Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York
A few steps from York Minster, through an archway between the shops of Goodramgate, is a small churchyard garden and a church that time seems to have left alone. Holy Trinity has uneven floors, walls that are not quite straight, a medieval east window and a full set of box pews, which almost every other English church lost in the nineteenth century.
A church that was never restored
Holy Trinity is one of the oldest of York’s many medieval parish churches. Parts of the walls go back to the twelfth century; the church was enlarged in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; and the north aisle, a chapel and the small tower were added in the fifteenth. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was fitted out with box pews, a pulpit and communion rails.
And then very little happened. While the Victorians rebuilt and refurnished most English churches, Holy Trinity stayed much as it was. It was declared redundant in 1971 and has been in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust since 1972.
The visitor's cheat sheet
| Where | 70 Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LF |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Two minutes’ walk from York Minster through a passage off Goodramgate; York station about 15 minutes’ walk |
| Opening hours | Wednesday to Sunday, 11am–4pm (March–October) and 11am–3pm (November–February), volunteers permitting |
| Admission | Free; donations welcome |
| How long | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Best time | A quiet weekday morning, as a break from the Minster crowds |
| Dress code | No rule |
| Tours | Self-guided; volunteer stewards; uneven floors and low light |
Hours and admission checked against the official site in October 2026. They change; the official site is always the last word.
Our Lady’s Row. The cottages along the Goodramgate side of the churchyard were built under a deed of 1316 and are among the oldest houses in York. A plan to demolish them in 1827 was defeated.
What to see, in the order you meet it
The passage and the churchyard
The way in is through an eighteenth-century brick archway from Goodramgate, beside the medieval cottages of Our Lady’s Row. Beyond it is a quiet churchyard garden with benches, and the low church with its small tower.
The box pews
Inside, the church is filled with box pews of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with doors and high panelled sides, standing on a stone floor that rises and falls. Almost nothing here is straight or level, and that is half its charm.
The east window
The east window was given around 1470 by the rector, John Walker, and keeps much of its medieval glass. In the centre is the Holy Trinity, with God the Father holding the dead Christ and the dove of the Holy Spirit; on either side are St George, St John the Baptist, St John the Evangelist and St Christopher. Other windows keep fragments of medieval glass.
The altar, the chapels and the font
The altar is enclosed by late eighteenth-century communion rails with a bowed centre. The church has two small chapels; in the wall of one is a squint, a narrow opening through which the altar could be seen. The font is of the late fifteenth century, with a cover of 1787. Two boards record the names of the Lord Mayors of York, among them George Hudson, the Railway King.
Visiting
Free to visit
There is no admission charge. The church is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm in summer and 11am to 3pm in winter, when volunteers are available.
The hotel link goes to Booking.com. This site earns nothing from it at present — it is here because it is the quickest way to check what is actually available.
Don't miss
- The box pews A rare complete set.
- The east window Medieval glass of around 1470.
- The uneven floor Hardly a level stone in the church.
- The communion rails Bowed out in front of the altar.
- The squint A window onto the altar from a side chapel.
- Our Lady’s Row Some of the oldest houses in York.
Insider tips
Pair it with the Minster. Holy Trinity is two minutes from York Minster’s east end, and the contrast between the two is the point: the cathedral at its grandest, and an ordinary parish church that was never tidied up. The light inside is low, so give your eyes a minute.
Common questions
Does it cost anything to visit Holy Trinity, Goodramgate?
No. Entry is free. The church is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, a charity, and donations help keep it open.
When is the church open?
Wednesday to Sunday, from 11am to 4pm between March and October and from 11am to 3pm between November and February. Opening depends on volunteers, so times can change.
How do you find it?
Look for the narrow passage between the shops on Goodramgate, a couple of minutes’ walk from York Minster. The church is behind the street frontage, in its own small churchyard garden.
Why are the pews like boxes?
Box pews, with high sides and doors, were common in English churches in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when families rented their own seats. Most were swept away by the Victorians. Holy Trinity kept its, because no one rebuilt the church, and they are the reason many visitors come.
Is it a working church?
Not regularly. It was declared redundant in 1971 and has been cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust since 1972, though occasional services and events are still held.
Where to stay and eat nearby
Goodramgate is in the heart of York, with cafés, pubs and restaurants all around and hotels throughout the city.
More English churches
- York Minster — two minutes away
- St Mary’s, Beverley — a merchants’ church in the East Riding
- Selby Abbey — the abbey church south of York
See all the cathedrals and churches worth visiting in England →