12 stunning pictures of York's Mansion House – as you've never seen it before

So many grand occasions have been held here. The Mansion House dining room, without tables, chairs, a decanter or even a spoon… Photograph: Richard Brigham

Stripped of all its trappings, this is York’s Mansion House as naked as the day it was built.

Without the fancy furniture, oil paintings or floor coverings, the home to the Lord Mayor looks very different. And yet, in some ways, it is possible to appreciate all the more the epic grandeur of the original 1732 design.

The ornate decoration in the State Room can be seen unimpeded. Photograph: Richard Brigham / York Past & Present

The Mansion House closed in August ready for its biggest restoration since it opened. Funded with £1.2m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £400K from City of York Council, the Opening Doors project will see four main improvements:

the original kitchens restored
improved displays, conservation and access to the civic collection of gold and silverware
the development of an environmental and conservation plan
and an oral history of the building compiled.

The first floor staircase. Photograph: Richard Brigham / York Past & Present

Richard Brigham of York Past & Present has been capturing the naked Mansion House for posterity. He took these amazing pictures of our historic civic centre before York-based contractors William Anelay begin restoration work in the New Year.