100-549: The Knavesmire is one of a number of large, marshy undeveloped areas within the city of York in North Yorkshire , England, which are collectively known as Strays . Knavesmire, together with Hob Moor, comprises Micklegate Stray. The York Tyburn , the site of a gallows administered on behalf of The Crown by York Castle , was situated in the area adajcent to the Tadcaster Road. It has been suggested that
200-472: A non-metropolitan district in the county of North Yorkshire, whilst retaining its Lord Mayor and its Sheriff. As a result of 1990s UK local government reform , York regained unitary status and saw a substantial alteration in its borders, taking in parts of Selby and Harrogate districts, and about half the population of the Ryedale district. The new boundary was imposed after central government rejected
300-425: A Welsh nobleman and rebel, hanged in 1292, and Dick Turpin , who was hanged in 1739. Catholic priests Alexander Rawlins and Henry Walpole were hanged, drawn and quartered on 7 April 1595. Another Catholic priest, Nicholas Postgate , was hanged, drawn and quartered there in 1679. One of the last women to be burned at the stake was Elizabeth Broadingham , who had already been killed with her lover, in 1790. By
400-451: A concealed location which allowed the occupants to come and go inconspicuously. In the event of a siege , a postern could act as a sally port , allowing defenders to make a sortie on the besiegers. Placed in a less exposed, less visible location, they were usually relatively small, and therefore easily defensible. The York City walls have many intact posterns along their length, as well as records of others that have been demolished due to
500-478: A major railway centre by the late 19th century. The introduction of the railways established engineering in the city. At the turn of the 20th century, the railway accommodated the headquarters and works of the North Eastern Railway , which employed more than 5,500 people. The railway was instrumental in the expansion of Rowntree's Cocoa Works . It was founded in 1862 by Henry Isaac Rowntree, who
600-537: A major railway network hub and confectionery manufacturing centre. In the Second World War , part of the Baedeker Blitz bombed the city. Although York was less targeted during the war than other, more industrialised northern cities, several historic buildings were gutted and restoration took place up until the 1960s. Historic local governance of the city was as a county corporate , not included in
700-582: A palace for the King to stay in while he visited York on his Royal Tour. Anne of Denmark came to York with her children Prince Henry and Princess Elizabeth on 11 June 1603. The Mayor gave her a tour and offered her spiced wine , but she preferred beer. Guy Fawkes , who was born and educated in York, was a member of a group of Roman Catholic restorationists that planned the Gunpowder Plot . Its aim
800-525: A recorded population of 141,685 in 2021 . The city was founded under the name of Eboracum in 71 AD. It then became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior , and later of the kingdoms of Deira , Northumbria , and Scandinavian York . In the Middle Ages , it became the northern England ecclesiastical province 's centre, and grew as a wool-trading centre. In the 19th century, it became
900-601: Is Councillor David Carr, and the Sheriff is Suzie Mercer. York Youth Council consists of several young people who negotiate with the councillors to get better facilities for York's young people, and who also elect York's Member of Youth Parliament . The results of the 2023 City of York Council election saw the Conservative Party with three councillors, the Liberal Democrats with 19 councillors,
1000-532: Is a unitary authority that operates on a leader and cabinet style of governance, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The city council consists of 47 councillors representing 21 wards , with one, two or three per ward serving four-year terms. Its headquarters are at
1100-567: Is a popular site for dog-walking, and a large part of it is occupied by York Racecourse . The York Races were first moved to the Knavesmire from Clifton in 1731. Since January 2012 it has been the location of the York Parkrun , a free 5k running event held every Saturday morning. The Little Knavesmire is the home of Ovington CC. York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire , England , with Roman origins , sited at
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#17328021909021200-711: Is called Eabhraig in Scottish Gaelic and Eabhrac in Irish, derived from the Latin name. The Latin Eboracum became Anglian Eoforwic in the 7th century: a compound of Eofor- , from the old name, and -wic , meaning "village", probably by conflation of the element Ebor- with a Germanic root * eburaz ('boar'); by the 7th century, the Old English for 'boar' had become eofor . When
1300-423: Is derived from Brittonic Eburākon "place of yew trees", from eburos " yew tree " (compare Welsh efwr , Breton evor , "alder, buckthorn"; Old Irish ibar , Irish iobhar , iubhar , iúr , Scottish Gaelic iubhar ) + *-āko(n) , a suffix of appurtenance meaning "belonging to", or "place of" (compare Welsh -og ). However, Eburos ( Eβουρος , Eburus , Eburius )
