping street. As such this will primarily focus on the craftsmen and their work, we have now moved all this information to it’s own dedicated website due to the amount of information collated
The inspiration for the project is the building we rent on the street. It was built around 1600, is owned by the National Trust and has the most beautiful pargetted ceiling. Clearly the original owner was someone of wealth, perhaps a merchant or master craftsman.
Sadly we still haven’t, as yet, discovered that information, but digging through lots of archives brought a picture of a city modernising and a wealth of talent amongst it’s citizens.
Our research
After spending many hours going through trade directories and census returns we had an intensive week in February 2020 going through the deed and rent accounts in York Explore. Including handling a set of deeds from 1567, although no clue as to which building they were for. We also met with York Civic Trust, Merchant Taylors, The Mansion House, York Georgian Society, York Bid and the Merchant Adventurers to discuss the project and taking it further.
Sadly the Covid pandemic brought the rest of our research to a halt. Visits to view essential documents such as the National Trust records based at Northallerton, and the 1792 water rates records in the Borthwick Institute, which would have answered a number of questions haven’t been possible. We also had to call a halt to our classes.
As such the information here is incomplete, but we plan to add to it as we can.
We also welcome information from members of the community who may be able to add to this. We’d like to extend thanks to our fab volunteers who have done sterling work pulling all the info together
