RAMBLINGS AND RUMBLINGS: YORK

Part of York Castle in the centre of the city.

The city of York lies at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. In AD 71 the Roman Ninth Legion conquered the local Brigantes tribe and built a wooden fort on the site. This was later rebuilt in stone and housed some 6,000 soldiers. A town grew up around the fort and was known as Eboracum. The Roman Emperors Hadrian, Septimus Severus and Constantius I all stayed here at some time. Severus proclaimed it the capital of Britannia Inferior. In 306 AD Constantius died while at York and the garrison soldiers there proclaimed his son as the new Emperor, Constantius the Great. Foundations of the Roman fort lie under the York Minster.

After the Romans left the city declined as it was affected by flooding. It was occupied by the Angles. In the 7th century flooded parts of the city were reclaimed and King Edwin of Northumbria proclaimed it his main city. A minster was built here in 627 for the baptism of Edwin, King of Northumbria. It was replaced by a stone structure a few years later but this soon fell into disrepair and was destroyed by fire in 741. A large structure was built. Over the years the Minster was destroyed, rebuilt and expanded and remodelled a number of times. It is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. It is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second highest position in the Church of England.

In 866 the Vikings captured York and it eventually developed as a major river port servicing Viking trade routes through-out Europe. It became known as Jórvík (over time this was shortened to York). The last Viking ruler, Eric Bloodaxe was driven out in 954. York has a terrific Viking museum where tourists can see Viking artefacts and a recreation of what life was like in Jórvík when the Vikings lived there.

York has many features for the tourist. There are a number of museums and old historical buildings. York Castle is a good example of a motte and bailey castle and stands in the middle of the city. York also has more city walls then any other city in Britain. Although these are referred to as the Roman walls, little actually remains of the fortifications built by the Romans. There is also the Shambles, an area of York which is mostly retail shops but where the twisting turning lane ways criss cross and building lean out over the street. And no visit would be complete without afternoon tea at Betty's, a tea room established in the early 1900s.