1400-570: Is from the Old Norse ' mykla gata ' or 'great road', and leads onto Micklegate . It was the traditional ceremonial gate for monarchs entering the city, who, in a tradition dating to Richard II in 1389, touch the state sword when entering the gate. The lower section was built in the 12th century while the top storeys in the 14th; the original barbican was removed in 1826. At least six reigning monarchs passed through this gate. Its symbolic value led to traitors' severed heads being displayed on
1500-465: Is located on Campleshon Road, at the southern end of Knavesmire Road. In 1864 a letter was sent to the York press from H. J. Jenkinson of the Leeds football club suggesting that the citizens of York form a football team and that they should play a friendly match on Knavesmire. Between 2009 and 2022, it was also home to Yorkshire's largest beer festival. The annual York CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival
1600-616: Is now Feasegate , and from here the wall continued northwest to the west corner. The point where the wall crossed the via praetoria is marked by a plaque in St Helen's Square near the Mansion House . The Multangular Tower in the Museum Gardens is the most noticeable and intact structure remaining from the Roman walls. It was constructed as part of a series of eight similar defensive towers. The walls are almost certainly
1700-603: The Baltic and exported grain to Gascony and grain and wool to the Low Countries. York became a major cloth manufacturing and trading centre. Edward I further stimulated the city's economy by using the city as a base for his war in Scotland. The city was the location of significant unrest during the so-called Peasants' Revolt in 1381. The city acquired an increasing degree of autonomy from central government including
1800-763: The Bar Convent and the Guildhall which was left in total disrepair until 1960. With the emergence of tourism, the historic core of York became one of the city's major assets, and in 1968 it was designated a conservation area . The existing tourist attractions were supplemented by the establishment of the National Railway Museum in York in 1975, the Jorvik Viking Centre in 1984 and the York Dungeon in 1986. The opening of
1900-675: The Bar Walls and the Roman walls (though this last is a misnomer as very little of the extant stonework is of Roman origin, and the course of the wall has been substantially altered since Roman times). The walls are generally 13 feet (4m) high and 6 feet (1.8m) wide. They are the longest town walls in England. The original walls were built around 71 AD, when the Romans erected a fort ( castra ) occupying about 50 acres or 21.5 hectares near
2000-645: The Boundary Commission for England recommended the creation of two new seats for the City of York, in time for the general election in 2010 . These are York Central , which covers the inner urban area, and is entirely surrounded by the York Outer constituency. York is within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire and, until 1974, was within the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of
2100-555: The Council of the North in York in the dissolved St Mary's Abbey. The city became a trading and service centre during this period. King Henry VIII spent a lot of time travelling around the country on official Royal Tours also known as 'progresses' In the year 1541, Henry VIII and Catherine Howard visited the city of York on their royal tour. The Royal Party would have been met outside the walls by civic dignitaries before formally entering
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#17328021909022200-655: The Danish army conquered the city in 866, the name was rendered in Old Norse as Jórvík . The Old French and Norman name of the city following the Norman Conquest was recorded as Everwic (modern Norman Évèroui ) in works such as Wace's Roman de Rou and as Euruic in the Domesday Book . Jórvík , meanwhile, gradually reduced to York in the centuries after the Conquest, moving from
2300-504: The Guildhall and West Offices in the city centre. York is divided into 21 administrative wards: Acomb , Bishopthorpe , Clifton , Copmanthorpe , Dringhouses and Woodthorpe , Fishergate , Fulford and Heslington , Guildhall, Haxby and Wigginton , Heworth , Heworth Without , Holgate , Hull Road, Huntington and New Earswick , Micklegate , Osbaldwick and Derwent , Rawcliffe and Clifton Without , Rural West York , Strensall , Westfield , and Wheldrake . The members of
2400-784: The Humber into Brigantian territory. The city was founded in 71 AD, when the Ninth Legion conquered the Brigantes and constructed a wooden military fortress on flat ground above the River Ouse close to its confluence with the River Foss . The fortress, whose walls were rebuilt in stone by the VI legion based there subsequent to the IX legion, covered an area of 50 acres (20 ha) and
2500-543: The Labour Party had 24 councillors and one Independent. The council went from no overall control in the 2019 election, to being run by the Labour Party holding a majority. York is the traditional county town of Yorkshire , and therefore did not form part of any of its three historic ridings , or divisions. Its Mayor has had the status of Lord Mayor since 1370, one of 23 in England. Only five of these have
2600-548: The Middle English Yerk in the 14th century through Yourke in the 16th century to Yarke in the 17th century. The form York was first recorded in the 13th century. Many company and place names, such as the Ebor race meeting, refer to the Roman name. The Archbishop of York signs his surname as Ebor (abbreviating Eboracensis ). Archaeological evidence suggests that Mesolithic people settled in
