[1] The majority of the Hall was built in 1357 by a group of influential men and women who came together to form a religious fraternity called the Guild of Our Lord Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In 1371, a hospital was established in the undercroft for the poor people of York[3] and, in 1430, the fraternity was granted a royal charter by King Henry VI and renamed 'The Mistry of Mercers'.

The undercroft also provides access to an attached chapel built for the use of the ill and poor in the hospital as well as the members of the Merchant Adventurers' Guild.

[7] The Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York holds photocopies of many of the medieval deeds, account rolls, rentals, and of Guild minutes for the period 1677–1985.

[8] Works of art in the hall include a painting by Jan Griffier entitled "Dutch snow scene with skaters",[9] a painting by Joseph Farington depicting the Old Ouse Bridge at York[10] and a portrait by William Etty of his brother, John Etty.