The Treasurer's House

The Treasurer's House was the seat of the treasurers of York Minister from the 12th century to 1546. The last treasurer - William Cliffe - resigned, after all the treasure was removed during the dissolution of the monasteries. The house was extensively rebuilt in the 17th century.

In 1953 Harry Martindale, aged 18 at the time of the sighting, was working on a ladder in the cellars of the treasurers house, when he heard what he took to be the sound of a trumpet, and saw a soldiers helmet coming through the wall, followed by at least twenty troops. The soldiers were carrying round shields, lances, short swords and looked tired and dirty. The vision was as clear as day, but even more unusual was that the troops lower legs were not visible, as though they were marching on a road much lower than the present ground level. Later excavations revealed the remains of a Roman Road 18 inches below the surface of the cellar, the round shields of the troops is unusual as roman soldiers are usually depicted with the rectangular curved Scutum used by legionnaires, however, round shields were used by auxiliary troops in the 4th century. There were other sightings of similar phenomena in the 1920's and late 50s.