Harkers is a public house in the city centre of York, England. Built in 1847 as the headquarters of the Yorkshire Insurance Company to a design by George Townsend Andrews, it stands on St Helen's Square at its corner with Lendal. It was converted into a pub in the 1990s and is operated by Nicholson's.
History The building was designed by George Townsend Andrews as the headquarters of the Yorkshire Insurance Company. It was completed in 1847 and stands on St Helen's Square, at its corner with Lendal. It was Grade II listed in 1968. In the 1990s it was converted into a pub. The pub is owned by the Mitchells & Butlers group and was renovated in 2022. it is operated by Nicholson's, with the freehold remaining in the ownership of Mitchells & Butlers.
Architecture The design of the building is inspired by the Palazzo Farnese in Rome. It is a sandstone building of two storeys, with a basement and attic. The front to St Helen's Square is five bays wide, with an additional bay forming an entrance arch to Breary's Court. The main entrance has a Doric porch, reached by five stone steps, with double doors. A prominent frieze beneath the cornice reads "YORKSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY ESTABLISHED MDCCXXIIII". The Lendal front also has five bays and is of similar design, but all the windows are blocked.
Inside, the original interior survives, including a staircase with a cast-iron balustrade, a mahogany counter, doors and panelling, and plasterwork including a cornice. The boardroom on the first floor has a fireplace in the 18th-century style. The railings in front of the building are also original and form part of the listing.
See also
Listed buildings in York (within the city walls, northern part)
References
External links