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York is a historic walled
City status in the United Kingdom in North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the rivers
River Ouse, Yorkshire and
River Foss. Over the years it has also been known by its inhabitants as
Eboracum,
Eoferwic, and
Jórvík.
The city was founded in AD 71 and became in turn the capital of a Roman province and of the kingdoms of
Northumbria and Jorvik. After the establishment of the Kingdom of England, York was regarded as the capital of the North, and housed the Council of the North. Whilst the idea of the North being a separate province with its own capital has since disappeared from secular politics, the
Church of England has retained the concept, and York remains the seat of the
Archbishop of York and the capital of the
Province of York. York is also the traditional county town of Yorkshire, to which it lends its name.
Traditionally the term
City of York was used for the area within the city walls but the modern City of York, created on
April 1,
1996, is a much larger
unitary authority that includes several neighbouring parishes which formerly belonged to surrounding districts. The York urban area has a population of
List of English cities by population while the entire unitary authority has a population of
List of English districts by population.
The historic core of the city is a major tourist destination in itself, attracting visitors from both the United Kingdom and overseas. York is also the site of several major tourist attractions, including York Minster,
York Castle Museum, and the
National Railway Museum. York is home to the University of York, founded in 1963, and
York St John University, which was founded in 1841 and gained university status in 2006.
Etymology
The name 'York' ultimately derives from the Latin (language) name for the city, variously rendered as
Eboracum,
Eburacum or
Eburaci. The first known recorded mention of York by this name is dated
circa 95-104 AD and is an address on a wooden stylus tablet from the Roman fortress of
Vindolanda in Northumbria.
The etymology of Eboracum is uncertain as the language of the Indigenous peoples of the area was never recorded. One theory is that Eboracum is derived from the Brythonic languages word
Eborakon which can mean "place of the
Taxus baccata trees" or "the field of Eburos". Efrog in Welsh, Eabhrac in Irish Gaelic, Iorc in Scottish Gaelic.The name is then thought to have been Latinized by replacing
-acum with
-acon. Another theory is that the language of the indigenous population was a Germanic language similar to Old English language and so Eboracum is derived from eofor meaning a boar.
The
Anglo-Saxons who inhabited York in the
7th century knew it as
Eoferwic. Two centuries later, as a Viking trading centre, the city was known as
Jorvik.
This was reduced to
York in the centuries after the Norman Conquest, moving from the
Middle English Yerk to
Yourke in the 14th century through to
Yourke in the 16th and then
Yarke in the 17th century. The form
York is first found in the 13th Century.
History
image:Roman Fortifications in Museum Gardens York.jpg," a medieval street in York
There is archeological evidence that Mesolithic people settled in the region where York now is from 8000/7000 BC, although it is not known if these were permanent or temporary settlements. By the time of the
Roman conquest of Britain, the area was occupied by tribes known to the Romans as the Brigantes and the
Parisii. The Brigantes initially became a Roman client state but later became more hostile to Rome. As a result the Roman
Legio VIIII Hispana was sent north of the Humber.
The city itself was founded in AD 71, when the Ninth Legion conquered the the Brigantes and constructed a military fortress (castra) on flat ground above the
River Ouse, Yorkshire near its junction with the
River Foss. The fortess was later rebuilt in stone, covered an area of 50
acres, and was inhabited by 6,000 soldiers. Much of the Roman fortress now lies under the foundations of
York Minster, and excavations in the Minster's undercroft have revealed some of the original walls.
The Emperors
Hadrian,
Septimius Severus and
Constantius I all held court in York during their various campaigns. During his stay, the Emperor Severus proclaimed York capital of the province of
Britannia Inferior, and it is likely that it was he who granted York the privileges of a
Colonia (Roman) or city. Constantius I died during his stay in York, and his son Constantine I was proclaimed Emperor by the troops based in the fortress.
In the seventh century York was the chief city of the
Anglo-Saxons Edwin of Northumbria of Northumbria. The first Minster church was built at this time, for the baptism of Edwin in 627. Edwin ordered that this small wooden church should be rebuilt in stone, but he was killed in 633 and the task of completing the stone Minster fell to his successor
Oswald of Northumbria.
In 866, Northumbria was in the midst of civil war when the Vikings raided and captured York. Under Viking rule the city became a major river port, part of the extensive Viking trading routes throughout northern Europe. The last ruler of an independent Jorvik, Eric Bloodaxe, was driven from the city in the year 965 by King
Edred of England, completing the unification of England.
In 1069, York was ravaged by
William I of England as part of the harrying of the North. The old Anglo-Saxon Minster was badly damaged by fire at this time, and the Normans took the decision to build a new Minster on a fresh site. Around the year 1080
Thomas I of York started building a cathedral that in time became the current Minster. York started to prosper again, becoming a profitable port and centre of trade, particularly in wool.
Henry I of England granted the city's first charter, confirming trading rights in England and Europe.
