I WONDER if any of your readers can shed any light on something which has puzzled me for years.

I moved to York in 1991 and my late husband and I ran Bright Street Post Office on the corner of Stamford Street and Livingstone Street for many years.

Early on when I was standing behind my Post Office counter I noticed the decorative feature on the gutters of the shop on the opposite corner.

They were a row of faces, and I had never seen anything like them. I asked customers about them but no-one knew anything of the origins and many had never noticed them. I never did find out any more.

Recently I started thinking about them again as they were so unusual and I contacted Clements Hall Local History group.

To my surprise one of the members had seen something similar in Queen Anne's Road and also in the Shipton Street area. Not a continuous length as in my photo (attached), more a short length used as a decorative feature on the front of the houses.

I have seen the photos: it is definitely the same face. Who was the mystery man and has anyone seen anything similar elsewhere in York? Does anyone know anything about this form of decoration?

If you can help me solve this mystery or even shed any light on it I would be delighted to hear from you and my email is christine.waddington@gmail.com

I no longer live in York but remain very interested in the city.

Christine Waddington, St James Street, Clitheroe