The Wilford Archive
Drapers Arms
The Coat of Arms over the fireplace in the Great Hall (shown below) are those of the London Company of Drapers, as they existed during the period 1613 - 1668.
It is almost certain, therefore, that they were painted during the latter part of that period to mark the union of the York Tailors and York Drapers to form the Company of Merchant Taylors in the City of York, which took place in 1662 on the granting of its Royal Charter.
Allen Warren Master of the Company 2018/19 and The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of York Keith Orrell
Restoration
The Coat of Arms was restored in 1986 by Mr Warwick MacCallum with the aid of a generous grant of £4,000 from the London Drapers Company. More than three complete layers of paint were removed to return the work to its original finish, but a small four-inch square panel was left at the bottom left-hand corner to show the colours before the restoration was started. (Details taken from Michael Mennim’s Book – The Merchant Taylors Hall, York, page 200.)
Views of the Arms before and after the 1986 restoration
The Arms depicted alongside are those of the London Company of Drapers as they existed between 1613 and 1668 – taken from their website. The Drapers’ subsequent Arms do not correspond to those depicted in the MT’s Hall. The central shield of the London Drapers Arms consists of sunbeams issuing from three flaming clouds with three imperial crowns of gold above.
Early sketch and photo showing the
Drapers Coat of Arms
GAW – 27/4/2021 & Jan 2022
From a sketch by DWL, a York Artist published in the Yorkshire Evening Press on the 3rd May 1954
1972 – from RCHM Photograph