The society planned to meet twice a year for general business and the reading of papers, which it would publish if of sufficient interest.
[4] The donation of books, plans and drawings from members was encouraged to form a society museum and library.
[6] In 1850 the society adopted a seal, designed by a member, John West Hugall, showing a standing figure of St Wilfrid.
[7] The preservation of secular buildings, although not an original aim of the society, took up an increasingly large proportion of its time and energy from the mid-1850s.
In 1855 they petitioned to save York city walls from demolition,[8] and, in 1859, the society was involved in a campaign to preserve the barbican at Walmgate Bar.
Its plaster casts of architectural details were donated to the York School of Art, which had housed the society for several years.
[12] Lecture and excursion programmes were reinstated and, in June 1902, Dr William A. Evelyn, who was to become a driving force in the conservation of York's buildings and city walls, joined the society.
[13] From 1948 to 1953–54 the society produced an Annual Report and Summary of Proceedings, which contain articles on York architecture and archaeology.
As of 2022[update], the society is still active in York and undertakes a wide range of lectures and excursions to stimulate interest and research in the city's historic environment.