Superbly furnished with antiques and hung with fine paintings

National Centre for Early Music

Visit the National Centre for Early Music website.

The National Centre for Early Music is created from the medieval church of St Margaret's - an important historic church, which lies within the City Walls and which was empty since the 1960s. Used as a theatrical store by the York Theatre Royal up until 1996, St Margaret's was one of the last two churches in the city of York that remained un-restored.

The church is of considerable architectural significance - its most distinguishing features being an ornate Romanesque porch from the 12th century, with carvings of mythological beasts - and an unusual brick bell tower.

The National Centre for Early Music, situated in St Margaret's Church York, is the home of the internationally renowned York Early Music Festival and the Beverley and East Riding Early Music Festival. The Centre also attracts some of the world's finest artists in the fields of jazz, folk and world music.

The National Centre for Early Music is a high-tech, modern facility based within an historical setting. It runs a year-round community and education programme and offers first-class conference and recording facilities.