Visit York Places

Welcome to Visit York Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in York

  

York Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about York

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York history

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Origin of the name

The word York (Old Norse: Jórvík) is derived from the Brittonic name Eburākon (Latinised variously as Eboracum, Eburacum or Eburaci) A proposed alternate meaning is “the settlement of (a man named) Eburos,” a Celtic personal name .

Early history

Archaeological evidence suggests that Mesolithic people settled in the region of York between 8000 and 7000 BC . The area was occupied by a tribe known to the Romans as the Brigantes . The city was founded in 71 AD, when the Ninth Legion conquered Brigantes and constructed a military fortress . The fortress, whose walls were rebuilt in stone, covered an area of 50 acres (20 ha) and was inhabited by 6,000 legionary soldiers .

After the conquest

In 1068, two years after the Norman conquest of England, the people of York rebelled . In 1069, after another rebellion, the king built another timbered castle across the River Ouse . In 1190, York Castle was the site of an infamous massacre of its Jewish inhabitants, in which at least 150 Jews died . York became a major cloth manufacturing and trading centre .

16th to 18th centuries

Under King Henry VIII, the Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the end of York’s many monastic houses . This led to the Pilgrimage of Grace, an uprising of northern Catholics opposed to religious reform . During the Civil War, the Parliamentarians besieged York, and many medieval houses outside the city walls were lost .

Modern history

The introduction of the railways established engineering in the city . By 1900, the railways and confectionery had become the city’s two major industries . The city was a centre of early photography, as described by Hugh Murray in his 1986 book Photographs and Photographers of York: The Early Years, 1844–79 .

York culture & places

Theatre

The Theatre Royal, which was established in 1744, produces an annual pantomime . The Grand Opera House and Joseph Rowntree Theatre also offer a variety of productions . The York Cycle of Mystery Plays or Pageants is the most complete in England .

Music

Former church St Margaret’s, Walmgate, is the National Centre for Early Music, which hosts concerts, broadcasts, competitions and events including the York Early Music Festival . The Academy of St Olave’s chamber orchestra is one of the music groups that perform regularly in York . The staff and students of the University of York also perform in the city .

Food and drink events

Each September since 1997, York has held an annual Festival of Food and Drink . The aim of the festival is to spotlight food culture in York and North Yorkshire . The Festival attracts up to 150,000 visitors over 10 days from all over the country .

York ham

York ham is a mild-flavoured ham with delicate pink colouring . Folklore has it that oak construction for York Minster provided the sawdust for smoking the ham . It is saltier but milder in flavour than other European dry-cured hams .

UNESCO status bids

In 2010, York’s city council and heritage organisations submitted a bid for York’s entire city centre to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site . This nomination, to the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport would have included York on a list of tentative sites to be reviewed by UNESCO itself . York’s bid failed, leading to ‘disappointment’ from the team involved .

York economy & business

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 caused a slowdown because of restrictions imposed on businesses and on travel in the UK . By January 2021, many cities were in their third lockdown and “Britain’s jobless rate has soared to its highest level for more than four years” The “retail, hospitality and tourism sector” was especially hard hit in York .

Public services

York’s first hospital, York County Hospital, opened in 1740 in Monkgate funded by public subscription . It closed in 1976 when it was replaced by York Hospital, which opened the same year and gained Foundation status in April 2007 . The city has a magistrates’ court, and venues for the Crown Court and County Court .

York geography / climate

Location

The city lies in the Vale of York, a flat area of fertile arable land bordered by the Pennines, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Wolds . It was built at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss on a terminal moraine left by the last Ice Age . The city is prone to flooding from the River Ouse, and has an extensive network of flood defences .

Climate

York has a temperate climate (Cfb) with four distinct seasons . The city’s climate is drier and warmer than the rest of the Yorkshire and Humber region . Owing to its lowland location, York is prone to frosts, fog, and cold winds during winter, spring and very early summer .

You can visit York places with Walkfo York to hear history at York’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo York has 267 places to visit in our interactive York map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout York, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at York places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to York & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 267 audio facts unique to York places in an interactive York map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit York Places Map
267 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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York historic spots	York tourist destinations	York plaques	York geographic features
Walkfo York tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in York

  

Best York places to visit

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York has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied York’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo York’s information audio spots:

Woodthorpe, North Yorkshire The name Woodthorpe is generally used for the areas south of Acomb Wood and east to Moorcroft Road and Acorn Way. To the east is Dringhouses, to the north is Foxwood, and to the west is Acomb Park. In January 2017 Katie Rough was killed by asphyxiation and stabbed in the neck near her home by a 15-year-old female.

Dringhouses Dringhouses is a suburb, formerly a village, in York, England. It is bounded by the Knavesmire, an open area of land on which York Racecourse is situated, to the east, Askham Bog and the A64 to the south, Woodthorpe and Foxwood to the west, and Acomb and Holgate to the north. The name derives from “Drengeshirses” and means “the houses of the drengs”

Clarence Street Clarence Street is a former rugby stadium in York, England. From 1885 until 1989 it was the home of York F.C. (later York R.L.F.C.) The site is now housing.

York St John University York St John University (originally established as York Diocesan College), often abbreviated to YSJ, is a public university located on a large urban campus in York, England. It achieved university status in 2006 and in 2015 the University was given research degree awarding powers for PhD and doctoral programmes.

Wandesford House Wandesford House is one of twelve still-functioning almshouses in York, England. Built in 1739 and opened in 1743, the house is an important example of the classical style in the city. The almshouse is listed by Historic England as a Grade II* building.

Gillygate Gillygate is a street in York, in England, immediately north of the city centre. It is located north of York’s city centre and is located in the centre of the town. The name of the street is “Gillygate” and “Gillgate”

Ogleforth Ogleforth is a street in the city centre of York, in England. It is one of the streets in the centre of the city and is located in the north of York.

Duncombe Place Duncombe Place is a street in the city centre of York, in England. Duncombe Street is one of the streets in the centre of the city.

Monkgate Monkgate is a street in York, North Yorkshire running north-east from the city centre. It is one of the main streets in the North Yorkshire city of York.

Petergate Petergate is a street in the city centre of York, in England. It is divided into High Petergate and Low Petergate. The well-known view of the Minster is described by the City of York Council as “excellent”

Visit York plaques