Welcome to Beverley Guildhall

Nestled in the heart of the market town, explore the rich and fascinating history of Beverley Guildhall. The Grade 1 Listed building was originally bought by the Beverley Town Keepers in 1501 to be used as a Guildhall, and has seen continuous civic use since. The building is still used for civic and ceremonial occasions and now also holds the Beverley Community Museum.

Elegance and inspiration

Your visit to this beautiful building will be filled with awe at the elegant architecture and design throughout. The portico columns through which you enter are the latest addition to the building, erected in 1832. The Doric style portico, by Hull architect Charles Mountain the Younger, was inspired by the Greek temple of Apollo at Delos. It replaced the 15th century stone arched entrance, which can now be seen at the Dominican Friary near Beverley Minster.

Inside you’ll find the gorgeous Rococo style stuccowork of the courtroom ceiling, completed by the famous Swiss-Italian Giuseppe Cortese, who moved to Yorkshire in the 18th Century. Keep your eyes open to spot the unusual details in the patterns. Elsewhere you can search for the Beverlac town badge, the Coat of Arms of King George lll, who was on the throne in 1762 when the building was remodelled by William Middleton, and original furniture such as the 1604 Mayoral 'bink’ (local dialect for bench) in the Magistrate’s Room. For further information on Beverley Guildhall and a map to guide your visit, download the information sheet.

Local art and social history collections

When you reach the upstairs Parlour, you can enjoy displays of civic silver donated to the town over the years. The silver collection includes two ceremonial chains worn by Beverley’s Waits ('Mayor’s Minstrels’), which date back to 1423, among the oldest in England, and are on permanent display in the Community Museum. Decorating the walls of the building are paintings by renowned local artist Fred Elwell, R.A., and his wife Mary Dawson Elwell, showing town life and local characters from the early 20th Century.

In the community museum, we hold a computer archive of nearly 3,000 photographs of Beverley’s history. Visitors can search the database or add to this collection with the help of museum attendants. There is a display of objects and images donated by local people as well as a changing exhibition space.

Group visits and tours

Guided tours for Beverley Guildhall can be arranged for groups of seven to 30 people at a cost of £1.50 a person, Tuesdays to Fridays. Tours can be booked for Saturdays for an extra £50 fee. Call the Guildhall Curator to arrange your visit.

If you're visiting with children there’s plenty to do alongside exhibitions to make your visit fun and interesting. Dress up as a judge in the courtroom or have a dinner party in the Mayor's Parlour and more.

Under 5s can play with replica historic toys, borrow an Explorer Kit to make fascinating discoveries around the building, or take part in our '5 Things to do' activities and collect a sticker.

Nearest pay and display car park is Grayburn Lane. Limited on street parking is available within easy walking distance.

There is disabled access to the ground floor only. Disabled parking is available nearby on Cross Street and Lord Roberts Road. Only assistance dogs are allowed on site.

It is a five minute walk to the train station and bus station in Beverley.

• Guildhall Information Sheet (pdf 382kb)
• Beastly Beverley - North trail (pdf 2.9mb)
• Beastly Beverley - South trail (pdf 2.8mb)