In 1190, York was the site of an infamous
pogrom of its Jew inhabitants. The Jews sought sanctuary in Cliffords Tower, one of the city's fortifications. The mob beseiged the trapped Jews for some days while preparations were made to storm the castle. Eventually a fire was started, whether by the Jews or their persecutors is uncertain, and 150 Jews lost their lives.
The city underwent a period of decline during Tudor times. Under Henry VIII of England, the
Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the end of the
Monastery of York, although the city continued as an ecclesiastical and social centre. Henry VIII created the Council of the North in York, and this increased in importance under
Elizabeth I of England, leading to a revival in the city's influence.
In 1644, during the
English Civil War, the Roundheads
Siege of York, but with the arrival of Prince Rupert, with an army of 15,000 men, the siege was lifted. The Parliamentarians retreated some six miles from York with Rupert in pursuit, before turning on his army and devastatingly defeating it at the
Battle of Marston Moor. Of Rupert's 15,000 troops, no fewer than 4,000 were killed and 1,500 captured. The siege was renewed, but the city could not hold out for long, and on July 15 the city surrendered to Thomas Fairfax.
Following the English Restoration in 1660, and the removal of the garrison from York in 1688, the city was gradually dominated by the local aristocracy and gentry. Competition from the nearby cities of Leeds and Kingston upon Hull resulted in York losing its preeminent position as a trading centre, but the city's role as the social and cultural centre for wealthy northerners was on the rise. York's many elegant
townhouses date from this period, as do the
York Assembly Rooms, the
Theatre Royal, York, and the
York Racecourse.
George Hudson was responsible for bringing the railway to York in 1839. Although Hudson's career as a railway entrepreneur eventually ended in disgrace, by this time York was a major railway centre. By the turn of the century the railway accommodated the headquarters and works of the North Eastern Railway (UK), which employed over 5,500 people in York. The railway was also instrumental in the expansion of Rowntree's and Terry's, who were major employers in the city.
With the emergence of
tourism as a major industry, the historic core of York became one of the city's major asset, and in 1968 it was designated a conservation area. The existing tourist attractions were supplemented by the establishment of the
National Railway Museum in York in 1975. The opening of the
University of York in 1963 added to the prosperity of the city. The fast and frequent railway service, which brings York within two hours journey time of London, has resulted in a number of companies opening offices in the city.
Geography
Location
York lies within the Vale of York, a flat area of arable land bordered by the Pennines,
North York Moors and
Yorkshire Wolds, at the confluence of the Rivers
River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss on a terminal moraine left by the last Ice Age.
During Roman times, the land surrounding the rivers Ouse and River Foss was very marshy, making it easier to defend. The city is prone to flooding from the River Ouse, and has an extensive (but not always effective) network of flood defences. These include walls along the Ouse, and a barrier across the River Foss where it joins the Ouse.
The floods of late October and early November 2000, which were the highest for over 350 years, caused much damage, but the water did not breach the (sandbag reinforced) flood walls. Much land within the city has always been too flood-prone for development.
Demographics
The population of York is about 181,000. Until fairly recently, the city was almost 100% White. It now stands at 97.84% White, which is still high for a city of this size. In terms of class, York is also less diverse than most cities; there are not many areas of York can be categorised as working- or middle-class areas in the way that most areas of Leeds could be. York's population has a slightly higher elderly population than the national average.
City areas and surrounding villages
- Acaster Malbis, Acomb, Yorkshire, Askham Bryan, Askham Richard
- Bishopthorpe, Bootham
- Cawood, Clifton, City of York, Copmanthorpe, Crockey Hill
- Deighton, York
- Derwenthorpe (new village, planning permission granted)
- Dringhouses
- Dunnington
- Earswick, Elvington, City of York
- Escrick
- Fishergate, Fulford
- The Groves
- Haxby, Heslington, Hessay, Heworth, York, Holgate, North Yorkshire, Holtby, Huntington, City of York
- Kexby, North Yorkshire, Knapton, North Yorkshire
- Layerthorpe
- Middlethorpe, Yorkshire, Moor End, East Riding of Yorkshire, Murton, York
- Naburn, Nether Poppleton, New Earswick
- Osbaldwick
- Rawcliffe, York, Rufforth
- Skelton, York, South Bank, York, Stockton-on-the-Forest, Strensall, Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Tang Hall, Towthorpe, York
- Upper Poppleton
- West Huntington, Wheldrake, Wigginton, North Yorkshire, Woodthorpe, North Yorkshire
The
ings are flood meadows along the River Ouse, while the
Strays of York are scattered around the city in marshy, low-lying places.
Economy
York's economy is based largely on tourism, science and service-based industries. This is very different from the position as recently as the 1950s, when York's prosperity was based on chocolate manufacturing and the railways. Most of the industry around the railway has gone, including the carriage works which once employed some 22,000 men. Major employers now include City of York Council,
Norwich Union, Card Protection Plan and
Nestlé, amongst others.
