Schmap York Historical Background

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York - Historical Background
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York Home

Two thousand years ago the region that we know as York was called Eburach, which is thought to have meant 'the field at the meeting of the waters', the rivers Ouse and Foss. Eburach was at that time a small settlement of fierce, war-like tribes known as Celtic Brigantes who were subdued by the invading Roman army marching north in search of a secure and defensive position on which to build a fort. They chose this site at Eburach, which then became the Roman military capital in the north known as Eboracum. There is a Fourth century Multangular Tower still standing in the grounds of the Yorkshire Museum Gardens, which is an excellent example of Roman military architecture. The Romans occupied the city until the year AD 410. During this time a series of Roman Emperors, amongst them the famous Hadrian, Septimius Severus and Constantine the Great, whoall exerted their considerable influence on the town, which was demonstrated in the many improvements made, such as baths, sewers, roads and drainage; from this the city grew and prospered.

Eoforwic—The Dark Ages

When the Romans finally withdrew their army in order to protect the rest of their empire, Britain once again became vulnerable to the many attacks from both sea and land. From the north came attacks by the Picts and from the Continent Britain was attacked by the Angles and the Saxons. In the Seventh century, the Anglian King Edwin unified the provinces of Deira and Bernica, and the city previously known as Eboracum now became Eoferwick, the capital of Northumbria. Edwin was converted to Christianity and baptised in a wooden church near the future site of York Minster. It was during this period that Eoferwick became a centre of religion and education.

Jorvik

In the Ninth century, the Vikings attacked Eoferwick by both land and sea. In AD 867 the Vikings sailed across the North Sea to the Humber; they landed an army at Barton-on-Humber and approached Eoferwick stealthily from behind, whilst the fleet of Viking warships were able to navigate their way up the river Ouse. Their long narrow boats made it easy to manoeuvre in relatively shallow water, and thus they were able to surround the city. The Vikings took possession and renamed the city Jorvik. Many of the street names still remain the same now as in the Viking days. Interestingly, several of the York street names still end with the word "gate", which was the Viking word for street. Numerous important archaeological finds from this era can now be seen at the Jorvik Viking Centre in Coppergate. Jorvik became an affluent city of trade and commerce, particularly with the Scandinavian countries.

York under Norman Rule

In 1068 William the Conqueror attacked and captured the city, which by now had come to be known by the English name of York. A wooden tower, known as Baile Hill, was built to guard the city, and later a second tower, or fortified castle, named York Castle was built on the opposite side of the river. This second site is where Clifford's Tower now stands; built on the original moat, but at the later date of 1244, by Henry III. Religion flourished during the Norman period and proof of this can be found in the many religious buildings which archaeologists have found the remnants of, in and around York. The foundation stone of St. Mary's Abbey is known to have been laid by William II, and the parts of the Abbey still standing are an impressive sight indeed.

Medieval York

The River Ouse became the main route for trading, and areas for docking and storing goods were enlarged throughout the Middle Ages. This was the age of the Guilds, which were associations of craftsmen, merchants and traders, who met to discuss business in the guildhalls. There are quite a few surviving examples of these guildhalls in York such as the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, the Merchant Taylors' Hall and the rebuilt Guildhall, which was destroyed by fire in the last war. By 1472 York Minster was almost complete and many other monasteries, religious houses and parish churches were being rebuilt or altered.

Tudor and Stuart York

York played an important part in the War of the Roses. In 1486 Elizabeth of York married Henry VII, which brought the two warring houses of York and Lancaster together and is commemorated in the famous Rose Window in York Minster. In the Sixteenth century the King's Council governed the North of England from its seat at King's Manor, which at that time was within the grounds of the old St. Mary's Abbey. York continued to be an important city for trade and commerce until the Seventeenth century when the Civil War disrupted this growth of prosperity. York became instead a city subjected to attack, and was then captured in 1644 by Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians. The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 was the last occasion that traitors' heads were exhibited on Micklegate Bar, one of the four principal gateways to the city of York.

Georgian York

By Georgian times, York had become an important coaching centre, flourishing still as a market town but with less concentration on the use of the River Ouse as a means of transporting goods. To accommodate the increasing road traffic, streets were widened, giving improved access to places such as the newly built Grand Assembly Rooms by Lord Burlington in 1732, and Mansion House, home to the Lord Mayor of York. York became an elegant centre of fashion and also of craftsmanship.

Victorian York

Prosperity and squalor rubbed shoulders with each other; cholera broke out in 1832 and again in 1848. Typhus fever hit the city in 1847, probably caused by the unsanitary conditions in the city at that time. York's population expanded from an estimated 12,000 in the Eighteenth century, to nearly 70,000 by the end of the Nineteenth century, this increased population inevitably brought dramatic changes to the city. The much-needed changes included new roads, bridges and buildings, in order to accommodate the increasing traffic and housing problems, and in 1837 a station was built for the new form of transport, the steam engine. The railway had arrived in York. George Hudson, who was Mayor and also a Member of Parliament in the 1830's and 1840's, was mainly responsible for this new development. Sadly, the only significant remaining Victorian Buildings still standing in York are the Royal Station Hotel and York Station, which was designed by Thomas Prosser. As a reminder of the past, York's National Railway Museum celebrates railways from the 1820's to the present day.