2700-521: The River Ouse . This originally ran up to the castle walls, with a postern on Tower Street. Beyond the Ouse, the walls resume at Skeldergate , where there was once another postern. They climb past Baile Hill , take a right turn and proceed north-west parallel to the Inner Ring Road . Near the railway station , they turn right again in a north-easterly direction, finishing at Barker Tower on
2800-875: The University of York in 1963 added to the prosperity of the city. In March 2012, York's Chocolate Story opened. York was voted European Tourism City of the Year by European Cities Marketing in June 2007, beating 130 other European cities to gain first place, surpassing Gothenburg in Sweden (second) and Valencia in Spain (third). York was also voted safest place to visit in the 2010 Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards. In 2018, The Sunday Times deemed York to be its overall 'Best Place to Live' in Britain, highlighting
2900-489: The Victorian period after falling into disrepair. The Victorians widened the wall-walk as well as extending it in some areas, (such as in the northern area with views of the cathedral), previously, in some areas, there probably would have only been narrow ledges that could be used to support a timber wall-walk in times of danger. They also rebuilt the battlements and sometimes the tops of the walls. Some slit windows are at
3000-428: The county's riding system . The city has since been locally governed as a municipal borough , county borough , and since 1996, a non-metropolitan district (the City of York), which also includes surrounding villages and rural areas, and the town of Haxby . The current district's local council, City of York Council , is responsible for providing all local services and facilities throughout this area. The city's name
3100-465: The restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and the removal of the garrison from York in 1688, the city was dominated by the gentry and merchants, although the clergy were still important. Competition from Leeds and Hull , together with silting of the River Ouse, resulted in York losing its pre-eminent position as a trading centre, but its role as the social and cultural centre for wealthy northerners
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3200-439: The " Blue Bridge ". In October and November 2000, York experienced the worst flooding in 375 years; more than 300 homes were flooded. In December 2015, the flooding was more extensive and caused major disruption. The extreme impact led to a personal visit by Prime Minister David Cameron . Much land in and around the city is on flood plains too flood-prone for development other than agriculture. The ings are flood meadows along
3300-626: The 19th century, having come to England as a refugee after serving as a Polish lancer in the Austro-Hungarian war. In 1942, the city was bombed during the Second World War (part of the Baedeker Blitz ) by the German Luftwaffe and 92 people were killed and hundreds injured. Buildings damaged in the raid included the Railway Station , Rowntree's Factory, Poppleton Road Primary School, St Martin-le-Grand Church,
3400-489: The 2006–07 financial year. The city's estimated population in 2019 was 210,620. Having "No Religion" was higher than the national average for York in 2011 and 0.9% lower than having a religion in 2021. York city walls York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Walls ,
3500-400: The 76,920 households in York, 36.0% were married couples living together, 31.3% were one-person households, 8.7% were co-habiting couples and 8.0% were lone parents. The figures for lone parent households were below the national average of 9.5%, and the percentage of married couples was also close to the national average of 36.5%; the proportion of one person households was slightly higher than
3600-523: The Bar was completed in late 2017. Besides the four main bars, there are two smaller bars. This Bar originally dates from around 1315, when it was documented as being called Barram Fishergate. It was bricked up following riots in 1489, but was reopened in 1827 and today provides pedestrian access through the walls between the Fishergate area (actually Fawcett Street/Paragon Street) and George Street. As
3700-659: The British Isles, the weather is changeable. York experiences most sunshine from May to July, an average of six hours per day. With its inland location, summers are often warmer than the Yorkshire coast with temperatures of 27 °C or more. Extremes recorded at the University of York campus between 1998 and 2010 include a highest temperature of 34.5 °C (94.1 °F) and a lowest temperature of −16.3 °C (2.7 °F) on 6 December 2010. The most rainfall in one day
3800-755: The County of York, West Riding and the County of The City of York . The city does retain the right to appoint its own Sheriff. The holder of the Royal dukedom of York has no responsibilities either ceremonially or administratively as regards to the city. York lies in the Vale of York , a flat area of fertile arable land bordered by the Pennines , the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Wolds . The city
