YORK - 2ND WEEK OF APRIL

The middle of the kids’ three week end of term holidays, had all of us drive off for five days in Yorkshire and our first stay at Youth Hostels. We went first to York, a beautiful partially walled town, the birthplace of Guy Fawkes and scene of countless incredibly violent ‘War of The Roses’ battles. The city originally called Eboracum was founded in 71 AD by the Romans who made it the capital of their Province of Britannia Inferior. By 400 though as a result of the periodic flooding of the Ouse and Foss rivers the town was abandoned. In the early 5th century the area was settled by Angles, who called the town Eoforwic. The Vikings captured the city in 866 AD, and was finally incorporated into the Kingdom of England in 954.

The Wars of the Roses Battle of Towton was fought just outside York in March 1461. It is claimed to be largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. Around 50,000 soldiers from the Houses of York and Lancaster fought for hours amidst driving snowstorms on what was then Palm Sunday. Not long after the battle it was reported that 28,000 soldiers had died. As a result of this battle Edward IV displaced Henry VI as King of England, forcing the head of the Lancastrians and his key supporters out of the country. The brutality of some of the battles that went on was evident in the skeletons of ancient soldiers on display in Jorvik centre.

The town itself oozes history with Damascene/Baghdad style medieval narrow twisty lanes (The Shambles being the most well-known) with overhanging houses that almost touch above the laneways. 

We went to the Jorvik centre which is a recreation of the old Viking settlements of York. Complete with the sounds and supposed smells of the old settlement.

Set into the walls are various ‘bars’ or gateways. Miklegate Bar was the place where the heads of vanquished leaders or traitors were displayed. Some of the more notable exhibits included the heads of Henry Hotspur in 1403, Richard Plantagenet in 1461 and Thomas Percy in 1572.

The York Minster is truly amazing - very similar to Westminster Abbey but perhaps with a lighter, airier feel to it. The current 12th century Gothic cathedral was has its origins in its early 600s foundations. We went down to the undercroft to see Roman and Norman (10th century) remains as well as climbing the 2756 steps up to the top of the tower.

We also visited the York Dungeons, an archaeological dig centre and went on an evening ghost walk. We walked walking the city walls several times over including with a historian to learn about life in the time of Towton. The Transport Museum had a fabulous collection of old steam trains, including several Royal trains with the one used during the war complete with line on the bath so the king and queen could save water like everyone else! It made us think of Sally’s mum Margaret !

AISHA AT THE YORK TRANSPORT MUSEUM