York city walls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids York city walls
View of the city, looking north-east from the city wall, near the railway station. The brown spire at left in the middle distance is the Oratory Church of Saint Wilfrid, and the three towers of York Minster are visible behind
Type	Fortification
Location	York, England
Area	2.11 miles (3.40 kilometres)
Built	13th–14th century
Original use	Urban defence
Restored	19th century
Current use	Open as a museum
Architectural style(s)	Medieval, Gothic Revival
Owner	City of York Council
Website	www.york.gov.uk/CityWalls
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Bootham Bar City Wall from Bootham Bar to Layerthorpe, Monk Bar, Robin Hoods Tower
Designated	14 June 1954
Reference no.	1259293
Scheduled monument
Official name: York Minster Cathedral Precinct: including Bootham Bar and the length of City Walls extending round the precinct up to Monk Bar
Designated	8 October 1937
Reference no.	1017777
Scheduled monument
Official name: City Walls, gates, posterns, moats, mounds, Bayle (or Baile) Hill, St Leonard's Hospital and Merchant Taylor's Hall, Aldwark
Designated	April 1922
Reference no.	1004910
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The York City Walls are ancient defensive walls that surround the city of York in England. People have protected York with walls since Roman times. Today, York has more miles of these old walls still standing than any other city in England.

These walls are also known as the Bar Walls. Sometimes people call them the Roman walls, but this isn't quite right. Most of the stone you see today is from the Middle Ages, not Roman times. The walls are usually about 13 feet (4 meters) high and 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide. They are the longest town walls in England, offering a fantastic walk through history!

Exploring the History of York's Walls

Roman Beginnings: The First Walls

The very first walls in York were built around 71 AD. This was when the Romans created a large fort, or castra, next to the River Ouse. These early walls were part of the fort's defenses.

Today, you can still see parts of these Roman foundations. About half of the current walls follow the original Roman path.

• One section, including the famous Multangular Tower, is in the Museum Gardens.
• You can also find Roman parts between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar.
• Another stretch near the Merchant Taylors' Hall shows the lower parts of the Roman wall.

An illustration from 1807 showing the Multangular Tower and the city walls.

A map of York from 1611 by John Speed.

The Amazing Multangular Tower

The Multangular Tower in the Museum Gardens is the best-preserved part of the Roman walls. It was one of eight similar towers built for defense. While the main Roman walls were likely built by Septimius Severus, the Multangular Tower was probably added later by Constantine the Great around 310–320 AD.

This tower has ten sides and stands almost 30 feet (9 meters) tall. Its base is about 48.5 feet (14.8 meters) wide. The tower sticks out from the main wall, making it harder for attackers to get close. It was built with strong concrete foundations and limestone blocks. You can still see small openings, called arrowslits, from the 13th century in its upper parts.

The East Angle Tower

Another Roman structure is the East Angle Tower. You can see its remains in the grounds of the Merchant Taylors Hall. Parts of it were uncovered in 1953, showing us more about York's Roman past.

From Vikings to Victorians: Changes Over Time

The Danes took over York in 867 AD. By then, the Roman defenses were in poor condition. The Danes repaired the walls, but they removed all the Roman towers except for the Multangular Tower.

Most of the walls you see today were built much later, during the 13th and 14th centuries. These medieval walls go all the way around the old city. For example, from the Roman walls, the medieval wall stretches to Layerthorpe Bridge.

In the Middle Ages, the city's defenses included not just the walls but also a rampart (a raised bank) and a deep ditch. This ditch was once 60 feet (18.3 meters) wide and 10 feet (3 meters) deep! Over time, most of it was filled in. This is why the ground around the walls today is often higher than it was long ago.

The walls continue beyond the River Foss at the Red Tower. This brick building has been repaired many times. The walls then go south and west around the Walmgate area. They end at another tower called Fishergate Postern, near York Castle. The castle itself had its own walls and a moat.

On the west side of Tower Gardens, a small section of wall ends at Davy Tower. This brick tower is next to the River Ouse. It used to connect to the castle walls.

Across the Ouse, the walls start again at Skeldergate. They climb past Baile Hill and then turn towards the railway station. They eventually finish at Barker Tower, also on the Ouse. Barker Tower was once connected to Lendal Tower by a chain across the river.

The walls were repaired during the English Civil War and later during the Jacobite risings. This was because people worried about invasions.

During the Victorian era, the walls were restored after falling into disrepair. The Victorians made the wall-walk wider. In some places, they extended it to offer better views, like towards the cathedral. They also rebuilt the battlements and the tops of the walls. Some parts still have small holes, called musket loops, from the 17th century. These were for firing muskets.

Today, the York City Walls are a scheduled ancient monument and a Grade I listed building. This means they are very important historical sites that are protected.

Etching from 1814, showing Micklegate Bar with its ruined barbican.

