York’s first Minster
York’s first minster church was a small wooden affair, built during the reign of King Edwin of Deira, following his conversion by the Gregorian missionary Paulinus in 626AD. Famously described …
Alma Sophia, Minster Yard
The Anglo-Saxon scholar Alcuin describes how he and the then Archbishop of York – Eanbald – built a church in honour of the previous Archbishop – Ælberht. Dedicated to Holy Wisdom (Alma …
St Sampson’s, Church Street
Located in the heart of York, the building stands over part of the Roman city wall. And within the boundary of its churchyard, a fragment of cross-shaft was found built …
The Shambles
The Shambles is known for the number of butchers that used to trade from it. Shambles takes its name from ‘shammels’, an Anglo-Saxon word relating to the flesh benches or …
Bedern
An ancient lane, off Goodramgate, leading to Bedern Chapel and Hall and, via Bartle Garth, to St Saviourgate. A bridge, now destroyed, would have connected Bedern to the Minster precinct.
The …
Ye Olde Starre Inne, Stonegate
Believed to be the oldest licensed premises in the York, it consists of a 17th century building sitting on a 10th century cellar. The pub is accessed via a short …
Monk Bar
Dating from the 14th century, this is the tallest and strongest of the four main bars – essentially a self-contained fortress. It was built on the site of a previous …
Bootham Bar
Bootham is a continuation of Petergate outside the city walls. There has been a gateway here for nearly 2000 years and Bootham Bar stands on the site of the western …
Anglian Tower
The so-called Anglian Tower, only excavated in 1969, is a small, square tower, built into the Roman fortress walls, with a simple arched doorway. Its origins are uncertain, and may …
St Denys, Walmgate
Set on a raised knoll above the current road level, the present building was founded in 1154 on the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon church, and is one of the oldest …
St Mary, Bishophill Senior
All that remains of this church, demolished in the 1960s, is a community garden, which is situated alongside a snickelway called Carr’s Lane. Excavations revealed that the church stood on …
Holy Trinity, Micklegate
On the site of a pre-conquest building, it includes remnants of a Benedictine priory church. It is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as one of five great northern …