The guildhall is at the hub of the City of York’s civic affairs and enjoys a pivotal role in the city’s history. The present guildhall was built in 1455 on the site of a predecessor building and has overseen events such as a feast for Richard III shortly after his accession to the throne, the court of enquiry into Mary Queen of Scots, and the trial of Margaret Clitherow. The guildhall was partly reconstructed after sustaining a direct hit in the Baedeker bombings of 1942.