York is the headquarters of the confectionery manufacturer Nestlé
Rowntree's, and home to the
KitKat,
Smarties (Nestlé) (though not for much longer) and eponymous
Yorkie (chocolate bar) chocolate brands. Terry's chocolate factory, makers of the
Terry's Chocolate Orange, was also located in the city; but it closed on 30 September
2005, when production was moved by its owners,
Kraft Foods, to Poland. However, the historic factory building can still be seen, situated next to the Knavesmire racecourse.
It was announced on the 20 September, 2006 that Nestlé would be cutting 645 jobs at the Rowntree's chocolate factory in York. This came after a number of other job losses in the city at
Norwich Union, British Sugar and Terry's chocolate factory. Despite this, the employment situation in York remains fairly buoyant, with at least one major employer (NU) still employing more people in the city than it did five years ago.
Regional gross value figures added for York, at current basic prices in pounds sterling, are: Office of National Statistics (2005) (pp.240-253){| class="wikitable"|-! Year || Agriculture || Industry || Services || Total|-| 1995 || 30 || 579 || 1,443 ||
2,052|-| 2000 || 13 || 782 || 2,168 ||
2,963|-| 2003 || 16 || 779 || 2,505 ||
3,299|}
Governance
Local government
York is the traditional
county town of
Yorkshire, to which it lends its name. Because of this, it did not form part of any of the three historic
Riding (division), or divisions, of Yorkshire.
York is an ancient
borough, and was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to form a municipal borough. It gained the status of a
county borough in 1889, under the Local Government Act 1888, and existed so until 1974, when, under the Local Government Act 1972, it became a non-metropolitan district in the county of
North Yorkshire.
In the
1990s UK local government reform, York became one of the many boroughs to regain unitary status, but was the only one to see a substantial alteration in its borders, taking in parts of Selby (district) and Harrogate (borough) districts, and about half the population of Ryedale district. Unsurprisingly, this caused tension with its neighbours. Ironically, the new boundary had not been promoted by the council, which had proposed the area contained within the
A64 road/A1237 road
Beltway. The current boundary was imposed after central Government had rejected the council's proposal.
The City of York Council has 47 councillors. As a result of the
United Kingdom local elections, 2007 (and a
By-election in September 2007), no party has an Absolute majority, resulting in no overall control. The Liberal Democrats have 20 councillors and in May 2007 they formed a minority administration, and an executive of nine councillors, to lead the Council for the next 12 months. The
Labour Party (UK) formed the Opposition with 18 councillors. The
Conservative Party (UK) has seven councillors and the
Green Party of England and Wales have 2.
In 2007, Councillor Irene Waudby was appointed York’s Lord Mayor and Councillor Keith Hyman York’s Sheriff with both appointments lasting a year. Although York’s Sheriff office is the oldest in England it is now a purely ceremonial post. The Lord Mayor also carries out civic and ceremonial duties in addition to
chair (official) full meetings of the Council.
National government
Most of York is covered by the City of York (UK Parliament constituency) constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, though the outer parts of the city and local authority area presently fall within the
Selby (UK Parliament constituency),
Vale of York (UK Parliament constituency) and Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency) constituencies.
The whole of the city and local authority area lies within the Yorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency) consituency of the
European Parliament.
Law courts
The city has its own
Magistrates' Court, and more unusually also a
Crown Court and
County Court. It is served by the North Yorkshire Police Service.
Twin cities
York is twinned with:
Education
The
University of York is on the outer edge of the city at
Heslington. It was York's only institution with university status until 2006, when the centrally located York St John University College, formerly an autonomous college of University of Leeds, attained full university status as York St John University. The city also hosts a branch of
the College of Law.
The University of York also boasts one of the most highly rated medical schools,
Hull York Medical School.
The city has two major further education institutions. York College (York) is an amalgamation of York Technical College and York Sixth Form College. Students there study a very wide range of academic and vocational courses, and range from school leavers and sixth formers to people training to make career moves.
Askham Bryan College offers further education courses, foundation and honours degrees, specialising in more vocational subjects such as Horticulture, Agriculture, Animal Management and even Golf Course Management.
There are over
List of schools in Yorkshire and the Humber#York area. The
Local Education Authority is the City of York Council, who manage most primary and secondary schools within the city. About 40
Primary education cover education from ages 5-11, with some offering early years education from age three. From 11-16 education is then provided by 11 secondary schools, four of which offer additional education up to age 18.
York also has several private schools.
St Peter's School, York is famous as the school attended by Guy Fawkes. Two others have Quaker origins:
Bootham School is
co-educational and
The Mount School, York is all-girls. On the outskirts of the city is Queen Margaret's School, York.
On September 10th 2007 Oaklands Sports College and Lowfield Comprehensive school merged to become one school. The new school is known as York High School, and the headteacher is David Ellis, who was previously headteacher at Oaklands. In January 2009 the school hopes to move back to the Oaklands site on Cornlands Road.
Transport
York's location on the River Ouse and in the centre of the Vale of York means that it has always had a significant position in the nation's transport system.
