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I don’t know if it was the pub covered in dead animals, or the buildings leaning away from their foundations. What I do know is that the resilient old city of York left an impression on me.
York was the unsuspecting third stop of our UK trip. It was kind of thrown in as an afterthought because for some reason I thought we’d have so much time on our first huge 10 day trip to Europe. Whether it was smart or not to add this extra city is debatable, since we felt short on time during this entire trip. However, I have decided that I would not go back and un-see any of the amazing places we stopped at.
So here is how we made the most of a super quick overnight stop in this tenacious historical city turned lively college town.
How to Spend One Day in York
Join York’s free evening walking tour
This was first on our agenda as soon as our train from Bath arrived in York, after we settled in at the Burton Stone Inn. If you visit York, you have to do the free walking tour. It’s a must. Our guide was so knowledgeable and truly had a love for his city’s history. It helps that hearing about York’s checkered past can really hold a person’s attention! And I mean it’s free, so you pretty much have to do it. There are tours offered every single day of the year except Christmas so these folks are dedicated, and they won’t even accept tips!
Football festivities in the air
I cannot take credit for being in England during the World Cup, but the timing certainly was impeccable. On our one evening in York, there happened to be a World Cup match that night. England vs. Columbia to be exact. Now can you imagine being in a college town on a street just lined with pubs, when England is tied with Columbia and they are about to head to the shoot-out?
Imagine walking down the street past all these pubs, and listening as one large mass of people jammed into a pub yell out in excitement (or frustration), and the pub down the street (their TV being slightly delayed), yells out with the same intensity an instant later. Feeling that kind of energy in a new city is such an awesome feeling, and I am so glad it was something we were able to witness. Especially after England won!
York is a tad spooky
So you have the Shambles, which look just like something out of Harry Potter (Diagon Alley, anyone?). Then, there is the skeleton of an old monastery smack dab in the middle of the city. Also, let’s not forget about the city’s violent past plagued with murder, and well, plague. Too soon for the plague pun?
The Shambles are a big part of York’s character, with the narrow street and buildings leaning into each other, blocking out the sunlight. They have a bit of a yucky history, as these buildings were once used by butchers, and you can still see the hooks in each window where meats once hung. You may notice the cobbled center of the road is lower than the cement running along the sides of it. This was once used to dispose waste, as it would flow down the street to wherever it would finally settle. We’re talking animal waste and human waste.
Very lovely, I know. I have certainly convinced you to go visit York now, I’m sure! But seriously you’ve got to see this street. All the bent colorful buildings are so very interesting, you’ll want to stroll down here at least once to check it out.
Learn about York’s fascinating history
As I mentioned, the history is a little bit messed up. They’ve been conquered over and over again by various different invaders, and there’s been instances of massacre and murder. It’s no wonder some claim this to be the most haunted city in Great Britain.
Although streets littered with trash and urine during the medieval period were not entirely unique to York, it certainly had its share. Our tour guide actually pointed out a little hole in one of the old brick buildings in the city. This used to function as a gentlemen resident’s toilet. I guess when all the townsfolk are dumping urine and feces onto the medieval streets of York anyways, why not just pee straight out the building?
Then there’s their history with plague. York was hit very hard during the 1300’s, losing at least a third of it’s population. Even though the city would continue to have outbreaks throughout the next few centuries, the town did continue to grow and prosper with various trades.
Check out the Burton Stone
Speaking of the plague, we have got to talk about the Burton Stone! I mentioned earlier that we had the pleasure of staying at the Burton Stone Inn. While the inn itself was fine, but rather ordinary, we had no idea our room was a few yards away from a piece of significant history. My wonderful husband actually took the time to read the welcome book while we chilled in our room, and informed me of this “Burton Stone” that was supposedly sitting right outside of the inn.
We had walked to and from the place at least twice now and noticed nothing, so they clearly must have put it in a discreet spot. Well, that wasn’t really the case, as it was sitting front and center right outside of the building. This stone was actually used during the plague for traders bringing goods into the city. The residents of York would pay for the goods by placing coins into the vinegar filled bowls in the stone. This was meant to prevent the disease from spreading outside the city walls. I don’t think this is something a lot of visitors to York really notice. I know we would not have if we weren’t staying at that inn.
There are fun little surprises
There are some fun little surprises in York that you may stumble upon during your visit. If not for our tour, we might have missed all the little “snickleways” coming off the main street, which kind of feel like “secret” passageways. The guide also pointed out a café with a glass floor that displayed a Roman ruin underneath of it. We actually stopped here the next morning for some coffee. The cappuccinos were unspectacular, but the Roman ruin was way cool! Definitely not something you’d find at a Starbucks!
There’s also the ruins of the Roman Wall that once surrounded the historical city. You can actually take a two hour walk on a wide path on top of the walls. The higher vantage point really allows for some good sight-seeing!
Visiting York Minster is mandatory
You can’t miss the colossal building that is York Minster as it towers over the city. You will not even understand how giant this thing is until you see it. I have never seen a church so big! It’s even impossible to fit it all into one photograph – believe me, I tried! The Minster has the largest collection of medieval stained glass in the UK thanks to careful conservation efforts over the centuries. Amazingly, each piece of glass was removed from the Minster during both world wars, and completely restored afterwards. Maintenance of these windows is, of course, ongoing to this day.
Cool pub, weird burgers
The House of the Trembling Madness is a badass pub with exposed beams throughout from the petrified wood of an extremely old sunken ship. It’s also carefully decorated with dead animals on the walls to keep you company as you sip your beverage. Nevertheless, it actually felt rather cozy in there. We did very much enjoy the beers they had on the menu as well, but do not order a burger if you are from America. It is different than what you are used to in a very bad way. Skip the burger for your own good, as you will be sorely disappointed.
By the time we finished the tour’s brief overview of York’s history, I’d lost count of how many times they’d been conquered. It’s a place that has seen sadness, misery, violence and filth. However, it never lost it’s own sense of identity and actually continued to thrive through all of this. It is a resilient and tenacious little corner of England, and I truly wish I had more time here. I guess I’ll just have to come back to England!
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So are you thinking of heading to York, or have you visited before? What did you think of this city? Share your story below!
