Press Release: 2 July 2026

Heritage Hunters: York Museums Trust’s latest community magazine launches

York Museums Trust is delighted to announce the launch of its latest Heritage Hunters magazine exploring the extraordinary stories of Clifton.

Heritage Hunters works with residents in areas of York that have a wealth of history but have been little researched. The project supports local people to find out more about their surroundings and to share it with their friends and neighbours, as well as bringing organisations and charities together.

Building on the success of previous Heritage Hunters projects in Acomb and Westfield, the Groves, Hull Road, and York Museum Gardens, this year’s programme has brought together research and reflections by residents, returning Heritage Hunters contributors, and local creatives.

The project celebrates Clifton’s history, from the civil war through to the present day. Stories include the case of Jane Horsman, who won a court case after being forcibly incarcerated in an asylum, and a wealth of new information about Edna Annie Crichton, the first female Lord Mayor of York. Other researchers have highlighted the evolving history of sports clubs and residences linked to Clifton Hospital, the lives of men commemorated in Clifton’s WWI war memorial, the role played by the Rowntree family Clifton, as well as a range of other research projects and memoirs of the local area.

Samantha Lukic-Scott, Community Participation Manager at York Museums Trust, said, “This edition of Heritage Hunters has been a really rewarding project, bringing to light fascinating history in Clifton and supporting local people to develop new research skills. All the York residents who have taken part in the project have worked so hard on their research, and we’re so excited to share their fantastic work with the public.”

“We’ve been thrilled to once more partner with Explore York Libraries and Archives to open up a wealth of local history and support participants to develop their research skills. We’ve also been delighted by a new partnership with Accessible Arts and Media, who have been essential in supporting local people to create a range of inspiring creative responses to the history of Clifton.”

“This year we’re also really excited to include a digital version of the magazine, complete with additional articles and artworks, so that the project can reach more people than ever before.”

The public is warmly invited to join the celebration event on Saturday 4 July 2026, 11am to 1pm, at Clifton Explore, marking the conclusion of the Heritage Hunters: Clifton project. Held in partnership with Accessible Arts & Media and Clifton Explore, this will be a vibrant community event to celebrate everyone who has taken part in the project.

Complimentary copies of the magazine will be available at the event, as well as at the Yorkshire Museum and online via the York Museums Trust website. The community research and subsequent magazine have been made possible through funding from Arts Council England. York Museums Trust has worked in partnership with Explore York Libraries and Archives and Accessible Arts and Media to deliver the project.