The Watchers of York: a free sculpture trail to track

York's city centre has spent the summer with a few extra residents. The Watchers of York, a city-wide sculpture trail, has been running since 29 June and stays in place until 31 August, so there is still a good window to catch it before the sculptures pack up. It is free and outdoor, which makes it an easy one to fold into a day in town with children or visitors in tow.

The idea comes straight from the Minster. The sculptures are inspired by the stone carvings that have looked down on York for centuries, with the story going that one of these guardians has stepped off the stonework to make a bit of mischief across the city. The result is a set of larger-than-life figures tucked away in hidden gardens and along cobbled streets, waiting to be tracked down. It is the kind of thing that rewards a slow wander rather than a rushed plan.

Behind the scenes, the trail is the work of Norse Sky, a Yorkshire-based themed set and prop studio that marks its tenth year with this project. Christian Turford set the company up in 2015, and their North Yorkshire studio is built around CNC machining, laser cutting and 3D printing, which explains how these figures get their scale and detail. The trail itself was put together by Make It York in partnership with York Minster, and it launched alongside the York Mystery Plays, so the two have run as a bit of a summer double bill.

If you want to see the whole set in one go, there is a second act. Once the trail closes at the end of August, the twelve guardians gather at York Minster for the Final Gathering, which runs from 3 to 13 September. That is the chance to see the full collection together in the Chapter House before the sculptures head off to their permanent homes. It is also the last window to bid on one of them through a silent auction, with bidding closing on Friday 11 September. Standard Minster admission applies for that part, so it is worth checking opening times and prices if you are planning to go.

For now, though, the sculptures are still out in the wild. The trail is free to follow, and there is a bit of extra help available online: a trail leaflet, a map, a full list of the sculptures, and some downloadable activities like a wordsearch and a spot-the-difference for younger hunters, plus a behind-the-scenes photo gallery. There is even a short form to report any sculpture that has come to harm, so the trail stays in good shape for everyone. It is a low-effort, no-cost way to see a different side of the city centre before the autumn sets in, and it works just as well as a standalone plan as it does as a backdrop to a busier day in York.