The Hull History Centre

A must for people trying to trace their ancestors from the area and Hulls history in general. Opened in 2009, this state-of-the-art facility holds documents from the City Council's Family History and City Archives as well as some from the University of Hull. It is behind the New Theatre on Worship Street.

Website: hullhistorycentre.org.uk (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Kingston upon Hull, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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The Charterhouse
Tucked away in a rather inauspicious area of the city, The Charter House is on Charterhouse Lane, and lies within a small conservation area. The wealthy merchant and first mayor of Hull Sir William de la Pole founded a Priory of Carthusian monks here in 1350, with the further intention of establishing a hospital. The ‘Gods House Hospital’ was eventually established by his son, the charter being granted in 1384 when the first master was appointed. It housed 13 poor men and 13 poor women, and was surrounded by fields through which the River Hull flowed. The institution prospered from income derived from its lands. This attracted the attention of Henry VIII who, in 1536, closed the Priory and turned the monks out. The hospital, however, remained and over time acquired the name The Charterhouse. This name is a corruption of Chartreuse in France where the order of Monks originated from. With Hull’s refusal to admit Charles I in 1642 and the start of the English Civil War, the town became a target for the Royalists and the Charterhouse, being outside the town walls, was demolished so a gun battery could be placed there to defend the town. In 1649 the Master, with his flock, returned to the site and the Charterhouse was rebuilt. However, neglect and decay caused this building to be pulled down in 1777 and a third one was built, the only remaining piece of the original priory being the stone over the door of the Master's House. But more was to come and although the Charterhouse survived World War II, The Blitz that Hull suffered caused much damage to its buildings. Since its restoration and expansion with improved living quarters the people living there now no longer represent de la Poles ‘indigent and decayed persons’ but pay for their accommodation and are called Residents. What is known as the Charter House consists of the Master's House and walled garden where Andrew Marvell is said to have played under the Mulberry tree and on the northern side of the road Old House wh
The Charterhouse is open to then public once a year, during Hull's Heritage Weekend, and each Sun there is a service in the Chapel from 10AM to 11AM which the public can attend
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Mick Ronson Memorial Stage
The main focus of scheduled events throughout the summer months. Constructed after the untimely death from cancer of Mick Ronson, the guitarist who along with two other Hullensians formed David Bowie's band the Spiders from Mars in the early 1970s, and went on to success with Bob Dylan, Elton John, Lou Reed and Morrissey among others. The stage hosted a memorable speech by freeman of the city Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1997. Behind the stage is a plaque to commemorate the fictional character of Robinson Crusoe, who set sail from Hull in the famed novel of the same name by Daniel Defoe. This book - it has been argued - was the first novel in the English language in 1719.
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Queen's Gardens
Opened in 1930 and built on top of the old Queen's Dock. The dock was built in the late 1700s, and at 10 acres it was the largest dock in England. However, it was not until 1854 that it was named Queen's Dock after Queen Victoria. You can still make out the original shape of the dock in the walls and buildings surrounding the gardens. Some of the buildings on the south side are the old warehouses of the dock. At the east end stands the Wilberforce Monument and at the west, the old dock offices now the Maritime Museum. The gardens are sunk and contain flowerbeds, seating and a large grassy area.
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Savile Street
For classic tailoring and trendy designer names, the cobbled Savile Street to the north of Queen Victoria Square is the best bet, with Read's and Bolo (Lyle and Scott Vintage, Puma Heritage, Diesel etc.) amongst them.