[2] The Mansion House, York, is the Lord Mayor's home during his or her term of office.

[1] The use of the prefix "right honourable" appears to have been used since the creation of the lord mayoralty.

It was confirmed by letters patent dated 1 April 1974, when York became a non-metropolitan district[3] and reconfirmed by letters patent dated 1 April 1996, when it became a unitary authority.

These rights were temporarily forfeited in 1280–1282 for altering a royal charter, in 1292–1297 for failing to pay taxes and in 1405–1406 for supporting Archbishop Richard Scrope.

In 1389, King Richard II elevated the mayor to the status of lord mayor and supposedly gave his sword to be carried point upwards before him.