Heslington Hall

Heslington Hall is a manor house originally built in the 1560s with later Victorian additions featuring symmetrical Jacobethan design and two staircase towers. The structure includes a courtyard surrounding a great hall with stucco details, and the grounds contain mature yew trees and an enclosed garden room.

The original structure was built between 1565 and 1568 for Sir Thomas Eynns, a senior official of the Tudor administration. Major reconstruction in 1854 transformed the building and gave it its present Victorian appearance.

The hall functions as the administrative center of the University of York, serving as a gathering place for academic meetings and university events. Visitors can observe how the institution integrates its daily operations within these historic rooms.

The building serves as a university administrative center with limited public access, though the grounds may be viewable from outside. The surrounding gardens with mature trees offer pleasant spots for walking during warmer seasons.

During World War II, the hall served as headquarters for RAF Bomber Command operations before becoming a university center. Few traces of this military role remain visible today, though it remains an important part of the site's history.