Petergate, Low Petergate and High Petergate, York

Welcome to our guide to Petergate, Low Petergate and High Petergate, York. Here you can find information, history and a guide to the best places and things to see and do.

About Petergate

Named after the cathedral of St Peter ( The Minster), this thoroughfare was first established by the Romans when they built their fortress in the 1st century. At that time it was called Via Principalis and was the main east-west route through the fortress. There were gates at either end of the street Porta Dextra ( where Bootham Bar is today) and Porta Sinistra (where Kings Square is today).

Today the street is divided into High Petergate and Low Petergate.

About High Petergate

High Petergate runs from Boothham Bar gateway to the end of Stonegate. This was the medieval route in to the city from Scotland and the North. A few remaining medieval buildings stand side by side with Georgian constructions.

This street is home to 3 restaurants, 3 pubs, 2 tea rooms and 2 hotels including the Guy Fawkes Hotel. The Hotel boasts an old house at the rear that it claims was the home of the infamous terrorist. He did certainly live in this area and was baptized in St Michaels church on the other side of High Petergate.

One of the pubs ( The York Arms) stands on the site of Peter Prison which is where people convicted by the Minster Court were held during the medieval period.

During the summer months street artists can be seen working on the paved area beside The Minster.

As you wander along High Petergate with its assorted collection of shops, look out for the fire insurance plaques high up on the buildings.

If you want to hear the story behind these plaques and the intriguing cone shaped object near one of the doorways and why one of the pubs is called The three legged mare, why not book one of York’s guided walking tours.

About Low Petergate

Low Petergate is a beautiful traffic free street filled with a large variety of shops to excite both visitors and residents. Restaurants, Cafes, Fashions, Gifts, a wonderful Christmas Shop and lots more, create a very vibrant atmosphere.

The street runs from Kings Square to the end of Stonegate. During the summer months, Kings Square is usually thronged with people eating, talking and watching various street performers who use the former graveyard of a now demolished medieval church as a stage.

As you enter Low Petergate you should be able to see a little Indian boy above a shop. Businesses used to have symbols above their doorway to indicate what they sold to often illiterate people. Any ideas what used to be sold in this shop?

Further up the street, after passing Mad Alice Lane and Hornpot Lane you will see Scotts Butchers, over 100 years of trading and the home of York Ham. Just look at the wonderful building that dates back to the medieval period. There are many buildings like this on this street, standing side by side with elegant Georgian constructions. Just across the road look out for the former Girls college which has been transformed in to a restaurant with splendid views across to the Minster at the rear.

At the end of Stonegate, Low Petergate ends and High Petergate begins. This is Minster Gate, the site of one of the gateways in to the Minster Close, which was walled until The Reformation. You can see another shop symbol on the corner here. Who is this character and what does it tell us about what the shop used to sell?

If you want to hear the story behind the shop symbols and many more stories about Petergate, why not book one of York’s guided walking tours.

Attractions, Shops, Cafes, Restaurants & Other Businesses Located Here

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