River transport
The city grew up as a river port at the confluence of the
River Ouse, Yorkshire and the River Foss. The Ouse would originally have been a
tidal river accessible to the sea going ships of the time. Today both of these rivers remain navigable, although the Foss is only navigable for a short distance above the confluence. A
canal lock at Naburn on the Ouse to the south of York means that the river in York is no longer tidal.
Until the end of the 20th century, the Ouse was used by barges to carry freight between York and the port of Kingston upon Hull. The last significant traffic was the supply of newsprint to the local newspaper's Foss-side print works, which continued until 1997. Today navigation is almost exclusively leisure oriented. YorkBoat provides cruises on the river.
Road transport
Like most cities founded by the Romans, York is well served by long distance trunk roads. The city lies at the intersection of the A19 road from
Doncaster to
Tyneside, the
A59 road from
Liverpool to York, the
A64 road from
Leeds to Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and the
A1079 road from York to Kingston upon Hull. The A64 road also provides the principal link to the
motorway network, linking York to both the A1 road and the M1 motorway motorways at a distance of about 10 miles from the city.
The city is surrounded on all sides by an outer ring road, at a distance of some 3 miles from the centre of this city, which allows through traffic to by-pass the city. The historic core of the city dates from mediaeval times and is not suitable for modern traffic. As a consequence much of the area inside the city walls is either Car-free zone or traffic is heavily restricted. To alleviate this situation, five bus based
Park and Ride sites operate in York. The sites are located towards the edge of the city, with easy access from the ring road, and allow out of town visitors to complete their journey into the city centre by bus.
Rail transport
York has been a major railway centre since the beginning of the railway age, with the first line arriving in 1839. For many years the city hosted the headquarters and works of the
North Eastern Railway (UK).
York railway station is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line from London to Newcastle upon Tyne and Edinburgh. It takes less than two hours to get to York from London by rail, with at least 25 direct trains each weekday. The station is also served by long distance trains on Cross Country services linking Edinburgh and Newcastle with destinations in south and west England via Birmingham.
First TransPennine Express provide a frequent service of semi-fast trains linking York to Newcastle, Scarborough, North Yorkshire,
Leeds,
Manchester, Manchester Airport, and
Liverpool. Local stopping services connect York to
Harrogate, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds,
Sheffield, and many intermediate points.
Air transport
York has an airfield at the former RAF Elvington, some 7 miles south-east of the city centre, which is also the home of the Yorkshire Air Museum. Despite having the longest runway in the county, at present Elvington is only open to
private aviation. Plans sometimes surface to open it to other traffic, either for business aviation or a full service airport.
York is linked to Manchester Airport by an hourly direct First TransPennine Express train, giving access to the principal airport serving the north of England, with connections to many destinations in
Europe, North America,
Africa, and
Asia. The nearer
Leeds-Bradford Airport is linked to York by the hourly
York Air Coach service operated by
First York.
Local public transport
Public transport within the city is largely
bus based. The principal bus operator is First York, a part of
FirstGroup plc. First York operates the city's local bus services, as well as the park and ride services. York is also the location of the first implementation of FirstGroup's experimental, and controversial,
FTR (bus), which seeks to confer the advantages of a modern
tramway system at a lower cost.
Longer distance bus services in York are provided by Yorkshire Coastliner, which operates routes linking Leeds via York with
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Filey, Bridlington and Whitby.
East Yorkshire Motor Services,
Arriva Yorkshire, and a number of independent operators, provide rural services linking local towns and villages with York.
Several competing companies, including
City Sightseeing, provide open top bus tours.
Sites of interest
York Minster, the largest
Gothic architecture cathedral in northern Europe, stands at the city's centre.
York's centre is enclosed by York city walls. The entire circuit (including parts where walls never existed) is about .
York Castle, a quatrefoil keep built on top of a Norman motte, was the site of a massacre of
Jews in 1190.The Shambles (York) is a narrow medieval street, lined with shops, boutiques and tea rooms. Most of these premises were once butchers' shops, and the hooks from which carcasses were hung and the shelves on which meat was laid out can still be seen outside some of them. The street also contains the Shrine of
Margaret Clitherow, although it is not located in the house where she lived.
Another feature of central York is the
Snickelways of York, narrow pedestrian routes, many of which led towards the former main market-place. The city has many museums, including the York Castle Museum,
Yorkshire Museum & Gardens,
JORVIK Viking Centre, the York Art Gallery,
Richard III Museum and the Merchant Adventurers' Hall. The
National Railway Museum is situated just beyond the station, and is home to a vast range of transport material and the largest collection of railway locomotives in the world. Included this collection are the world's fastest steam locomotive
LNER 4468 Mallard and the world famous 4472 Flying Scotsman, which is being overhauled in the Museum.
York is also noted for its wealth of churches and pubs. Many of the remaining churches in York are from the medieval period. It is said that York contains one pub for every day of the year, and that there is no point within the city walls where one can stand and not be able to see at least one pub and at least one church, but these claims are exaggerated.
Culture
Theatre
York has two main theatres, the York Theatre Royal and the Grand_Opera_House_%28York%29. It also has many amateur companies, and is home to the
Riding Lights Theatre Company.