3900-666: The Multangular Tower is the East Angle Tower. It is visible above ground in the grounds of the Merchant Taylors Hall . Partly excavated in 1926, the remains that can be seen today were exposed in 1953. The Danes occupied the city in 867. By this time the Roman defences were in poor repair, and the Danes demolished all the towers save the Multangular Tower and restored the walls. The majority of
4000-483: The North Street Postern Tower and was built at the same time. It was converted in the 17th century to a water tower, though remains of the original structure can still be seen in the waterworks yard. It was restructured again in the 19th century for offices and is currently a holiday rental property. Fishergate Postern (a.k.a. St George's Postern) Recorded as being built in 1440, this postern
4100-680: The Ouse, while the strays are open common grassland in various locations around the city. York has a temperate climate ( Cfb ) with four distinct seasons. As with the rest of the Vale of York, the city's climate is drier and warmer than the rest of the Yorkshire and the Humber region. Owing to its lowland location, York is prone to frosts, fog, and cold winds during winter, spring, and very early summer. Snow can fall in winter from December onwards to as late as April but quickly melts. As with much of
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4200-535: The Ouse. Barker Tower was once linked to Lendal Tower by a chain across the river, parallel to the 19th-century Lendal Bridge . A small stretch of wall then leads to the entrance to Museum Gardens, the Multangular Tower and the original line of the Roman walls. The walls were repaired during the English Civil War by Parliamentarians as well as during the later Jacobite Risings due to fears of an invasion from Scotland. The walls were restored in
4300-529: The Roman Gate was still in use in the late 7th century In the 14th century, a portcullis and barbican were added to the bar and its height increased to accommodate them. The gateway was damaged in the Civil War siege of 1644 but repaired a year later. The barbican, and a section of wall, were demolished to make way for the construction of St Leonards Place in the 1830s. Currently, the bar has doorways on
4400-517: The Second World War, parts of the Knavesmire were farmed, while other parts were used for military purposes including an anti-aircraft battery and a prisoner of war transit camp which was located near the grandstand. Knavesmire was also the site of Knavesmire Secondary School , which then became one of the campuses of The College of Law till 2014. Millthorpe School uses the Knavesmire for cross country running . Knavesmire Primary School
4500-573: The Venerable Bede. Edwin ordered the small wooden church be rebuilt in stone; however, he was killed in 633, and the task of completing the stone minster fell to his successor Oswald . In the following century, Alcuin of York came to the cathedral school of York. He had a long career as a teacher and scholar, first at the school at York now known as St Peter's School , founded in 627 AD, and later as Charlemagne 's leading advisor on ecclesiastical and educational affairs. In 866, Northumbria
4600-582: The Victorian restoration. Some of the merlons spaced along the walls were added by the Victorians. However,some pre-date this period as can be seen in the 1782 Micklegate Bar illustration and the 1807 illustration showing the Multangular Tower and walls, although, very few original Medieval merlons remain. Perhaps one of the most notable additions to the wall was Robin Hood tower, built in 1889. Today
4700-480: The arrival of William the Conqueror the rebellion was put down. William at once built a wooden fortress on a motte. In 1069, after another rebellion, the king built another timbered castle across the River Ouse. These were destroyed in 1069 and rebuilt by William about the time of his ravaging Northumbria in what is called the " Harrying of the North " where he destroyed everything from York to Durham. The remains of
4800-401: The banks of the River Ouse . The rectangle of walls was built as part of the fort's defences. The foundations and the line of about half of these Roman walls form part of the existing walls, as follows: The line of the rest of the Roman wall went south-west from the east corner, crossing the via principalis of the fortress where King's Square is now located. The south corner was in what
4900-429: The beginning of the 19th century, it was felt that the gallows did not create a good first impression for visitors to the city. The last hanging at Knavesmire was in 1801, after which the gallows were moved to a more discreet (although still public) location near the castle. A paved area with a small plaque today marks the position in which the scaffold stood. The Knavesmire is used for recreation and for public events. It
5000-440: The cabinet, led by the Council Leader , makes decisions on their portfolio areas individually. Following the Local Government Act 2000 , the Council Leader commands the confidence of the city council; the leader of the largest political group and head of the City of York Council. The Leader of the council and the cabinet (consisting of all the executive councillors) are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to
5100-409: The city became a major river port, part of the extensive Viking trading routes throughout northern Europe. The last ruler of an independent Jórvík, Eric Bloodaxe , was driven from the city in 954 AD by King Eadred in his successful attempt to complete the unification of England. In 1068, two years after the Norman conquest of England , the people of York rebelled. Initially they succeeded, but upon
