Year: 2013

The solution to last weeks Picture Number 15 –

Bootham Bar is on the site of one of the four main entrances to the Roman fortress. There has been a gateway here for nearly 2000 years. Although much of Bootham Bar was built in the 14th and 19th centuries, it also has some of the oldest surviving stonework, dating to the 11th century. It stands almost on the site of Porta Principalis Dextra – the northwestern gate of Eboracum.

Like the other city gates, Bootham has displayed the heads of traitors in its time: notably Thomas Mowbray in 1405; it easily survived an unsuccessfully attack by Lord Scrope on behalf of the Royal impostor, Lambert Simnell, in 1487; but was heavily damaged by the Earl of Manchester’s troops during the Siege of York (1644). It was restored seven years later and pedestrian archways added in the following century. Fortunately, plans to demolish the bar in 1831 were eventually scrapped.

Bootham Bar was the last of the gates to lose its barbican, demolished in 1835. The Victorian steps leading up to the tower and the wall walk are inappropriately placed against the outer face of the walls !

Picture Number 16 :-

Can you identify this, and where it is ?

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.

The solution to last weeks Picture Number 14 –

“Railway Arches”. The railways arrival in York had a dramatic impact on the walls. The first railway station was built immediately outside the city walls and opened on the 29 May 1839. The railway company, the North Midland and Great North of England Railway, felt that being outside the walls was not good for business. Two years later in January 1841 they opened a new station and offices inside the city walls.

To bring the rail tracks inside the city walls, the walls had to be breached. Several arches were made. Two large pointed arches can be seen in Queen Street. The most southerly was made first in 1839 and carried the footpath on the wall over the YNMR track. It spans some 20m. The arches were designed by architect George T. Andrews. Initially only one arch was built but rail traffic grew and more lines were needed so a second arch was added in 1845. The station was replaced by the present York Station in 1877, located on a new site outside the walls.

Picture Number 15 :-

Steps to the start of a wall walk taken by many thousands each year !

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.

The solution to last weeks Picture Number 13 –

It’s Fishergate Bar, one of the six gateways in the city walls. It faces south towards Selby. ‘Barram Fishergate’ is the first documented reference to the bar, in 1315. A central stone above the archway reveals the date of the current bar. It contains the York coat of arms and an inscription indicating that sixty yards of the wall, including the bar, was built in 1487 under Sir William Todd, mayor of York.

In 1489, Fishergate Bar suffered considerable damage in the Yorkshire Peasants’ revolt against Henry VII. The gateway was bricked up soon after and wasn’t re-opened until 1834, to give better access for the cattle market.

In 1878, it was announced that a new series of tramways should be constructed in York, and one of the routes was “A tramway commencing at the village of Fulford, passing along the Selby Road into George Street through the Fishergate Bar, along Walmgate as far as Foss Bridge”.

Some restorations were made to the gate in 1961 which is now blocked to traffic, but is accessible to both pedestrians and cyclists.

Picture Number 14 :-

Another wall piercing now for pedestrians and cyclists only.
Feel chuffed if you know where it is !

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.

The solution to last weeks Picture Number 12 –

Robin Hood Tower is a good example of what the Victorians thought a medieval tower should look like and can be found between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar at the north angle of the defences behind the Minster. Its position formed one corner of the original Roman walls and ramparts

This tower has been known by a variety of names. The Bawing Tower in 1370, Frost Tower in 1485 and Robin Hood Tower in 1622 – but it had all but disappeared by 1680.

The present tower was built in 1888-89. It is circular and there are eight cruciform arrow slits in two neatly staggered rows. The outside is faced with neat limestone blocksand, but the inside is built from concrete reinforced with tram rails re-used as girders!

Picture Number 13 :-

Bricked up for 338 years, now pedestrian access only – but where ?

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.