Music
A former church,
Medieval churches of York#St_Margaret.2C_Walmgate, is now the National Centre for Early Music, host to concerts, broadcasts, competitions and events through the year, especially during the
York Early Music Festival.
Media
The York area is served by a local newspaper,
The Press (York) (known as the
Evening Press until April 2006) and two local radio stations Minster FM and BBC Radio York. It is also served by
York@54, a local free-to-air television station.
The
University of York has its own television broadcasting channel
York Student Television (YSTV) and two campus newspapers, the national award winning
nouse and
Vision (York). Its radio station
University Radio York was voted
BBC Radio 1 Student Radio Station of the Year 2005.
Sports
The City's
Football (soccer) team is York City F.C. who play in the Nationwide Conference. York also has a
rugby league side,
York City Knights and an open rowing club
York City Rowing Club, located underneath Lendal Bridge. York Racecourse was established in 1731 and from 1990 was awarded Northern Racecourse of the Year for 17 years running. This major
horse racing venue, located on the Knavesmire, sees thousands flocking to the city every year for the 15 race meetings. In August racing takes place over the three day
Ebor Festival that includes the Ebor handicap dating from 1843.
The most notable sportsmen to come form York in recent years are footballer
Marco Gabbiadini and the current England national football team manager Steve McClaren, who both attended Nunthorpe Grammar School (now called
Millthorpe School).
Motorcycle speedway took place at York. The track in the Burnholme Estate was completed in 1930 and a demonstration event staged. In 1931 the track staged team and open events and the York team took part in the National Trophy.
York International 9s is a
rugby league nines tournament which takes place in York each year.
Quaker involvement in the city
York has a long association with the
Religious Society of Friends. The York-born Quaker chocolate entrepreneurs and social reformers
Joseph Rowntree (Philanthropist) and Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree left an indelible mark on the city, through both their business interests and their philanthropy. They built the village of New Earswick to provide quality affordable housing for their employees. They also founded two Quaker schools, Bootham School and The Mount, and contributed in large part to the building of
York Public Library and the creation of Rowntree Park. The four Rowntree trusts, funded from the Rowntree legacies, are based in York.
The Retreat is a large Quaker mental hospital, situated in the east of the city outside the york city walls. It was founded in 1796 by William Tuke; over the next century his son Henry Tuke, grandson Samuel Tuke and great-grandson
Daniel Hack Tuke also devoted themselves to mental health reform, continuing to reform The Retreat and publishing a number of works on the subject. Another notable York Quaker was the sculptor
Austin Wright.
Photo gallery
Image:York Minster from Minster Gardens.jpeg|York Minster as seen from Minster Gardens.Image:Lendal Tower.jpg|Lendal Tower on the River OuseImage:York Wheel Full.jpg|The
Yorkshire WheelImage:Ouse Bridge York Flooded.JPG| The Ouse Bridge in York, with the river at a peak.Image:YorkRomanWalls.jpg| Remnants of St. Mary's Abbey in York.
See also
- List of notable people associated with York
- York Mystery Plays
References
External links
Guides and maps
- Where In York York's Local, independant website for what's on, businss listings, clubs and societies, weddings, jobs, and useful information.
- York Guide by NorthYorks.com
- York Tourism
- York Attractions Places of interest in York
- Virtual Tour of York Tour the City by hundreds of panoramic views from 2000 to the present day.
- York Guide Online since 2001 studies of York by independent York residents
- York Insiders' City Guide York Insiders' City Guide
- York Pub Guide York Pub Listings
- Essential York Essential Guide to York
- York Virtual Tour
Local media
- The Press The local newspaper's site with news, sport, what's on and tourism information.
- York Student Television England's oldest student TV station
- York@54Independent TV station
Academic
- The University of York
- York St John University
- The National Centre for Early Music
- The National Science Learning Centre
History
- Timeline of York's history and a few articles.
Photos and images
- Imagine York: Historic Photographs Online Council Library Archive of historic photographs of York, searchable by keyword.
- The Evelyn collection of picture of York from the early 1900's
- City of York Council's flood 2000 archive
- Pictures of York by people in York
- Red Hot Chilli Project - Gallery - York
- Pictures of Steam Locos in York
- York stories and walks
Weather
- Average weather condition
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York is a historic walled City status in the United Kingdom in
North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss. Over the years it has also been known by its inhabitants as
Eboracum,
Eoferwic, and
Jórvík.
The city was founded in AD 71 and became in turn the capital of a Roman province and of the kingdoms of
Northumbria and
Jorvik. After the establishment of the
Kingdom of England, York was regarded as the capital of the North, and housed the
Council of the North. Whilst the idea of the North being a separate province with its own capital has since disappeared from secular politics, the
Church of England has retained the concept, and York remains the seat of the Archbishop of York and the capital of the
Province of York. York is also the traditional county town of Yorkshire, to which it lends its name.
