York’s Past

Gorgeous morning today. Bright, clear, warm, just enough of a breeze on the top deck of the sightseeing bus to keep you cool and alert. The tour was good, and I got off about half-way through at Clifford’s Tower.

Clifford's Tower was the keep of the old York Castle that used to stand here. It's just a hollow shell, now; neglect, and a 17th century mishap where the powder stores were ignited during gun salute blew the top off the tower.
Clifford’s Tower was the keep of the old York Castle that used to stand here. It’s just a hollow shell, now; neglect, and a 17th century mishap where the powder stores were ignited during gun salute blew the top off the tower.

There were a couple wooden castles that stood on this spot. One was the site of a rather horrific episode in 1190, when about 150 Jews, pursued by mobs all het-up with antisemitism and Crusade fever, sought refuge. The Jewish population pushed their way into the castle, locking out the royal constable, and set about holding off the maddened, rioting mobs. They were offered their lives if they would be baptized, and promised death if they refused. In the end, they set fire to the castle, choosing to immolate themselves rather than renounce their faith and accept the dubious guarantees of the Christians.

Not something York is very proud of.

This is the interior of Clifford's Tower. Back before the gun accident, there were wooden floors and partitions in here, turning it into an actual livable location. The large slab in the centre was the base of the central pillar that reached up to the former ceiling, providing support for the higher floors.
This is the interior of Clifford’s Tower. Back before the gun accident, there were wooden floors and partitions in here, turning it into an actual livable location. The large octagonal section in the centre was the base of the central pillar that reached up to the former ceiling, providing support for the higher floors.

Clifford’s Tower is right next to the York Castle Museum. The rest of York Castle is long gone, and the remaining buildings are a former women’s prison and a former debtor’s prison. It’s a pretty great museum.

Near the entry of the women's prison wing of the museum, there are a few rooms set up to reflect different eras. This is a very nice Victorian parlour.
Near the entry of the women’s prison wing of the museum, there are a few rooms set up to reflect different eras. This is a very nice Victorian parlour.
Here's a dining room from the Elizabethan era.
Here’s a dining room from the Elizabethan era.
One of the main draws of the museum in Kirkgate, a reconstructed Victorian street. Well, I say street, but it's actually a couple of streets, with some nice twisty alleys. All the building facings are authentic, having been moved to the museum from various cities and neighbourhoods to build their authentic street scene.
One of the main draws of the museum in Kirkgate, a reconstructed Victorian street. Well, I say street, but it’s actually a couple of streets, with some nice twisty alleys. All the building facings are authentic, having been moved to the museum from various cities and neighbourhoods to build their authentic street scene.
Some of the shops on the street are open, like this Victorian pharmacy.
Some of the shops on the street are open, like this Victorian pharmacy.
A little dead end alley, with washing hanging from the higher floors. The two posted papers are a notice about how to avoid disease from city water, and an advertisement for an exhibition of torture implements and accounts.
A little dead end alley, with washing hanging from the higher floors. The two posted papers are a notice about how to avoid disease from city water, and an advertisement for an exhibition of torture implements and accounts.
One of the cool things about this street display is that they put up handbills. Victorian streets wee plastered with these kinds of ads and notices.
One of the cool things about this street display is that they put up handbills. Victorian streets wee plastered with these kinds of ads and notices.

The other wing of the museum, which was once a debtor’s prison, featured an in-depth look at the impact of WWI on the UK, and York in particular.

One section was a mock-up of a trench, with little offices and rooms opening off it, providing more displays and accounts.
One section was a mock-up of a trench, with little offices and rooms opening off it, providing more displays and accounts.
You can go out to see the exercise yard of the old debtor's prison. You can even walk down outside the wall to see an old mill. There are some toys and stuff in here for the younger visitors; I don't think they're original to the yard.
You can go out to see the exercise yard of the old debtor’s prison. You can even walk down outside the wall to see an old mill. There are some toys and stuff in here for the younger visitors; I don’t think they’re original to the yard.
I did meet some other Canadians in the exercise yard, though. They very graciously did not attack me even though I would up between the parents and some of the goslings at some point.
I did meet some other Canadians in the exercise yard, though. They very graciously did not attack me even though I would up between the parents and some of the goslings at some point.

After I finished up there, I went to find Jorvik, a special museum dedicated to showing off the Viking finds on the site in the 70s and 80s. Very cool stuff. A lot of it was in the form of a little car ride through a rebuilt Viking village full of animatronics1, but there was a lot of interest there, too.

Here's the reconstructed Coppergate Helmet. It's based on the remains of a helmet found at this site.
Here’s the reconstructed Coppergate Helmet. It’s based on the remains of a helmet found at this site.
There was a really nice fellow here, at this coin-striking demonstration. I got him to strike a coin for me, which was very cool, and he let me take this picture of his tools and props.
There was a really nice fellow here, at this coin-striking demonstration. I got him to strike a coin for me, which was very cool, and he let me take this picture of his tools and props.

At this point, I went and got back on the sightseeing bus, planning to go see the Richard III museum. Unfortunately, I missed the stop, and the day had clouded over and gotten chilly. So, I rode the bus around to the start of the tour, and got off to find some lunch.

I wandered down through the twisty, turny, medievally part of the city near the Minster, and found a neat pub called Ye Olde Starre Inne2. Now, the thing that caught my eye about the place was that it didn’t have any street fronting. The Starre Inne, like the House of Trembling Madness and a few other places I saw, had been cut off from the street by new buildings, so they made their own arrangements. The House of Trembling Madness had its entry through another store, while the Starre Inne had a large sign across the entire width of Stonegate Street3 and a little alley that led to the Inne’s gardens.

The Inne has a couple of beer gardens, and a moderately large tavern. They serve a really good fish and chips, and have some tasty cider.
The Inne has a couple of beer gardens, and a moderately large tavern. They serve a really good fish and chips, and have some tasty cider.

After that, I just wandered the streets for a while, trying to decide if I was going to call it a day or if I would try to squeeze in a visit to York Minster today. I made my way over to the Minster, and saw that it was going to close in half an hour, so I decided to save it for tomorrow morning.

So, that, and maybe a walk on the city walls, is slated for tomorrow morning. Tomorrow afternoon, I’ve booked a trip out to Castle Howard. That should be cool.

  1. As Paul said, kinda Disney. [↩]
  2. Apparently, extra letters – especially Es – were very cheap in the Elizabethan period. [↩]
  3. Paid for in 1652, originally. [↩]

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