Romans and Vikings and Normans, Oh My! (York part 2)

In Part 1 we covered some of the history of York and so here in Part 2 we hope to entice you to explore many places that are well-worth your time, for so many reasons!

In addition to the Roman walls, medieval towers and the incredible history of the area, inside the Roman walls is a fascinating city center.  The major, and highly visible, object of interest is Yorkminster, the huge cathedral that towers over the city skyline. The first recorded church in York was wooden, built hastily in 627 to provide a place to baptize Edwin, the King of Northumbria. A stone structure was completed in 637 but fell into disrepair and had to be rebuilt in 670. In 741 the church was destroyed by fire but again was rebuilt.

When William the Great invaded Britain in 1066, he moved north to assert his new powers and to smash the resistance still in York, citizens who supported the brother of the defeated King, Harold.  In that campaign, the church was damaged, but in 1070 it was rebuilt. Between then and 1200, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times as a result of military action with the Danes. The current building was begun in 1215 using Gothic style instead of the previously used Norman style architecture. The object was to build a cathedral comparable to the one in Canterbury. The construction actually began in 1230 and continued into the 15^thcentury. The Cathedral was declared complete and consecrated in 1472. And to this day, despite damage from the Elizabeth I purge of the Roman Catholic church from England, the English Civil War, various fires and just routine wear and tear, the Minster remains a remarkable sight to see and visit.

On an early evening during a 2016 visit, we were fortunate to hear the bells ringing the call to Evensong, coming from the Minster. You can hear a bit of that in the clip we have attached. However, due to a dispute with the bell ringers, the bells have been silent since October of that year. There is a now a new carillon, which we have not heard as yet.  The York Cathedral is a wonderful example of medieval construction, and well worth a visit.

Pedestrian area near Yorkminster. © 2018 EnglandForAllReasons.com

Just outside the cathedral is a wonderful shopping district full of little shops and stores. The whole area is primarily a pedestrian district, so you can just wander along the streets and do your window shopping at leisure. One of the more famous streets, is The Shambles and deserves a visit.

The Shambles is a narrow, old cobblestone street lined with timber-framed buildings that hang out over the street, leaning in what appears be a rather precarious way.

The Shambles © 2018 EnglandForAllReasons.com

The name “Shambles” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “Fleshammels” which translates literally to “flesh-shelves” and was the word for the shelves on which the butchers displayed their products. The street was first mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086, with most of the current buildings stemming from circa 1350-1475. Although the street started as a long line of butchers, today the street is lined with bakeries, chocolate shops, tourist shops, as well as antique and vintage shops.

You will find that making a visit to York is well worth your time!