Events and Activities

Events for 2024 will include those listed below. Other events are being planned and details will be published here when finalised. Do visit our YVBSG YouTube channel where you will find recordings of talks and short videos of previous visits.

  • Shandy Hall bread ovens and Coxwold walkabout

    - NOW FULLY BOOKED

    Thursday 28 March 2024

    Join us on a visit to look at the newly discovered bread oven at Shandy Hall, Coxwold, followed by a walkabout in Coxwold. There is much of interest in this attractive village located eight miles south-east of Thirsk. The Group has recorded one building here: report 911, The Old School or Old Hall.

    • 10.00-10.30 - Arrive at Coxwold. Parking is at the Village Hall, YO61 4BB, where there are also toilets. Allow at least five minutes for the walk to Shandy Hall at the top of the hill. There is also village street parking for a shorter walk to Shandy Hall up Thirsk Bank. Unfortunately the Coxwold Tea Rooms do not open until 11.00.
    • 10.30 - Shandy Hall. Chris Pearson will give a guided tour round the outside of the building to explain what is known of its development (the recently revealed oven is on the outside too) before going inside to look at the bread ovens. She will also show us the wall painting in the parlour downstairs and a picture of the one upstairs.
    • 12.00 - Lunch. Members are advised to book a table at The Fauconberg, or try the Tea Rooms or bring a packed lunch.
    • 13.30 - Gather at St Michael's church for walkabout of Coxwold village with Moira Fulton.
    • 15.30 - Moira has kindly offered tea at her Coxwold home for those wishing to have refreshments before departing. Closing time around 16.00.

    Numbers are limited to 10 members. Please contact David Cook on archivist@yvbsg.org.uk or call 07810 668975 to book a place, first come, first served.

  • Marks, Graffiti, Wall Paintings and Decoration in Yorkshire Buildings

    Saturday 27 April 2024

    We're pleased to resume our annual day schools with an event to be held at York St John University from 9.30am to 5.45pm. The programme comprises:

    • Markings on timber and stone (David Cant)
    • Farm graffiti of the Yorkshire Wolds (Professor Kate Giles and Professor Mel Giles)
    • A farmer's daybook carved in oak: beam carvings at Manor Farm, Upper Midhope (Andrew Bower and Andy Bentham)
    • The painted chamber at Calverley Old Hall (Caroline Stanford)
    • The wall paintings of Pickering Church: their discovery, restoration and meaning (Professor Kate Giles)
    • Painted decoration on plasterwork, carved oak and panelling, and stained glass in West Yorkshire's mid sixteenth and seventeenth vernacular houses (Peter Thornborrow)

    For more information and to book a place, please see the full details. The booking form on its own is also available in Word format. The booking deadline is 14 April 2024 and the day school is open to all.

    The Group's AGM will be held immediately after the talks.

  • Vernacular Buildings of Bridlington

    Friday 10 to Sunday 12 May 2024

    This year's annual recording conference will be held in the seaside town of Bridlington, and we'll be recording buildings in the area including nearby villages. In the evening lectures, David Neave and Richard Myerscough will introduce us to the local architecture and building stones. On the Sunday afternoon we'll have a tour of Bridlington's very interesting Old Town, which has one of the best preserved Georgian streets in the county.

    For full details and to book a place, please see the attached conference leaflet and booking form - the booking deadline is 15 April 2024 and the conference is open to all. Two bursaries are available; for more information and to apply, please see the Bursary Application Form.

Third Thursday Talks

We are continuing to offer a series of occasional online talks which will normally take place by Zoom at 7.30pm on the third Thursday of the month. The talks are open to all (including non-members) and are free of charge. Members are notified by email as soon as booking is open for each talk, and details are also added to this website. When booking for a talk is open, please register by clicking on the 'Book now' button, which will take you to the Eventbrite booking page. Joining instructions with the Zoom link will be sent by email after booking. When possible, the talks will be recorded and published on the YVBSG YouTube channel.

Future talks

  • None scheduled at present, but do keep an eye on this page for details of future talks.