The City of York

York is a city that I have heard about in passing for years but have never visited. I am a little embarrassed to say that my interest was peaked by a work of fiction I read last summer that was set in York in the medieval period. A British author, C.J. Sansom, has written a series of mysteries set in the reign of Henry VIII and it was the third book in the series, which I finished after leaving Oxford last summer, that led me to inquire about a visit now. On the recommendation of several friends, I set out to see this jewel in the north of England.

The train trip from Oxford is about 3 1/2 hours. I left Friday morning and returned Saturday night. In between I tried to pack as much into my trip as possible but there were so many things I will have to see another time because there were just too many good things. York is a city that lived through all of England's history. Friday afternoon I started at the beginning with one of the earliest periods of York history: the Viking Age.

Archaeologists found remains of the viking settlement on the site of what is now the Jorvik Viking Centre where visitors like me can ride through a display of life in the viking era. My one photo is without flash because I thought that would be disruptive. The trade-off to politeness is a blurry photograph!

From the Viking era I moved to the time of William the Conqueror at started walking to Clifford's Tower. As I was walking to the castle district I stumbled upon All Saints Church, Pavement which I loved. It is a very ancient church that was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was a rainy day and the church offered a respite from the weather. As I sat there reading my guidebook, I realized I was not the first to claim refuge inside its walls, the church provided a sanctuary for fugitives from their pursuers. I took the opportunity to lay my plans and I left there with the intention of finding a nice warm museum to visit. Instead I climbed a tower.

I missed the York Castle Museum but climbed Clifford's Tower. From there there were great views over the city of York. Here is a picture with St. Mary's Spiral and the wonderful York Minster behind me as I walk around the Tower which was built as a fortress by William the Conqueror two years after the Battle of Hastings. After all the museums closed I used the time to wandered through the streets, including The Shambles, and around Museum Garden which is inside the old abbey walls. St. Mary's Abbey is now in ruins but it makes a beautiful site in the gardens. My wanderings finally led me to the jewel of the city, York Minster, but I will save that for tomorrow's post.

On Saturday after visiting York Minster, I walked the approximately three miles around the old city of York using the medieval city walls. Afterward I was famished and so I stopped and ate a cream tea at Betty's. This might be the best recommendation I received - it was delicious and I had a window seat to people watch in the square. I spent the rest of my time just getting lost in the town. There are all sorts of great streets to meander through.