THIS is one of York's finest late-medieval buildings: but you wouldn't know it from this photograph. The picture, which comes from Explore York's Imagine York archive, shows the 'Doss House' at 111 Walmgate in the autumn of 1913. As its name suggests, the half timbered 15th century building was for many years a cheap lodging house run by the Kilmartin family. In 1961, however, the building was acquired by York Civic Trust, restored and named Bowes Morrell House in memory of J.B. Morrell, a founding member of the Trust.

The advertisements plastered all over the building (a common practice in York in the early 1900s) invite the reader to a series of lectures on local history by Dr W.A. Evelyn in the Tempest Anderson Hall; and to a football match between York City and Newcastle United at Field View, at the end of Burton Stone Lane, on Wednesday October 15. The Rugby League, meanwhile, is advertising a match between York and Runcorn.

Stephen Lewis