Guy Fawkes Inn

About Guy Fawkes Inn

The Guy Fawkes Inn stands at 25 High Petergate, directly beside York Minster, on the site where Guido Fawkes was born in 1570; he was baptised across the road at St Michael le Belfrey. The buildings are Grade I and Grade II listed and have been left deliberately dark and atmospheric, with timber beams, panelled walls, open log fires and working gas lighting rather than electric bulbs in the bar.

There are thirteen en-suite bedrooms above and behind the pub, plus a separate cottage in the courtyard. They are traditional in style, with dark wood furniture, heavy fabrics and, in several cases, four-poster beds. All have televisions, tea and coffee facilities and free wi-fi. Rooms facing High Petergate have Minster views but also street noise; the courtyard rooms are quieter.

The restaurant serves straightforward pub food from local suppliers, including Yorkshire beef and a Sunday roast, and the bar keeps a rotating selection of real ales alongside the usual draught. Breakfast is included in most rates and cooked to order. The courtyard, lit by gas lamps in the evening, is a pleasant place for a drink and is one of the reasons the pub is busy with non-residents.

The main draw is standing next to the Minster: it is around thirty seconds from the front door, and the Shambles, Bootham Bar and the city walls are all within five minutes. It suits couples and pairs of friends on a short break who want somewhere with genuine history and are happy with an inn rather than a hotel. There is no parking, no lift and no spa, and the pub below can be lively until closing.