Present Day York

This is a city in which the old and the new can be seen side by side. Modern day gift shops are set in picturesque mediaeval cobbled streets. Stone walls still surround the city. Norman castle towers and medieval manors mingle with the Twenty First century. Each complements the other and nothing looks out of place.

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Ask Pizza & Pasta

Eighteenth century elegance

Blake Street
Grand Assembly Rooms
York YO1 8QG
United Kingdom
+44 1904 63 7254

Situated within The Grand Assembly Rooms is one of the most elegant Italian pizza restaurants in York. Lord Burlington's rooms were originally designed in 1732 for social functions such as concerts and dancing. The interior still has echoes of this time gone by when the ladies of that era, wearing their hooped dresses, complained of the difficulties in negotiating the narrow spaces between the 48 supporting Corinthian columns! These graceful columns help create a wonderful atmosphere and with York's most famous landmark, The Minster, close by and the Yorkshire Museum within walking distance; this is a very popular place to eat. There's plenty of seating and the menu covers a broad range of meals that should cater for almost all tastes. A Caesar's salad costs around £3.50 and a spaghetti bolognese is a little over £6. Pizzas are available with numerous toppings and cost from about £4 upwards.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Clifford's Tower

York's castle Tower St
York YO1 9SA
United Kingdom
+44 1904 646 940
http://www.cliffordstower.com Cliffords Tower, one of York's most impressive landmarks, is perched on a hill in the centre of the city. There are many steps to negotiate in order to get to the entrance, but once inside you can climb to the very top of the tower and walk around within the walls—the view of the city from here is quite stunning. Read and discover the Towers darkest secrets of how the original timber castle, built by William the Conqueror, later became the site of the massacre of hundreds of Jews.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Guildhall

Hidden history St Helen's Square
York YO1 9QN
United Kingdom
+44 1904 61 3161
http://www.york.gov.uk The original Guildhall was badly damaged by an air raid in 1942 but has since been sensitively restored. Fortunately, the Inner Chambers' walls, dating from the 15th century, were made of stone and so escaped serious damage and now form the foundation of the reconstruction. The history of the building is very interesting and includes many a Royal visit; from the Queen Mother in 1960, right back to 1483 when the notorious Richard III was a guest there. The sequence of events is told through a number of storyboards forming part of the new exhibition, which has recently opened.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Jorvik Viking Center

Journey back in time Coppergate Centre
York, York YO1 9WT
United Kingdom
+44 19 0464 3211
http://www.jorvik-viking-centr... The newly refurbished Jorvik Viking Center in Coppergate promises to be a memorable experience for children and adults alike. Take a journey in the time car, witnessing the sights, sounds and even the smells that capture the very essence of the Viking city as it was 1,000 years ago. When you leave your car you will enter the archaeological museum, where there are hundreds of artifacts on display, all of them excavated from the Coppergate site. Admission: adults GBP6.95; children GBP5.10.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Mansion House

Lord Mayor's residence St Helen's Square
York YO1 9QN
United Kingdom
+44 1904 55 2012
http://www.york.gov.uk Built in the 18th century, Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of York during his/her term of office, and home of the civic plate and silver collection. Tours can be arranged by contacting the Civic Secretary on the above telephone number but as this is the actual home of the Lord Mayor, it is not generally open to visitors unless prior arrangements have been made. Occasionally the Lord Mayor holds open days. Tour prices, which include refreshments, are £60 for a group with a maximum of 30 people, or £4 per person. There is no disabled access.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Merchant Adventurers' Hall

Merchant of Ventures Fossgate
York YO1 9XD
United Kingdom
+44 1904 654 818
http://www.theyorkcompany.co.uk Built in the 14th century this magnificent, timbered, medieval guildhall is one of the best surviving examples of its kind and is of major national importance. How the ancient medieval guild functioned can still be seen as visitors are shown around the three main areas consisting of The Great Hall, The Undercroft [also known as the Hospital] and The Chapel. The Chapel was rebuilt in the early 15th century and is situated at the far end of the Undercroft. The records show that it was once richly decorated with stained glass windows, and with exquisitely made cloths adorning its five altars, which were enhanced by beautifully carved images.

Admission: adults £2.50; concessions £2; children 7-17 £1; under 7s free. A special family ticket is available.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Merchant Taylors' Hall

17th century exterior Aldwark
York YO1 7BX
United Kingdom
+44 1904 63 2967 York has four surviving guildhalls and The Merchant Taylors' Hall is one of them. It was originally built in the 14th century and was founded by a religious guild which developed into a merchants' company in the 15th century and has been used by the Company of Merchant Taylors ever since. The main hall is 60 ft by 30 ft and is 30 ft high, its roof is medieval but the exterior of the building is 17th century. The head of Queen Anne is featured in the south wall window. Admission: free

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Micklegate Bar Museum

Royal gateway Micklegate
York YO1 6JX
United Kingdom
+44 1904 63 4436
http://www.micklegatebar.co.uk Micklegate Bar Museum is a good place to start the York Walls Walk. Enter the first floor via the trapdoor and you will discover an insight into the civil and social history of York. The second floor finds you confronted with the chilling sight of severed heads. Check out the turret cell wherein the Jacobite Traitor, James Mayne, awaits execution at the York Tyburn following the battle of Culloden in 1746. His head and that of Will Conolly were apparently left to rot for seven years on Micklegate Bar until one stormy night they were taken down and stolen by a young tailor in the year 1754 - what he did with them nobody knows!

