IT has stood for hundreds of years. And it may well have a unique link with one of Charles Dickens’ best-loved characters. But 69-71 Micklegate does look a bit run down.

“It is an eyesore!” admitted Guy Bowyer, architect with the York Conservation Trust. Not for much longer, hopefully.

The Trust bought the Grade II* listed building - a Georgian remodelling of an earlier late-medieval timber-framed building - in 2013. In 2014 it announced plans for a major £1 million renovation of the building, which the late York historian Hugh Murray believed may be where the real-life Mr Micawber once worked.

It was once the office of railway engineer John Birkinshaw. His clerk was Richard Chicken - a famous eccentric regarded by many as the inspiration for Micawber.

But the redevelopment was held up by the need for listed building consents.

Then the Trust - which relies on its own income to renovate historic buildings in York - got ‘sidetracked’ with the York Theatre Royal refurbishment, repairing the ceiling of the Assembly Rooms, and restoring the former Robson and Cooper shop at Lendal. “We cannot do everything at once,” Mr Bowyer said.

Now, work on 69-71 Micklegate is back on track. The plan is to convert the building into two ground floor shops, with three flats above. A small cottage will be built in the rear courtyard.

For six weeks, archaeologists have been excavating in the courtyard and have found evidence of a late medieval building that may have been made from stone cannibalised from the demolition of Holy Trinity Priory next door.

There is also evidence of later small-scale craft industry in the courtyard, with signs of hearths and evidence of horn-working - a dump of cow horns has been found.

In the basement of 69-71 Micklegate itself archaeologists had already found evidence of Roman stonework, which had itself been cannibalised or ‘robbed’ - possibly for building Holy Trinity Priory. “That could have happened,” said archaeologist Stephen Potten. “In churches around York you do find re-used Roman masonry.”

Work on 69-71 Micklegate - which in the 1990s was the Villa Italia restaurant - is expected to be completed next year. Charles Dickens would no doubt be pleased.