What's On

Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November

Help stop mischievous York school boy, Guy Fawkes, causing havoc in our Mischief Night puzzle trail - and be in with the chance of winning a unique Ghost Merchants ghost!

Mischief Night, celebrated with pranks, jokes and not a little chaos, was traditionally the night before Bonfire Night in the north country, but its origins could date back much further to the “misrule days” of the past when communities were allowed to let off steam…

Join our ghostly headmaster John Pulleyn, who needs your help keeping the peace before Guy forks out more misrule than the city can handle - solving puzzles and clues as you follow the trail.

Everyone who successfully completes our trail puzzle book will be entered into a draw to win a unique ghost designed by York Ghost Merchants, inspired by the red flocked wallpaper of our Drawing Room.

Suitable for ages 11 and over. Free with admission

Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November

Younger visitors are invited to follow our Mischief Night trail around the house with a fun puzzle booklet designed for children and anyone who prefers a less taxing set of tasks.

Anyone who completes the booklet correctly will receive a little Halloween sweet treat!

Free with admission

On display from Saturday 24 October

Take the opportunity to see this beautiful pen-and-ink panorama of medieval York, drawn by architect Edwin Ridsdale Tate, when it goes back out on display at York Mansion House.

The 1914 drawing provides a bird’s eye view of how York would have looked in the 1400s and some of today’s landmarks are easy to spot such as the River Ouse, Clifford’s Tower and York Minster. But look more closely and there are many more fascinating details to discover, telling stories of what life was like during this period.

The picture will go back out on display to coincide with our Ghost Week Mischief Night Trail, set a century later when Guy Fawkes was a boy in the late 1500s. During this time York would have looked very similar, but changes would have already started to happen, with the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII’s rule.

The panorama was commissioned by Tate’s friend David Leith Presley, the editor of the Yorkshire Herald, to mark the newspaper's 20,000th issue, and was printed in the newspaper in 1915. It will now have a new home in one of our ground floor rooms with low lighting to preserve its condition.

Monday 26 October to Sunday 1 November, 10.00am to 4.00pm

We are delighted to be hosting York Ghost Merchants’ annual Ghost Week Black Box sale in our elegant Drawing Room where they will be selling their limited edition “Poppy” ghost, produced in partnership with Burleigh.

Customers will queue at the front of the building and will then be shown upstairs to the Drawing Room in small groups by our team. Each group or customer will have a selection to view and choose from.

More information about Ghost Week Black Box sale

Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October, 7.30pm

As the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot draws nigh, the spirits of two former York residents rise to share their stories in an atmospheric evening performance.

As the sainted ‘Pearl of York’ Margaret Clitherow relives the tragic day of her death, she is joined by the spirit of one believed to have been present at her execution in his youth - Guy Fawkes.

Was Margaret’s trial and death the inciting event that set the scene for one of the most explosive (pardon the pun) episodes on the stage of English history?

Haunting period folk music, played on traditional instruments, flows hypnotically through historically-informed storytelling in this atmospheric live performance created exclusively for York Ghost Week 2026.

Join The Hallowed Guild of Phantom Players - actor/playwright Andrea Mitchell performer/musician/historical re-enactor Hrafn Rikkardsson and Celtic folk musician/theatre-maker Olivia Graham .

Tickets are £25 each including an interval drink. Book online: Remember, Remember – York Ghost Week

Fridays 20 and 27 November, 4 and 11 December, 2.30pm to 3.45pm

Sundays 15, 22 and 29 November, 6 and 13 December, 2.30pm to 3.45pm

Take a break from the bustling shopping streets to enjoy a tour of York Mansion House with one of our friendly and expert guides, who will tell the human stories behind the treasures on display.

See the building fully decorated for Christmas and end your tour by watching a cookery demonstration of a real Georgian recipe for gingerbread in our historic basement kitchen.

Tickets priced at £12 include a glass of non-alcoholic mulled wine and a mince pie, and the tour and demo run from 2.30pm to 3.45pm.

Book at Festive house tour and Georgian cookery demonstration

Friday 13 November, 7.00pm to 9.00pm

Step back in time for an evening of indulgence in the festive setting of York Mansion House’s State Room, beautifully decorated for Christmas.

Discover the rich history behind the Georgian era's favourite dinner table wines and get some timely inspiration for your own Christmas festivities.

Expert sommelier Emma Moore (aka The Wine Lady) will guide you through a curated selection of six historic wines, each perfectly paired with artisan cheeses. You’ll gain a fascinating insight into the lavish dining habits of the 18th-century, exploring the history of these celebrated wines and how they became the ultimate symbols of sophistication and status.

Tickets are £40 each – book online: Georgian Cheese and Wine at Christmas

Thursday 26 November, 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Make your own Georgian Christmas Wreath in the splendid setting of York Mansion House’s State Room, beautifully decorated for the festive season.

York florist Sue Hunter MBE will take you through creating your own beautiful wreath to take home, using natural materials including seasonal foliage, pine cones, fresh moss and dried oranges, before adding finishing touches such as colourful ribbons.

Ticket are £56 each and include all the materials you need to make your own seasonal wreath as well as mince pies and a glass of mulled wine or non-alcoholic alternative.

Book online: Georgian Wreath Making

Friday 18 December, 7.00pm

Eboracum Baroque are delighted to return to York for their annual festive performance with their good friends, York Gin.

The programme features seasonal vocal and instrumental works including beautiful arias from Handel’s Messiah, virtuosic recorder music by Telemann and glittering trumpet music by Corelli. There will be lesser known works by Porpora and Scarlatti alongside well known carols from across Europe performed on period instruments.

Book tickets via the Eboracum Baroque website

Watch real Georgian recipes brought to life in our historic kitchen in twice-daily cookery demos!

Our team use modern day ingredients to recreate the tastes and smells of the past and give an insight into life in a busy 18 century kitchen.

Demonstrations twice daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm (mornings only when Festive house tours taking place – see above).