Traditionally the term
City of York was used for the area within the city walls but the modern City of York, created on
April 1,
1996, is a much larger
unitary authority that includes several neighbouring parishes which formerly belonged to surrounding districts. The York urban area has a population of
List of English cities by population while the entire unitary authority has a population of List of English districts by population.
The historic core of the city is a major tourist destination in itself, attracting visitors from both the United Kingdom and overseas. York is also the site of several major tourist attractions, including
York Minster, York Castle Museum, and the National Railway Museum. York is home to the University of York, founded in 1963, and York St John University, which was founded in 1841 and gained university status in 2006.
Etymology
The name 'York' ultimately derives from the Latin (language) name for the city, variously rendered as
Eboracum,
Eburacum or
Eburaci. The first known recorded mention of York by this name is dated
circa 95-104 AD and is an address on a wooden
stylus tablet from the Roman fortress of Vindolanda in
Northumbria.
The etymology of Eboracum is uncertain as the language of the
Indigenous peoples of the area was never recorded. One theory is that Eboracum is derived from the
Brythonic languages word
Eborakon which can mean "place of the Taxus baccata trees" or "the field of Eburos". Efrog in Welsh, Eabhrac in Irish Gaelic, Iorc in Scottish Gaelic.The name is then thought to have been Latinized by replacing
-acum with
-acon. Another theory is that the language of the indigenous population was a Germanic language similar to
Old English language and so Eboracum is derived from eofor meaning a boar.
The Anglo-Saxons who inhabited York in the
7th century knew it as
Eoferwic. Two centuries later, as a Viking trading centre, the city was known as
Jorvik.
This was reduced to
York in the centuries after the Norman Conquest, moving from the Middle English
Yerk to
Yourke in the 14th century through to
Yourke in the 16th and then
Yarke in the 17th century. The form
York is first found in the 13th Century.
History
image:Roman Fortifications in Museum Gardens York.jpg," a medieval street in York
There is archeological evidence that
Mesolithic people settled in the region where York now is from 8000/7000 BC, although it is not known if these were permanent or temporary settlements. By the time of the Roman conquest of Britain, the area was occupied by tribes known to the Romans as the
Brigantes and the
Parisii. The Brigantes initially became a Roman client state but later became more hostile to Rome. As a result the Roman Legio VIIII Hispana was sent north of the Humber.
The city itself was founded in AD 71, when the Ninth Legion conquered the the Brigantes and constructed a military fortress (
castra) on flat ground above the River Ouse, Yorkshire near its junction with the River Foss. The fortess was later rebuilt in stone, covered an area of 50 acres, and was inhabited by 6,000 soldiers. Much of the Roman fortress now lies under the foundations of
York Minster, and excavations in the Minster's undercroft have revealed some of the original walls.
The Emperors Hadrian, Septimius Severus and Constantius I all held court in York during their various campaigns. During his stay, the Emperor Severus proclaimed York capital of the province of Britannia Inferior, and it is likely that it was he who granted York the privileges of a
Colonia (Roman) or city. Constantius I died during his stay in York, and his son Constantine I was proclaimed Emperor by the troops based in the fortress.
In the seventh century York was the chief city of the
Anglo-Saxons Edwin of Northumbria of
Northumbria. The first Minster church was built at this time, for the baptism of Edwin in 627. Edwin ordered that this small wooden church should be rebuilt in stone, but he was killed in 633 and the task of completing the stone Minster fell to his successor Oswald of Northumbria.
In 866, Northumbria was in the midst of civil war when the Vikings raided and captured York. Under Viking rule the city became a major river port, part of the extensive Viking trading routes throughout northern Europe. The last ruler of an independent Jorvik,
Eric Bloodaxe, was driven from the city in the year 965 by King
Edred of England, completing the unification of England.
In 1069, York was ravaged by William I of England as part of the harrying of the North. The old Anglo-Saxon Minster was badly damaged by fire at this time, and the Normans took the decision to build a new Minster on a fresh site. Around the year 1080 Thomas I of York started building a cathedral that in time became the current Minster. York started to prosper again, becoming a profitable port and centre of trade, particularly in wool.
Henry I of England granted the city's first charter, confirming trading rights in England and Europe.
In 1190, York was the site of an infamous pogrom of its
Jew inhabitants. The Jews sought sanctuary in Cliffords Tower, one of the city's fortifications. The mob beseiged the trapped Jews for some days while preparations were made to storm the castle. Eventually a fire was started, whether by the Jews or their persecutors is uncertain, and 150 Jews lost their lives.
The city underwent a period of decline during
Tudor times. Under
Henry VIII of England, the Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the end of the Monastery of York, although the city continued as an ecclesiastical and social centre. Henry VIII created the
Council of the North in York, and this increased in importance under Elizabeth I of England, leading to a revival in the city's influence.