Micklegate Bar after restoration, with the barbican removed.

The Famous Bars: York's Grand Gateways

The city walls have four main gatehouses, called 'bars'. These bars controlled traffic in medieval times. They were used to collect tolls and served as strong defensive points during wars.

Bootham Bar: A Northern Entrance

Much of Bootham Bar was built in the 14th and 19th centuries. However, it also has some of the oldest stonework, dating back to the 11th century. It stands near where a Roman gate once was. Its name comes from "bar at the booths," referring to nearby market stalls. Its outer defense, called a barbican, was removed in 1835.

Records from the 11th century suggest the Roman Gate was still in use in the late 7th century. In the 14th century, a portcullis (a heavy gate that slides down) and a barbican were added. The gateway was damaged during the English Civil War in 1644 but was repaired a year later.

Bootham Bar in the shadow of York Minster.

Monk Bar: A Fort Within the Walls

This four-story gatehouse is the tallest and most detailed of the four main bars. It was built in the early 14th century. Monk Bar was designed like a small, self-contained fort. Each floor could be defended separately! It replaced an older 12th-century gate. From 1993 to 2020, Monk Bar housed a museum. Today, it still has its original portcullis, which can still be moved.

Walmgate Bar: The Last Barbican

Most of Walmgate Bar was built in the 14th century, but its inner gateway is from the 12th century. Its most special feature is its barbican, which is the only one still standing on a town gate in England! It also has its portcullis and reproduction 15th-century oak doors. On the inside, an Elizabethan house, built in 1584, extends over the gateway. People lived in this house until 1957.

The Bar has been repaired many times. It was badly damaged in 1648 after being hit by cannon fire during the Siege of York in the English Civil War. It was also damaged in 1489 by rebels protesting tax increases.

Walmgate Bar with its barbican, seen from outside the walls.

Walmgate Bar in the 1820s before restoration.

Micklegate Bar: The Royal Entrance

The name Micklegate comes from an Old Norse phrase meaning "great road." This four-story gatehouse was the traditional ceremonial entrance for kings and queens entering York. Since Richard II in 1389, monarchs would touch the state sword when passing through this gate.

The lower part of Micklegate Bar was built in the 12th century, with the upper stories added in the 14th century. Its original barbican was removed in 1826. At least six reigning monarchs have passed through this historic gate. The Bar was inhabited until the 20th century. Today, its upper floors are a museum called the City Walls Experience at Micklegate Bar. A restoration of the Bar was completed in late 2017.

A 1782 engraving showing Micklegate Bar, noting earlier repairs.

Smaller Gateways: Minor Bars

Besides the four main bars, York's walls also have two smaller bars.

Fishergate Bar

This bar was first built around 1315. It was closed off after riots in 1489. However, it was reopened in 1827. Today, it allows people to walk through the walls between the Fishergate area and George Street.

Victoria Bar

As its name suggests, Victoria Bar is a newer addition from the 19th century. It opened in 1838 to create a direct path between Nunnery Lane and Bishophill. During its construction, workers found the remains of a much older gateway underneath it. This was likely a small, secluded entrance from early medieval times that had been blocked up.

Posterns: Secret Passages and Hidden Gates

A postern is a secondary or hidden door or gate in a city wall or castle. These were often placed in secret spots. They allowed people to enter and leave quietly. During a siege, a postern could be used as a "sally port." This allowed defenders to rush out and surprise the attackers. Because they were small and less visible, posterns were easy to defend.

The York City Walls have many posterns that are still intact. Records also show others that were removed as the city grew.

Fishergate Postern tower today.

• Red Tower

The Red Tower marks an end point of the walls. It is located on Foss Islands Road. Records show it was built around 1490 and is still in good condition today.

• North Street Postern Tower (also known as Barker Tower)

This tower is on the west bank of the River Ouse. Built in the 14th century, it was a "boom tower." Its original purpose was to hold one end of a chain stretched across the river. The other end was attached to Lendal Tower. This chain could block boats from passing. It was restored in 1930.

• Lendal Tower

Located on the north bank of the River Ouse, Lendal Tower was the other boom tower. It worked with North Street Postern Tower. In the 17th century, it became a water tower. Today, it is a holiday rental property.

• Fishergate Postern (also known as St George's Postern)

This postern was built in 1440. It is located at the corner of Fishergate and Piccadilly. It was changed in 1505 and was separated from York Castle by water. It has four floors. Today, the Friends Of York Walls group leases it from the City Council and uses it for displays about the walls.

Interval Towers: Watchpoints Along the Walls

Besides the postern towers, the city walls have many other "interval towers." These towers were built at regular distances along the walls to provide extra defense and watchpoints. In 1972, experts documented all 39 towers. Here are a few notable ones:

See also

• List of town walls in England and Wales
• History of York
• Eboracum
• Museum Gardens
• Siege of York