People have lived on the current site of York since about 4000 B.C., but it wasn’t until the Romans arrived in circa 71 A.D. that the city was officially founded. The Romans chose York as their base the Northern Ninth Legion. They named the settlement ‘Eboracum‘, and as they say, the rest is history!
For a full insight in to York’s history, we recommend an excellent website at http://www.historyofyork.org.uk
As you may know, York has buildings or remains from every age since the Romans. To see the best examples of each age click on one of the links below:
Roman York (71 – 400 A.D.)
York was founded by the Romans, and there is still plenty of evidence of their influence on the city, including:
- The Roman Walls and Multangular Tower
- Roman Column
- Roman Baths
- Roman Graveyards
Anglo-Saxon York (c.400 – 866)
Following the gradual end to the Roman occupation, York like much of England disappeared in to the Dark Ages. Little is know about the city during this time, and little architecture exists. Fortunately several significant artefacts have been uncovered, including the famous ‘York Helmet’, which you can now see on display in the Yorkshire Museum.
Viking York (866 – 1066)
The first Viking army sailed their boats up the Ouse to attack the city in 866 A.D. It took a couple of years for the Vikings to establish themselves in the area, but once they had done so, they had a lasting influence on the makeup of York.
Viking remains have been uncovered all over the city, but nowhere was as significant as the Coppergate site, which became the Jorvik Viking Centre.
Norman York (1066 – 1212)
The Norman Invasion of 1066 was one of the most significant events in English history, changing the entire fabric of the country. Many of York’s most significant buildings were built in Norman times including:
York Castle (Clifford’s Tower)
Medieval York (1212 – 1485)
The Norman Age came to an end in York in 1212 when York had its very own charter, 3 years before the Magna Carta. This period in history is often referred to as Medieval times. It was a period of great upheaval and continued warring with the Scots. York became a key northern stronghold and was heavily fortified. This led to the creation of the city’s walls and bars.
History of the walls
York has been a walled city since the Romans settled here 2,000 years ago. Unfortunately most of the original Roman Walls are no longer visible. Some sections were used as the foundations for the current walls, whilst other areas gradually disappeared over the centuries, as the stones were taken for other buildings.
Tudor & Stuart York (1485 – 1714)
The Tudor period provided York with many of its iconic black and white timber houses. These include:
Georgian York (1714 – 1830)
The Georgian period was a time of huge social change in Britain, as well as the growth of the British Empire overseas. York was a bit of a backwater during this time, but still has many fine examples of the neo-classical architectural style of the day. These include:
Fairfax House; Lord Mayor’s House;
The De Grey Rooms; Bootham; Mickelgate
Victorian York (1837 – 1901)
The Victorian era brought the railways, which provided a renaissance for York. The inclusion of the city on the main route from London to Edinburgh secured its future prosperity for the next century. With the railways came rapid expansion of the city, and you can see many examples of Victoria architecture across the city. These include:
York Railway stations (old and new); The Railway Offices; York Theatre Royal; Joseph Rowntrees & Terry’s chocolate factories; New Earswick village.
Wartime York (1939 – 1945)
Fortunately York survived the Second World War much better than some of England’s other historical towns like Coventry and Plymouth. This was primarily due to the lack of major industry in the city, as it was not a strategically important target.
Modern York
During the 20th Century, York saw two world wars, the establishment of a new university, a decline in its traditional industries, and a rise in its global status as a premium historic tourist destination.
Tourism is now York’s primary industry, attracting over 4 million visitors a year. It is currently in the process of applying for ‘World Heritage Status’.
