List of lord mayors of York

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Lord Mayor

| body = York

| insignia = Coat of Arms of City of York.svg

| insigniasize = 110px

| insigniacaption = Coat of arms of the City of York

| nativename =

| image =

| imagesize =

| alt =

| incumbent = Margaret Wells

| incumbentsince = 23 May 2024

| style = The Right Honourable ex officio

| residence = Mansion House

| appointer = City of York Council

| termlength = One year

| formation = {{ubl|1217 (as Mayor)|1389 (as Lord Mayor)}}

| inaugural = {{ubl|Hugh de Selby (as Mayor)|William de Selby (as Lord Mayor)}}

| deputy =

| salary =

| website = [https://www.york.gov.uk/info/20039/lord_mayor/626/lord_mayor york.gov.uk]

}}

The Lord Mayor of York is the chairman of City of York Council, first citizen and civic head of York. The appointment is made by the council each year in May, at the same time appointing a sheriff, the city's other civic head. York's lord mayor is second only to the Lord Mayor of London in precedence.[https://www.york.gov.uk/LordMayor Lord Mayor], City of York Council The office of mayor dates back to at least 1217 and was upgraded by Richard II to that of Lord Mayor in 1389.{{cite web|title=York Mansion House|url=http://www.mansionhouseyork.com/|access-date=13 November 2013}}

The Mansion House, York, is the Lord Mayor's home during his or her term of office.

The use of the prefix "right honourable" appears to have been used since the creation of the lord mayoralty. It was confirmed by letters patent dated 1 April 1974, when York became a non-metropolitan district{{London Gazette|issue=46255|page=4401|date=4 April 1974}} and reconfirmed by letters patent dated 1 April 1996, when it became a unitary authority.{{London Gazette|issue=54363|page=4925|date=4 April 1996}}

File:Former Lord Mayors of York - geograph.org.uk - 1516000.jpg commemorating past lord mayors Thomas Mosley 1687, Robert Fairfax 1715, James Rowe 1749 & 1768 and Richard Garland 1767]]In 1212, King John granted York the right to collect its own taxes, hold courts and conduct its own affairs and thereby the right to elect a mayor. These rights were temporarily forfeited in 1280–1282 for altering a royal charter, in 1292–1297 for failing to pay taxes and in 1405–1406 for supporting Archbishop Richard Scrope. In 1389, King Richard II elevated the mayor to the status of lord mayor and supposedly gave his sword to be carried point upwards before him.