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Multangular Tower

Roman fortress Museum Gardens
York YO1 7FR
United Kingdom
+44 1904 62 9745 The Multangular Tower is an imposing 10-sided tower that was once a part of the old Roman fortress. It can be found in the grounds of the beautiful Museum Gardens and stands alongside an original Roman stretch of wall, which is almost as high as when it was built. All of this is dated as the 4th century, the rest of the wall and higher additions to the Multangular Tower, date from the 13th century when it served as a part of the city's defence system. Admission is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Rose Window

War of the roses York Glaziers Trust
6 Deangate
York YO1 7JB
United Kingdom
+44 1904 55 7216 Everyone comes to see the famous "Rose Window" which is situated in the South Transept of the York Minster, it depicts the red and white roses of Lancaster and York respectively, and commemorates the wedding in 1486 of Henry VII to Elizabeth of York. This marriage was to end the "War of the Roses" and to bring peace to England. Sadly, there was a fire in 1984 which melted the lead joints and cracked the glass but fortunately the window was not beyond repair. The restoration process employed a strengthening procedure that involved sandwiching it between pieces of clear glass. Now fully restored it's a wonderful thing to see.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Royal York Hotel

Luxury Victorian hotel beside York railway station Station Road
York YO24 1AA
United Kingdom
+44 1904 65 3681 Conveniently situated next to York's Railway Station, and close to major tourist attractions and shopping areas, this Victorian hotel is set in three acres of private landscaped gardens. It is elegant and well cared for and retains many of the original Victorian features, such as the staircase and chandeliers. This hotel provides top quality accommodation and conference facilities right in the heart of the city. A recent addition to the hotel is the brand new leisure centre with an indoor swimming pool.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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St. Mary's Abbey

Majestic ruins Museum Street
(York Museum Gardens)
York YO24 1AQ
United Kingdom
+44 1904 64 3238 St. Mary's Abbey was once the most powerful and wealthiest monastery in the North of England. The abbey and its religious order were influential and prosperous landowners, until the reign of Henry VIII, when the Dissolution of the Monasteries Act brought an end to the prosperity. In 1539 the abbey was closed by order of the crown and all property was confiscated. The remains of the abbey are still a very impressive sight and are located in the grounds of the Yorkshire Museum Gardens. Admission to the gardens is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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York Minster

A magnificent landmark Deangate
York YO1 7HH
United Kingdom
+44 1904 55 7216
http://www.yorkminster.org Centrally situated, the famous York Minster is visible from much of the city. It has three towers and is the fifth church to be built on this particular site. It's the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe and dates right back to medieval times, although excavations have unearthed Norman, Roman and Viking beginnings. See for yourself the wonderful 14th and 15th century stained glass, including the famous Rose Window. Admission to the main body of the Minster is free, although contributions to the York Minister Fund and Friends of York Minister are welcome.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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York Railway Station

Curved roof Station Road
York YO24 1AA
United Kingdom
+44 1904 62 1756 George Hudson, who was Mayor and also a Member of Parliament in the 1830s and 1840s, was mainly responsible for the development of the railway in York but it was Thomas Prosser who designed the current station and when it first opened on 25 June 1877, York Station was the centre of Britain's rail network and was, at that time, the largest station in the whole of Europe. It has a curved roof, which is 800 feet long and is supported by slender Corinthian columns.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Yorkshire Museum

Set in 10 acres of botanical gardens Museum Gardens
York YO1 7FR
United Kingdom
+44 1904 687 687
http://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk The Yorkshire Museum is set in 10 acres of beautiful botanical gardens leading down to the river Ouse, and houses an extraordinary collection of archaeology, natural history, geology and pottery. Included in this impressive collection are displays of Roman and Medieval artefacts. Various exhibitions are held within the Yorkshire Museum at certain times of the year. There is also a very interesting astronomical observatory in the gardens and in the museum itself there is a gift shop which sells a wide range of souvenir items. Check website for further details.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Other Schmapplets in this city related to "York - Historical Background"
York
York - Neighborhood Guide
York - Where to Stay
York - Dining & Drinking
York - Art & Entertainment
Other nearby cities:
Leeds (34 miles)
Sheffield (70 miles)
Manchester (95 miles)
Newcastle upon Tyne (119 miles)
Liverpool (141 miles)
Birmingham (171 miles)
Cambridge (206 miles)
Oxford (244 miles)
Edinburgh (262 miles)
London (280 miles)

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