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#17328021909025200-616: The city council. The current Council Leader, Liberal Democrats ' Cllr Keith Aspden, was appointed on 22 May 2019, following the 2019 City of York Council election . York's first citizen and civic head is the Lord Mayor , who is the chairman of the City of York Council. The appointment is made by the city council each year in May, at the same time appointing the Sheriff, the city's other civic head. The offices of Lord Mayor and Sheriff are purely ceremonial. The Lord Mayor carries out civic and ceremonial duties in addition to chairing full council meetings. The incumbent Lord Mayor since 26 May 2022
5300-417: The city's "perfect mix of heritage and hi-tech" and as a "mini-metropolis with cool cafes, destination restaurants, innovative companies – plus the fastest internet in Britain". The result was confirmed in a YouGov survey, reported in August 2018, with 92% of respondents saying that they liked the city, more than any of 56 other British cities. The City of York is governed by the City of York Council . It
5400-440: The city. The civic dignitary would have been the Lord Mayor of york, who at the time of their arrival on 15 September 1541 was Robert Hall. He owned the residential property at 74 Low Petergate. Following a special service held in their honour at York minster. Henry VIII and Catherine rode from the minster down to Petergate, one of the five gateways, and over to the closed Benedictine abbey of St. Mary which had been converted into
5500-437: The confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss . The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a minster , castle , and city walls . It is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of the wider City of York district. It is located 27 miles (43 km) north-east of Leeds , 90 miles (140 km) south of Newcastle upon Tyne and 207 miles (333 km) north of London . York's built-up area had
5600-429: The creation of Septimius Severus ; however, the Multangular Tower is probably a later addition of Constantine the Great around 310–320 AD. It has ten sides, based on a regular fourteen-sided figure designed so that a circle through the internal angles of the internal face is tangential to the curve. The rear four sides are missing to provide access to the interior of the tower. A low plinth or skirt extends out from
5700-428: The defence of the city was further helped not just by the walls but on the rampart underneath and the ditch surrounding them. The ditch along the walls was once 60 feet (18.3m) wide and 10 feet (3m) deep. In modern times the ditch was almost all filled in and no longer exists. For this reason the ground directly around the walls is higher in most places than it would have been in medieval times. The walls resume beyond
5800-424: The defences. Heads left there to rot included: Henry Hotspur Percy (1403), Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham (1415), Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1461), and Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland (1572). The Bar was inhabited until the 20th century. The upper two floors contain living quarters, which today are a museum known as the City Walls Experience at Micklegate Bar . A restoration of
5900-400: The expansion of the city. Castlegate Postern The site of Castlegate postern is currently located under the pedestrian crossing on the B1227, Tower Street, in front of Clifford's Tower . The postern was demolished between 1826 and 1827. Friargate Postern Another postern that was demolished around 1840 and its location is to the northwest of St George's Field where it meets the end of
6000-411: The figure as high as 500. The city, through its location on the River Ouse and its proximity to the Great North Road , became a major trading centre. King John granted the city's first charter in 1212, confirming trading rights in England and Europe. During the later Middle Ages, York merchants imported wine from France, cloth, wax, canvas, and oats from the Low Countries , timber and furs from
6100-417: The first floor and three windows to the northeast lighting the second floor. The portcullis slot is still visible but blocked and the portcullis itself is fixed into its current position. The southwest doorway has remained unchanged, but there was one to the west which is now marked by a low recess in the room's wall. The original entrance would have been from an adjoining house. Access is by a stone staircase to
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#17328021909026200-412: The first floor situated in St Leonards Place. This four-storey gatehouse is the tallest and most elaborate of the four, and was built in the early 14th century. It was intended as a self-contained fort, and each floor is capable of being defended separately. The current gatehouse was built to replace a 12th-century gate known as Munecagate, which stood 100 yards (91 m) to the north-west, on
6300-451: The former city council's own proposal. From 1997 to 2010, the central part of the district was covered by the City of York constituency, while the remainder was split between the constituencies of Ryedale , Selby , and Vale of York . These constituencies were represented by Hugh Bayley , John Greenway , John Grogan , and Anne McIntosh respectively. Following their review in 2003 of parliamentary representation in North Yorkshire ,
