York - city of history

The ancient walled city of York, about two hours by train from London, is a great place for a day out or city break, and particularly so if you love museums and history. As soon as you set foot out of the railway station you see the ancient Roman walls, and walking along them gives you the finest vistas of the city and its beautiful Minster. Along the walls are the old entrances to the city known as “bars”, and Micklegate Bar, just around the corner from the station, is particularly beautiful.

York Minster is the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, and is acclaimed worldwide as a stunning work of artistic and architectural beauty, combining fine stonework with colourful stained glass.

If you want to step back into the daily life of the past, then York Castle Museum has recreations of rooms through the ages, to the cottages of the Ancient Britons, to the chintz and ornamentation of the Victorians. There is even a kitchen and living room from the 1960’s complete with small-screened TV and state-of-the-art washing machine.

Come out of the Castle Museum and you will find the ancient fortification known as Clifford’s Tower, which was once part of York Castle, and dates back to the Norman Conquest.

A little further on you will find the narrow street known as The Shambles, with its overhanging timber framed buildings which date back to the 14th century. At one point the upper floors of opposite houses are so close together that people can shake hands across the street from their bedroom windows.

Because this part of England was once settled by the Vikings from Scandinavia, York has the Jorvik Viking Centre, which has an excellent and authentic recreation of a Viking settlement, based on original archaeological evidence. York is also home to the National Railway Museum, where you can see many fine old steam engines, and beautiful carriages.

So if you want to get a feel for history, York is the place to go. For a little more quintessential Englishness, why not head south for the city of Exeter?


Spread the Word: Share/Submit or Bookmark this Post...