The National Centre for Early Music is created from the medieval church of St Margaret’s - an important historic church, which lies within the City Walls and which was empty since the 1960s. Used as a theatrical store by the York Theatre Royal up until 1996, St Margaret’s was one of the last two churches in the city of York that remained un-restored.

The church is of considerable architectural significance - its most distinguishing features being an ornate Romanesque porch from the 12th century, with carvings of mythological beasts - and an unusual brick bell tower. Details of the history of St Margaret’s Church are available.

The National Centre for Early Music is administered by a registered charity, the York Early Music Foundation. It was established initially to provide long-term support for the York Early Music Festival.

In 1997 the Foundation secured a grant of £1.5 million from the Arts Council National Lottery Fund plus partnership monies from a variety of sources including English Heritage, the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, in order to create the award winning National Centre for Early Music, providing a base for the Festival and a year-round series of complementary activities, concerts and educational workshops.