York Guides

And now two examples of furniture from celebrated carpenter Robert Thompson's heyday dating back more than 70 years have gone on sale at a Yorkshire antique dealers.
A knee hole dressing table and a blanket box, which were both made in 1930 in Mr Thompson's workshops in Kilburn, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, have been bought by Tomlinsons antiques warehouse, near Wetherby.
They are among some of the earliest surviving examples of the world-famous furniture and experts are attempting to establish whether the two pieces were made or designed by Mr Thompson himself.
The carpenter earned the nickname The Mouseman of Kilburn for the trademark images of mice he used to carve on to each piece of furniture.
His penchant for the distinctive carvings is said to have been born when a fellow carpenter told Mr Thompson that they were as poor as church mice. Mr Thompson shunned mass production and instead replicated the style of medieval woodcarvers.
He was first commissioned to create a wooden crucifix for Ampleforth College before his craftmanship was employed at York Minster and other churches and cathedrals. Bettys tearooms in Yorkshire also feature examples of Mouseman furniture.
Mouseman expert Patricia Lennon, who has written a book, The Tale of the Mouse, about Mr Thompson's life, said that the dressing table and blanket box were from one of the most popular periods of the carpenter's career.
Mrs Lennon, who lives in Ilkley, added: "His work has become extremely popular, and people appreciate the authenticity of the furniture.
"But he was quite a contrary Yorkshire man, and kept the business in Kilburn despite offers to open showrooms elsewhere in the country.
"His motto was that he wanted to breathe new life into medieval crafts, which is exactly what he did."
Mr Thompson died in 1955 aged 79, and while his legacy continues through Robert Thompson's Craftsmen Ltd, which is still based in Kilburn, furniture crafted when he headed the company is extremely sought after.
Staff at Tomlinsons have been searching for Mouseman furniture across Britain and abroad since a children's bedroom suite was sold to a couple last year for their daughter's 21st birthday.
The dressing table and blanket box now for sale were presented to York Nurses League by a former Lord Mayor of York in 1930. The table is priced at £4,500, while the blanket box costs £1,750.
Tomlinsons' sales director Sarah Worrall said: "The style and design of Mouseman furniture appeals to thousands of people across the world.
"It's not just the traditional skills used in creating these pieces that people love, but the whole process starting with the natural seasoning of the wood through to the signature carved mouse.
"The furniture still has a contemporary feel because while it is beautifully handcrafted, it still has quite a simple design. They really are timeless pieces of furniture."