6400-454: The gateway. The house was occupied until 1957. The Bar has been repaired and restored many times over the years, most notably in 1648, following the 1644 Siege of York in the English Civil War when it was bombarded by cannon fire, and in 1840 after it had suffered years of neglect. It was also damaged in 1489 when, along with Fishergate Bar, it was burnt by rebels who were rioting over tax raises. The name of this four-storey-high gatehouse
6500-404: The lowest course. The tower stands almost 30 feet (9.1 m) tall, has an external diameter of 48.5 feet (14.8 m) at the base and 46 feet (14 m) above the skirt. Length of each side varies from 7.5 feet (2.3 m) to 11 feet (3.4 m) on the inner face. The tower projects beyond the curtain wall to a distance of 36.75 feet (11.20 m). The foundations are concrete, atop which
6600-407: The name 'Knavesmire' may share a derivation with Knaresborough —Cenward's mire. Situated in the south-west of the city, some distance outside the historic walls, Knavesmire's low-lying position makes it liable to severe flooding in times of heavy rain. As a consequence, it remained undeveloped as the city expanded around it. The Knavesmire was the site of York Golf course for many years. During
6700-435: The name suggests, this bar is a 19th-century addition to the walls. It was opened in 1838 to provide direct access between Nunnery Lane and Bishophill . However, during its construction the remains of an ancient gateway were found beneath it. This was probably the gateway known in the 12th century as the lounelith or secluded gateway (in comparison to Micklegate Bar or the great bar located four hundred yards away). This
6800-410: The national average of 30.1%. In 2001, the population density was 4,368/km (11,310/sq mi). Of those aged 16–74 in York, 24.6% had no academic qualifications, a little lower than 28.9% in all of England. Of York's residents, 5.1% were born outside the United Kingdom, significantly lower than the national average of 9.2%. White British form 95% of the population; the largest single minority group
6900-420: The now canalised Foss at the Red Tower , a brick building which has been much restored over the years. They continue south and west around the Walmgate area, terminating in another tower (Fishergate Postern), near York Castle , which was formerly surrounded by its own walls and a moat . A small stretch of wall on the west side of Tower Gardens terminates at Davy Tower , another brick tower located next to
7000-413: The oldest surviving stonework, dating to the 11th century. It stands almost on the site of porta principalis dextra , the north western gate of Eboracum. It was named in the 12th century as barram de Bootham , meaning bar at the booths, after the nearby market booths. It was the last of the bars to lose its barbican , which was removed in 1835. Land grant records from the 11th century suggest that
7100-562: The privileges granted by a charter of Richard II in 1396. The city underwent a period of economic decline during Tudor times. Under King Henry VIII , the Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the end of York's many monastic houses , including several orders of friars , the hospitals of St Nicholas and of St Leonard, the largest such institution in the north of England. This led to the Pilgrimage of Grace , an uprising of northern Catholics in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire opposed to religious reform. Henry VIII restored his authority by establishing
7200-510: The province of Britannia Inferior, and it is likely that it was he who granted York the privileges of a ' colonia ' or city. Constantius I died in 306 AD during his stay in York, and his son Constantine the Great was proclaimed Emperor by the troops based in the fortress. In 314 AD a bishop from York attended the Council at Arles to represent Christians from the province . While the Roman colonia and fortress were on high ground, by 400 AD
7300-579: The rebuilt castles, now in stone, are visible on either side of the River Ouse. The first stone minster church was badly damaged by fire in the uprising, and the Normans built a minster on a new site. Around the year 1080, Archbishop Thomas started building the cathedral that in time became the current Minster. In the 12th century, York started to prosper. In 1190, York Castle was the site of an infamous massacre of its Jewish inhabitants , in which at least 150 were murdered, although some authorities put
7400-580: The region of York between 8000 and 7000 BC, although it is not known whether their settlements were permanent or temporary. By the time of the Roman conquest of Britain , the area was occupied by a tribe known to the Romans as the Brigantes . The Brigantian tribal area initially became a Roman client state, but later its leaders became more hostile and the Roman Ninth Legion was sent north of
7500-519: The remaining walls, which encircle the whole of the medieval city, date from the 13th – 14th century. From the east corner of the Roman walls, the medieval wall extends to Layerthorpe Bridge . After the bridge, the King's Fishpool, a swamp created by the Normans ' damming of the River Foss , provided adequate security for the city, and no walls were ever built in this area. In the Middle Ages
