York Assize of Bread and Ale

In York an ancient custom has been turned into a fun-filled family friendly event. The Sheriff summons the Sergeants and they assemble for speeches on the steps of the Mansion House arrayed in medieval finery and regalia, then the party follows a  processional route around many of the city’s hostelries for the afternoon sampling the ale to test its palatability. At each location the landlord is given a certificate after the ale has been pronounced to be good (we didn’t attend any who failed the test so don’t know what would happen in such a case….!).The  original Assize of Bread and Ale was a thirteenth century statute setting out quality control for those staples of the English diet, in an early form of consumer protection to ensure that customers were given good quality comestibles in fair measures. It was the first law of this type in England and miscreants who sold poor quality wares or gave short measures could be punished. Today there’s a bread competition before the procession, and various entertainments throughout the day -the emphasis is  now on fun rather than law enforcement!

Helpful Hints

In 2024 it was on Saturday 21st September at 2pm, later in the year than usual- 2025 details are yet to be announced.

It’s usually held on a weekend in August each year (often but not invariably the second weekend), and  the perambulation starts in the afternoon with the proclamation on the steps of the Mansion House (the Guildhall is situated behind the Mansion House, through a large archway). Timing may vary a little from one year to another so I’d advise you double-check this before turning up. Leaflets are usually available on the day with the full list of venues and approximate timings, and if you want to officially join the Mayor’s party and partake of food you can sometimes  buy tickets (see links below), otherwise just turn up on the day and follow the crowd. When we visited in 2015 we were led astray by more than one website which stated that it began at 10 am but in fact this is the time that the Guildhall opens to the public, not when the Assize begins.

Click here for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1753816708231211

Click here for the City Council contacts: https://www.york.gov.uk/LordMayor

Click here for the Sheriff’s HQ at the Mansion House : http://www.mansionhouseyork.com

and here: https://thelittleboxoffice.com/lordmayoryork/