York and Chester

After crossing the Scottish and English border at Carter Bar on our way to York we enjoyed the rolling hills of Northumberland National Park and Hadrian’s Wall weaving its way through the countryside stopping at the Housesteads National Trust Visitor Centre – Bardon Mill, Northumberland.

Hadrian’s Wall is a 73-mile (80 Roman miles) Roman-built fortification, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, crossing through Northumberland, Cumbria, and Tyne and Wear. Voted the nation’s favourite trail, the 84-mile long Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail takes you around meadows and woodlands from Bowness on Solway in the west to Wallsend in the east, or vice versa. 
 

We enjoyed a very welcome English Pub dinner at Charles XII York – Heslington, York

YORK

With Roman origins the city of York holds 1,900 years’ worth of history in its ancient walls. A historic, walled cathedral city build by the Romans in 71 AD and caputred by the Vikings in 866 AD is renowned for its Roman, Viking and medieval heritage, including the massive York Minster, The Shambles, and Roman-era city walls. York is half-way between London and Edinburgh within the glorious Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Wolds. 

Guide to York City Walls Trail

We started our first day in York with a Blue Badge guided walk inside the city walls, with lunch at the Impossible Restaurant Wonderbar. Our walk included:

  • Clifford’s Tower –  the largest surviving part of York Castle, northern England’s greatest medieval fortress.
  • Merchant Adventurers’ Hall – one of the finest medieval guildhalls in the world.  Stepping into 660 years of history with its 14th Century oak roof and the timber framed Hall which was home for the Company of Merchant Adventurers since 1357.…from the medieval wool trade, via the railways, chocolate and two universities to the 21st century Science City.
  • The Shambles – a historic, narrow medieval street in the city renowned as one of the best-preserved in Europe with 14th-century timber-framed buildings that overhang the street. Once a street of butchers’ shops (“flesh shambles”), it is now a bustling, popular tourist area known for its Harry Potter-inspired, independent shops and unique atmosphere.
  • Stonegate – one of the most attractive and architecturally varied streets in York.  Originally tracing the path of an ancient Roman road between Saint Helen’s Square and the majestic York Minster, Stonegate has been a central feature of the city since antiquity. The significance of Stonegate surged during the 11th century when York Minster was undergoing reconstruction. The street served as a vital route for transporting stone from a nearby quay to the construction site, highlighting its pivotal role in the city’s development. The land along Stonegate primarily belonged to York Minster, with the area rapidly developing into a densely populated district of tenements.
  • Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate – the shortest street in Yorkshire is a notable street in York famed for its brief span and distinctive name. The name humorously means “neither-one-thing-nor-the-other street,” though a plaque suggests it could be interpreted as “what a street!” Historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries refer to it alternatively as Salvey Rents or Salvegate.
  • Barley Hall – a medieval townhouse, once home to the Priors of Nostell and the Mayor of York that has been restored to its former glory after being rediscovered in the 1980’s. It boasts stunning high ceilings, beautiful exposed timber frames, possibly the only horn window in England and a magnificent Great Hall.
  • St Helen’s Square – an open space in the city centre and a great place to meet people, shop or to be entertained by street performers, all surrounded by charming and historic buildings including St. Helen’s Church and The Mansion House.
  • Davygate – a much-altered street between St Sampson’s Square and St Helen’s Square. Excavations have revealed the remains of legionary barracks and the Roman fortress wall lies under the buildings along the south-west side.
  • St Sampson’s Square – is a bustling open space in York historically known as a market place, adjacent to St Sampson’s Church and Parliament Street, it serves as a key city hub featuring cafes, pubs and seasonal attractions like the York Big Wheel.
  • St Mary’s Abbey – remains of one of the wealthiest and most powerful Benedictine monasteries in England.  Its story ties together two of the most important events in English history: it was begun by William the Conqueror to reinforce his hold on the north after 1066 and ended by Henry the Eighth as a consequence of his Reformation of the church.
  • King’s Manor University of York – originally the abbot’s house of St Mary’s Abbey, King’s Manor served the Tudors and Stuarts as a seat of government, becoming residences in the 18th century and a school in the 19th century. The history of King’s Manor has woven a continuous thread in the story of York since medieval times.  During the 16th century, the Kings Council governed the North of England from its seat at Kings Manor, which was located within the grounds of the old St. Mary’s Abbey.  Located between York Art Gallery and York Museum Gardens on Exhibition Square in the city centre.
  • Precentor’s Court – a historic street certainly in existence by 1313, the street does not appear on a map until 1610, and it is not given a name until 1722.
  • York Minster – formally the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is one of Northern Europe’s largest and most magnificent Gothic cathedrals. It has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England since the 7th century.  Including handcrafted stone, collection of medieval stained glass featuring 15th-century stained glass, a 276-step central tower and a history shaped by 2000 years of human creativity, dating back to a 7th-century wooden church.
  • St Mary’s Square – includes St Mary’s Church
  • Umbrella Street, Coppergate  – “Umbrella Street” in York, officially named Coppergate, is an art installation that was installed in 2017.
  • The Coppergate Centre – an open-air shopping centre in the heart of York
  • Parish of All Saints, Pavement – Coppergat
  • Jorvik Viking Centre – discover the lives of the inhabitants of 10th-century York while travelling around the reconstruction of the city.  All that you see during your visit is based on archaeological evidence found during the Coppergate excavation with emphasis on recreating very detail of the experience.

