Inside York

York's History

INSIDE YORK - a wealth of history, all within walking distance

It is possible that no other city in the world has such a varied and rich history within such a small area.

Only a small percentage of York's archaeological treasures have been excavated, yet experts agree that almost wherever you dig here, you are guaranteed to find something of interest.

Some of the finds have become exhibits in the museums of York and indeed the rest of the world but there is nowhere near enough room to put anything but a fraction of them on display.

York has been so strategically important over the years to so many different peoples, that layer upon layer of history has accumulated to create the city that you now see today.

 Viking in York

Above: A Viking warrior at Clifford's Tower

Evidence of human activity in the York area goes back to the Old Stone Age, with exhibits from the period on display at the Yorkshire Museum. Here, you can also see items from later Celtic times, right the way up to the 17th Century AD.

The city of York itself was founded by the Romans in AD71. They built a fortress at the junction of the river Foss and the river Ouse, figuring that the site would be easily defendable. They called the Fortress 'Eboracum' and during their 400 years of occupation, the Romans built up a town around it which became the capital of one of the two provinces into which they divided Britain.

Later, the Vikings also chose the city, which they called 'Jorvik', as their most important town, and built it up into an internationally significant trading centre. The name 'York' is derived from the Viking 'Jorvik'. Tens of thousands of archaeological finds have been discovered from the Viking period, which can now be seen by modern visitors at the Jorvik Viking Centre in Coppergate, as well as the Yorkshire Museum itself.

The Norman French invaders laid waste to much of Yorkshire and burnt the city of York to the ground, but they too realised that the place had strategic importance, so they built two castles and established churches, chapels and hospitals. They also founded St. Mary's Abbey, the remains of which can be found in the Yorkshire Museum Gardens and even in the basement of the museum itself.

York Minster with Treasurers House

 

During Medieval times, York became a major wool trading centre, with related industries such as cloth making and dyeing contributing to the wealth of the city. The Minster was rebuilt at this time into the magnificent structure that you see today, as were the Merchant Adventurer's Hall and many other fine buildings.


The city was strategically important in the Wars of the Roses and later in the Civil War and as a consequence, several important battles were fought nearby, including the one at Towton - the bloodiest ever battle fought on English soil.

In Georgian and Regency times, York's prosperity was reflected in the many splendid town houses built at the time, some of which exist to this day. One of the finest examples is Fairfax House on Castlegate, now home to several works of art and a magnificent glassware collection.

This period saw a flowering of the social scene in York, with some of the richest and most eligible people in the country coming to visit the city for balls, parties and horse racing.

 

Shambles.jpg (15597 bytes)  Fairfax House


As well as being a tourist magnet, York is also an industrial town, having been a railway centre since the 1830s and a major manufacturer of confectionery since even before that. Famous names associated with York include Rowntree's (now owned by Nestle) and Terry's (recently closed). The railway connection is kept strong by the presence of the National Railway Museum and the sweet tradition has been revitalised in the 21st Century by a new wave of small exclusive chocolatiers.