The Shambles facts for kids
Looking south towards the intersection of Shambles and Little Shambles streets, 2018
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| Former name(s) |
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| Location | York, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 53°57′33.85″N 1°4′48.40″W / 53.9594028°N 1.0801111°W |
| North end | Newgate, York |
| South end | Pavement, York |
The Shambles is a very old and famous street in York, England. It's known for its unique buildings with wooden frames that lean out over the street. Some of these buildings are super old, dating back to the 1300s!
This street was once called The Great Flesh Shambles. This name came from an old word, Fleshammels, which meant 'flesh-shelves'. These were the shelves butchers used to show off their meat. A long time ago, in 1872, there were 25 butcher shops on this street. Today, there are no butcher shops left.
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What Does "Shambles" Mean?
The word "Shambles" used to mean an outdoor place where animals were prepared for meat and sold. Streets with this name were where butchers worked. They would prepare animals right there for people to buy.
One idea is that the word "Shambles" comes from "Shammel," an old word for shelves where things were displayed. By the year 971, "shamble" meant a 'bench for selling goods'. By 1305, it meant a 'stall for selling meat'.
Back then, there weren't the same rules for cleanliness we have today. Animal parts and blood were often thrown into a small ditch in the middle of the street.
You can find streets named "The Shambles" in other towns and cities across the United Kingdom. These include places like Bradford on Avon, Chesterfield, Guildford, Swansea, Chippenham, Manchester, Sevenoaks, Whitby, Worcester, and Armagh. There's even a Fishamble Street in Dublin.
The Story of Shambles Street
Even though The Shambles isn't directly named in a very old book from 1086 called the Domesday Book, we know it existed. The book mentions two butcher stalls near a church called St Crux. This area was known as Marketshire until the 1300s.
The Shambles itself had a few different names over time:
- By 1240, it was called Haymongergate.
- In 1394, it was known as Nedlergate.
These names probably came from other types of shops or crafts that were on the street. By 1426, it was commonly called the Great Flesh Shambles, which was later shortened to its name today. Many of the buildings you see now were built between 1350 and 1475.
Famous People and Old Shops
On The Shambles, you can find a special place dedicated to Saint Margaret Clitherow. She was married to a butcher who owned a shop and lived on this very street. People believe her home was at No. 10 Shambles. This house even has a secret hiding place called a "priest hole" in its fireplace! Like most buildings on The Shambles, these are protected historic buildings.
Even though the butchers are gone, some shops still have old meat-hooks hanging outside. Below them, you can see the shelves where meat used to be displayed. Today, the shops on The Shambles include restaurants, other stores, a bookshop, and a bakery. Five narrow passages, called "snickelways," lead off The Shambles.
The Shambles Market
The Shambles Market is open every day. It's located between The Shambles and Parliament Street. This market used to be called Newgate Market, named after the street it's on. But in 2015, it was renamed The Shambles Market.
Harry Potter Connection?
The Shambles is one of several places that people say inspired Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books. Since 2017, four wizard-themed shops have opened on the street. However, the author, J.K. Rowling, has said that she has never visited The Shambles. So, it wasn't her inspiration for Diagon Alley.
Image gallery
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Jettied buildings overhang the street by several feet
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The Shambles is now a popular tourist destination (2005)
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The Shambles by night, 2009