The following day we were all out and about for another full day which included:

  • Castle Howard – an English country house in Henderskelfe, North Yorkshire including spectacular interiors, the chapel, the walled garden and almost 1,000 acres of Grade 1 listed parkland with statues, temples, lakes and fountains while admiring the sweeping countryside views.  The Howard family has lived in Castle Howard ever since it was built on the site of the medieval castle of Henderskelfe, over 300 years ago. 
  • Pickering – a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire on the border of the North York Moors National Park and one of the area’s oldest towns, founded in 270 BC.  Best knowns for its heritage railway.  
  • North Yorkshire Moors Heritage Railway – Pickering is a 1930’s themed station and as we travelled to Goathland we saw the North York Moors National Park around Levisham Station.  Goathland station became Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter film.
  • Whitby – a seaside town with its narrow streets and bustling harbour port in North Yorkshire located at the mouth of the River Esk.  It has produced many fine sailors; the most famous among them being Captain James Cook who learnt his seamanship here and whose wooden ships were built at Whitby taking him on voyages around the world (1769–75). We all enjoyed this ideal setting for a Fish ’n’ chips dinner overlooking the port at Trenchers Restaurant.
  • RAF Fylingdales – located on the North York Moors, it is a critical UK Ministry of Defence radar station providing 24/7 Ballistic Missile Early Warning (BMEWS) and space surveillance for the UK and US. Operational since 1963, it features a 9-story “pyramid” radar (replacing iconic “golf balls”) that tracks objects 3,000 miles into space.

CHESTER

Today, Wednesday 13 August we stopped at the historic Roman city of Chester before heading to Bangor, Wales. 

So much more to discover in England with our Blue Badge guided Walking Tour walking where Roman Legionnaires marched to war, Viking raiders wreaked havoc and Norman invaders conquered Anglo Saxons.

Chester has the most complete city walls in Britain and is famous for the black and white buildings including the 700 year old Rows, two-tier medieval galleries of shops.  Originally settled by the Romans in the first century AD and called Fortress Diva, after the River Dee upon which it stands.  During the Dark Ages, Chester came under attack from Viking raiders who sailed up the river in their longships. After the conquest of Britain by the Normans in 1066, William I created the first Earl of Chester who began the construction of Chester Castle.

Our walking tour included: 

  • Abbey Gateway and Abbey Square
  • Statue of Janya – the Baby Elephant
  • Werburgh Street – one of the most beautiful streets in the historic Roman walled city, beautiful Victorian era building including a row of terraced houses called St Werburgh Row.
  • City Walls – the oldest, longest, and most complete Roman and medieval defensive walls in Britain, featuring a 2-mile (3.2–3.6 km) elevated circuit surrounding the historic city. Originally built by Romans between 70–80 AD and rebuilt in stone later, the walls offer a scenic walking route showcasing towers, gates, and city views.
  • Eastgate Clock – standing at what was the original entrance to the Deva Victrix fort, however, the original Roman gate was rebuilt in Georgian times to allow access for coaches.  The Eastgate clock was a later addition in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.  The Eastgate clock, one of Chester’s most famous landmarks is the second most photographed clock in the UK after Big Ben.
  • The Old Boot Inn – tucked away on Eastgate Street within The Rows it is one of Chester’s oldest pubs, with origins tracing back to the 14th century.  Named for its medieval association with travellers and their sturdy boots, this black-and-white timbered gem has served ale to locals, merchants, and weary pilgrims for centuries. Rebuilt in the 17th century after wear and tear, it retains its low-beamed ceilings, uneven floors, and cozy nooks, offering a glimpse into Chester’s medieval life. Today, it’s a popular spot for a pint, but its long history hints at more than just frothy tales—it’s a place where the past might still linger.