In 1644, during the English Civil War, the Roundheads Siege of York, but with the arrival of Prince Rupert, with an army of 15,000 men, the siege was lifted. The Parliamentarians retreated some six miles from York with Rupert in pursuit, before turning on his army and devastatingly defeating it at the Battle of Marston Moor. Of Rupert's 15,000 troops, no fewer than 4,000 were killed and 1,500 captured. The siege was renewed, but the city could not hold out for long, and on July 15 the city surrendered to
Thomas Fairfax.
Following the
English Restoration in 1660, and the removal of the garrison from York in 1688, the city was gradually dominated by the local aristocracy and gentry. Competition from the nearby cities of
Leeds and Kingston upon Hull resulted in York losing its preeminent position as a trading centre, but the city's role as the social and cultural centre for wealthy northerners was on the rise. York's many elegant townhouses date from this period, as do the York Assembly Rooms, the
Theatre Royal, York, and the
York Racecourse.
George Hudson was responsible for bringing the railway to York in 1839. Although Hudson's career as a railway entrepreneur eventually ended in disgrace, by this time York was a major railway centre. By the turn of the century the railway accommodated the headquarters and works of the North Eastern Railway (UK), which employed over 5,500 people in York. The railway was also instrumental in the expansion of
Rowntree's and Terry's, who were major employers in the city.
With the emergence of tourism as a major industry, the historic core of York became one of the city's major asset, and in 1968 it was designated a
conservation area. The existing tourist attractions were supplemented by the establishment of the National Railway Museum in York in 1975. The opening of the
University of York in 1963 added to the prosperity of the city. The fast and frequent railway service, which brings York within two hours journey time of London, has resulted in a number of companies opening offices in the city.
Geography
Location
York lies within the Vale of York, a flat area of arable land bordered by the
Pennines,
North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds, at the
confluence of the Rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss on a terminal
moraine left by the last Ice Age.
During Roman times, the land surrounding the rivers Ouse and
River Foss was very marshy, making it easier to defend. The city is prone to flooding from the River Ouse, and has an extensive (but not always effective) network of flood defences. These include walls along the Ouse, and a barrier across the River Foss where it joins the Ouse.
The floods of late October and early November 2000, which were the highest for over 350 years, caused much damage, but the water did not breach the (sandbag reinforced) flood walls. Much land within the city has always been too flood-prone for development.
Demographics
The population of York is about 181,000. Until fairly recently, the city was almost 100% White. It now stands at 97.84% White, which is still high for a city of this size. In terms of class, York is also less diverse than most cities; there are not many areas of York can be categorised as working- or middle-class areas in the way that most areas of
Leeds could be. York's population has a slightly higher elderly population than the national average.
City areas and surrounding villages
- Acaster Malbis, Acomb, Yorkshire, Askham Bryan, Askham Richard
- Bishopthorpe, Bootham
- Cawood, Clifton, City of York, Copmanthorpe, Crockey Hill
- Deighton, York
- Derwenthorpe (new village, planning permission granted)
- Dringhouses
- Dunnington
- Earswick, Elvington, City of York
- Escrick
- Fishergate, Fulford
- The Groves
- Haxby, Heslington, Hessay, Heworth, York, Holgate, North Yorkshire, Holtby, Huntington, City of York
- Kexby, North Yorkshire, Knapton, North Yorkshire
- Layerthorpe
- Middlethorpe, Yorkshire, Moor End, East Riding of Yorkshire, Murton, York
- Naburn, Nether Poppleton, New Earswick
- Osbaldwick
- Rawcliffe, York, Rufforth
- Skelton, York, South Bank, York, Stockton-on-the-Forest, Strensall, Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Tang Hall, Towthorpe, York
- Upper Poppleton
- West Huntington, Wheldrake, Wigginton, North Yorkshire, Woodthorpe, North Yorkshire
The
ings are flood meadows along the River Ouse, while the
Strays of York are scattered around the city in marshy, low-lying places.
Economy
York's economy is based largely on tourism, science and service-based industries. This is very different from the position as recently as the 1950s, when York's prosperity was based on chocolate manufacturing and the railways. Most of the industry around the railway has gone, including the carriage works which once employed some 22,000 men. Major employers now include City of York Council,
Norwich Union,
Card Protection Plan and Nestlé, amongst others.
York is the headquarters of the confectionery manufacturer Nestlé Rowntree's, and home to the
KitKat,
Smarties (Nestlé) (though not for much longer) and eponymous Yorkie (chocolate bar) chocolate brands. Terry's chocolate factory, makers of the
Terry's Chocolate Orange, was also located in the city; but it closed on 30 September
2005, when production was moved by its owners, Kraft Foods, to Poland. However, the historic factory building can still be seen, situated next to the Knavesmire racecourse.
It was announced on the 20 September,
2006 that Nestlé would be cutting 645 jobs at the Rowntree's chocolate factory in York. This came after a number of other job losses in the city at
Norwich Union,
British Sugar and Terry's chocolate factory. Despite this, the employment situation in York remains fairly buoyant, with at least one major employer (NU) still employing more people in the city than it did five years ago.