7600-498: The site of the Roman gate porta decumana – that location is indicated by a slight dip in the earth rampart. From 1993 to 2020, Monk Bar housed a museum called the Richard III Experience at Monk Bar and today, it retains its portcullis in working order. Most of Walmgate Bar was built during the 14th century, although the inner gateway dates from the 12th century. It was originally called Walbegate ,
7700-554: The southern section of the Esplanade. Skeldergate Postern (a.k.a. Crane Tower) Records describe it as a narrow arch with round turrets to either side and is estimated to have been built around 1315. It was similar in appearance to the North Street Postern and had been intact until its demolition in 1808. It was located on Terry Avenue outside The Bonding Warehouse. Red Tower Red Tower marks an endpoint of
7800-514: The time of the 2011 UK census , compared with 137,505 in 2001. The population of the City of York (Local Authority) was 198,051 and its ethnic composition was 94.3% White, 1.2% Mixed, 3.4% Asian and 0.6% Black. York's elderly population (those 65 and over) was 16.9%, however only 13.2% were listed as retired. Also at the time of the 2001 UK census , the City of York had a total population of 181,094 of whom 93,957 were female and 87,137 were male. Of
7900-620: The title " The Right Honourable ", the others being the Lord Mayors of London , Bristol , Cardiff and Belfast . York is an ancient borough , and was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to form a municipal borough . It gained the status of a county borough in 1889, under the Local Government Act 1888 , and existed so until 1974, when, under the Local Government Act 1972 , it became
8000-427: The tower extends having a rubble and mortar core between ashlar faced courses of small magnesian limestone blocks. At 15 feet (4.6 m) a scarcement reduces the thickness of the wall from 5 feet (1.5 m) to 3.25 feet (0.99 m), which continues for a further 4 feet (1.2 m) before being capped by 11 feet (3.4 m) of 13th century masonry in which arrowslits can be seen. Less well-known than
8100-594: The town vulnerable to attack and unprepared for battle. After it was conquered, the city was renamed from the Old English Eoforwic to Jorvik . It became the capital of Viking territory in Britain, and at its peak boasted more than 10,000 inhabitants. This was a population second only to London within Great Britain. Jorvik proved an important economic and trade centre for the Vikings. Norse coinage
8200-552: The town was victim to occasional flooding from the Rivers Ouse and Foss, and the population reduced. York declined in the post-Roman era, and was taken and settled by the Angles in the 5th century. Reclamation of parts of the town was initiated in the 7th century under King Edwin of Northumbria , and York became his chief city. The first wooden minster church was built in York for the baptism of Edwin in 627, according to
8300-445: The walls and is located on Foss Islands Road just south of its junction with Navigation Road. Records show that it was built around 1490 and is in good condition to this day. North Street Postern Tower (a.k.a. Barker Tower) Located on the west bank of the River Ouse on Wellington Row just to the north of Lendal Bridge. Built in the 14th century for use as a boom tower, it was restored for modern-day usage in 1930. Its original use
8400-436: The walls are a scheduled ancient monument and a grade I listed building . The walls are punctuated by four main gatehouses , or 'bars', (Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar and Micklegate Bar below). These restricted traffic in medieval times, and were used to extract tolls , as well as being defensive positions in times of war. Although much of Bootham Bar was built in the 14th and 19th centuries, it also has some of
8500-414: The word Walbe possibly being an Anglo-Scandinavian personal name. The Bar's most notable feature is its barbican , which is the only one surviving on a town gate in England. It also retains its portcullis and has reproduction 15th century oak doors. On the inner side, an Elizabethan house, supported by stone Tuscan order columns (originally of Roman origin but modified in 1584), extends out over
8600-459: The wrong height and some are narrow for the full width of the parapet. Some parts of the walls still have small holes called musket loops from the 17th century for muskets to fire from although they are of uncertain age due to restoration. In the northern area where you have views of the Cathedral, the walls were defended from interval towers which would have been higher than they are now after
8700-414: Was 88.4 millimetres (3.5 in). York's urbanised areas are surrounded by a green belt that restricts development in the rural areas and parts of surrounding villages, to preserve the setting and historic character of the city. The green belt surrounds nearly all of the city and its outer villages, extending out into North Yorkshire. The York urban area (built-up area) had a population of 153,717 at
8800-402: Was a small entrance to the city which dated back to early medieval times but was blocked up later with earth and stone, possibly during the period when the walls consisted solely of a wooden palisade before they were rebuilt in stone (from around 1250). A postern is a secondary door or gate in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall . Posterns were often located in
