Five of the best buildings to check out during this weekend's York Unlocked

This weekend, October 15-16, during the first York Unlocked event, 60 historic buildings will open for free to the public, with volunteer stewards as guides.

Growing up in York, as I did, is to be blessed with historical riches. Having been the capital of Roman Britain, York was arguably Britain's second city at various times between the 10th and early 17th centuries. In 1642, Charles I attempted to escape his London hardships by establishing his court in the vast and picturesque King's Manor in the middle of the city, and this will be one of the attractions open this weekend.

< p class="dcr -kpil6a">I was often at King's Manor in the 1970s, rehearsing am-dram plays. Nearby is another Unlocked exhibition: York Explore, which was once York's library. In its sleepy arts and crafts reference section I used to revise for exams, being pleasantly diverted now and then by the cry of a peacock in the adjacent museum gardens, where the lodge Victorian is also open this weekend.

Central York is bounded by the longest circuit of medieval walls in Britain – they stretch over two miles – and some of them will be on the weekend program. To me they were a sort of fairy circle, enclosing and guarding Roman, Medieval, Georgian and Victorian treasures, with the great white ghost of the cathedral, York Minster, presiding. The cathedral, of course, will be one of 60 buildings in the event, as will these five:

Monk Bar