Features
Walk Through the Past
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Walk Through the Past
York's appeal stems largely from the survival of its central streets in their original form. While many cities and towns had
their centers remodeled over the years, central York was spared wholesale change. Plans to demolish the city walls during
the Victorian period were resisted, and within the precise boundaries of those restored walls the narrow streets and interlocking
alleys and courtyards make up one of the best preserved late medieval cities in Europe.
Many of York's old houses are not the original buildings; they have been rebuilt or restored over time. But their styles are
medieval, and so venerable is the layout of central York that when you walk down Stonegate you follow the exact line of the
Roman approach road to the imperial encampment of AD 71.
The most famous of York's ancient thoroughfares is The Shambles, a narrow street overhung by timber-framed houses. Its name
derives from the butchers' shops and slaughterhouses once located here. Today's The Shambles is a delight. It typifies York's
medieval character, but in times past this would have been a filthy, raucous, rough-and-ready place that would horrify modern
sensibilities. Today it can be enjoyed for its quaintness, free of medieval realities. Don't miss bustling Newgate Market
(open daily) between Parliament Street and The Shambles, where - within the rules of modern hygiene and legality - some of
the liveliness of medieval times still survives.
To get the most out of old York, explore the interlocking alleys that connect the center. Wander at will with a city map,
which will show you the main landmarks, but investigate the twists and turns of the numerous passages leading off Stonegate,
Petergate, Davygate and Church Street. They'll land you unexpectedly in the bustle of St. Helen's Square, with its handsome
Mansion House and Guildhall, or in King's Square, where old gravestones make up part of the paving. Brimming with charming
little shops, cafés and restaurants, old York exudes unforgettable character.
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