8900-434: Was also a Celtic personal name, so Eburākon could also mean "the property of Eburos". Indeed, the 12th‑century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth , in his fictional account of the prehistoric kings of Britain, Historia Regum Britanniae , suggests the name derives from that of a pre-Roman city founded by the legendary king Ebraucus . The name was Latinised by the Romans as Eboracum or Eburacum , and
9000-456: Was built at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss on a terminal moraine left by the last ice age . During Roman times, the land surrounding the Ouse and Foss was marshy, making the site easy to defend. The city is prone to flooding from the River Ouse, and has an extensive network of flood defences with walls along the river, and a liftable barrier across the Foss where it joins the Ouse at
9100-554: Was created at the Jorvik mint, while archaeologists have found evidence of a variety of craft workshops around the town's central Coppergate area. These demonstrate that textile production, metalwork, carving, glasswork and jewellery-making were all practised in Jorvik. Materials from as far afield as the Persian Gulf have also been discovered, suggesting that the town was part of an international trading network. Under Viking rule
9200-489: Was discovered. On the arrival of Prince Rupert , with an army of 15,000 men, the siege was lifted. The Parliamentarians retreated some 6 miles (10 km) from York with Rupert in pursuit, before turning on his army and soundly defeating it at the Battle of Marston Moor . Of Rupert's 15,000 troops, 4,000 were killed and 1,500 captured. The siege was renewed and the city surrendered to Sir Thomas Fairfax on 15 July. Following
9300-650: Was held in a marquee on Knavesmire opposite the Grandstand. For many years, Knavesmire was the site of public hangings in York. The gallows were erected in 1379, a few miles outside the city on the main southern approach road (now known as the A1036 Tadcaster Road ). The execution site was often referred to as "York Tyburn" after the original Tyburn gallows in Middlesex. Probably the most famous people to be executed there were Rhys ap Maredudd ,
9400-529: Was in the midst of internecine struggles when the Vikings raided and captured York. As a thriving Anglo-Saxon metropolis and prosperous economic hub, York was a clear target for the Vikings. Led by Ivar the Boneless and Halfdan , Scandinavian forces attacked the town on All Saints' Day. Launching the assault on a holy day proved an effective tactical move – most of York's leaders were in the cathedral, leaving
9500-492: Was inhabited by 6,000 legionary soldiers. The site of the principia (HQ) of the fortress lies under the foundations of York Minster , and excavations in the undercroft have revealed part of the Roman structure and columns. The Emperors Hadrian , Septimius Severus , and Constantius I all held court in York during their various campaigns. During his stay 207–211 AD, the Emperor Severus proclaimed York capital of
9600-537: Was joined in 1869 by his brother the philanthropist Joseph . Another chocolate manufacturer, Terry's of York , was a major employer. By 1900, the railways and confectionery had become the city's two major industries. York was a centre of early photography , as described by Hugh Murray in his 1986 book Photographs and Photographers of York: The Early Years, 1844–79 . Photographers who had studios in York included William Hayes , William Pumphrey , and Augustus Mahalski who operated on Davygate and Low Petergate in
9700-526: Was recorded as Asian, at 1.9% of the population. The number of theft-from-a-vehicle offences and theft of a vehicle per 1,000 of the population was 8.8 and 2.7, compared to the English national average of 6.9 and 2.7 respectively. The number of sexual offences was 0.9, in line with the national average. The national average of violence against another person was 16.2 compared to the York average of 17.5. The figures for crime statistics were all recorded during
9800-747: Was rising. York's many elegant townhouses , such as the Lord Mayor's Mansion House and Fairfax House date from this period, as do the Assembly Rooms , the Theatre Royal , and the racecourse . The railway promoter George Hudson was responsible for bringing the railway to York in 1839. Although Hudson's career as a railway entrepreneur ended in disgrace and bankruptcy, his promotion of York over Leeds, and of his own railway company (the York and North Midland Railway ), helped establish York as
9900-635: Was to displace Protestant rule by blowing up the Houses of Parliament while King James I , the entire Protestant, and even most of the Catholic aristocracy and nobility were inside. In 1644, during the Civil War , the Parliamentarians besieged York , and many medieval houses outside the city walls were lost. The barbican at Walmgate Bar was undermined and explosives laid, but the plot
10000-480: Was to have a chain secured to it and the other end attached to Lendal Tower on the opposite bank. There was another postern very close to the North Street Postern. It was replaced by the Great North of England Railway Company for the multi-arch construction seen currently. Lendal Tower Located on the north bank of the River Ouse on Dame Judi Dench Walk , the tower served as the complimentary boom tower to
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