Regional gross value figures added for York, at current basic prices in
pounds sterling, are: Office of National Statistics (2005) (pp.240-253){| class="wikitable"|-! Year || Agriculture || Industry || Services || Total|-| 1995 || 30 || 579 || 1,443 ||
2,052|-| 2000 || 13 || 782 || 2,168 ||
2,963|-| 2003 || 16 || 779 || 2,505 ||
3,299|}
Governance
Local government
York is the traditional county town of Yorkshire, to which it lends its name. Because of this, it did not form part of any of the three historic
Riding (division), or divisions, of Yorkshire.
York is an ancient borough, and was one of the boroughs reformed by the
Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to form a municipal borough. It gained the status of a county borough in 1889, under the
Local Government Act 1888, and existed so until 1974, when, under the
Local Government Act 1972, it became a non-metropolitan district in the county of North Yorkshire.
In the
1990s UK local government reform, York became one of the many boroughs to regain unitary status, but was the only one to see a substantial alteration in its borders, taking in parts of Selby (district) and
Harrogate (borough) districts, and about half the population of
Ryedale district. Unsurprisingly, this caused tension with its neighbours. Ironically, the new boundary had not been promoted by the council, which had proposed the area contained within the A64 road/
A1237 road Beltway. The current boundary was imposed after central Government had rejected the council's proposal.
The City of York Council has 47 councillors. As a result of the
United Kingdom local elections, 2007 (and a By-election in September 2007), no party has an Absolute majority, resulting in
no overall control. The Liberal Democrats have 20 councillors and in May 2007 they formed a
minority administration, and an executive of nine councillors, to lead the Council for the next 12 months. The Labour Party (UK) formed the Opposition with 18 councillors. The
Conservative Party (UK) has seven councillors and the
Green Party of England and Wales have 2.
In 2007, Councillor Irene Waudby was appointed York’s Lord Mayor and Councillor Keith Hyman York’s Sheriff with both appointments lasting a year. Although York’s Sheriff office is the oldest in England it is now a purely
ceremonial post. The Lord Mayor also carries out civic and ceremonial duties in addition to
chair (official) full meetings of the Council.
National government
Most of York is covered by the City of York (UK Parliament constituency) constituency of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom, though the outer parts of the city and local authority area presently fall within the Selby (UK Parliament constituency),
Vale of York (UK Parliament constituency) and Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency) constituencies.
The whole of the city and local authority area lies within the
Yorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency) consituency of the
European Parliament.
Law courts
The city has its own
Magistrates' Court, and more unusually also a
Crown Court and County Court. It is served by the
North Yorkshire Police Service.
Twin cities
York is twinned with:
Education
The
University of York is on the outer edge of the city at Heslington. It was York's only institution with university status until 2006, when the centrally located York St John University College, formerly an autonomous college of University of Leeds, attained full university status as
York St John University. The city also hosts a branch of
the College of Law.
The University of York also boasts one of the most highly rated medical schools,
Hull York Medical School.
The city has two major further education institutions.
York College (York) is an amalgamation of York Technical College and York Sixth Form College. Students there study a very wide range of academic and vocational courses, and range from school leavers and sixth formers to people training to make career moves. Askham Bryan College offers further education courses, foundation and honours degrees, specialising in more vocational subjects such as Horticulture, Agriculture, Animal Management and even Golf Course Management.
There are over List of schools in Yorkshire and the Humber#York area. The Local Education Authority is the City of York Council, who manage most primary and secondary schools within the city. About 40 Primary education cover education from ages 5-11, with some offering early years education from age three. From 11-16 education is then provided by 11 secondary schools, four of which offer additional education up to age 18.
York also has several private schools. St Peter's School, York is famous as the school attended by Guy Fawkes. Two others have Quaker origins: Bootham School is
co-educational and
The Mount School, York is all-girls. On the outskirts of the city is Queen Margaret's School, York.
On September 10th 2007 Oaklands Sports College and Lowfield Comprehensive school merged to become one school. The new school is known as York High School, and the headteacher is David Ellis, who was previously headteacher at Oaklands. In January 2009 the school hopes to move back to the Oaklands site on Cornlands Road.
Transport
York's location on the River Ouse and in the centre of the Vale of York means that it has always had a significant position in the nation's transport system.
River transport
The city grew up as a river port at the confluence of the
River Ouse, Yorkshire and the
River Foss. The Ouse would originally have been a
tidal river accessible to the sea going ships of the time. Today both of these rivers remain navigable, although the Foss is only navigable for a short distance above the confluence. A
canal lock at
Naburn on the Ouse to the south of York means that the river in York is no longer tidal.
Until the end of the 20th century, the Ouse was used by
barges to carry freight between York and the port of Kingston upon Hull. The last significant traffic was the supply of newsprint to the local newspaper's Foss-side print works, which continued until 1997. Today navigation is almost exclusively leisure oriented. YorkBoat provides cruises on the river.
Road transport
Like most cities founded by the Romans, York is well served by long distance trunk roads. The city lies at the intersection of the A19 road from
Doncaster to Tyneside, the
A59 road from
Liverpool to York, the
A64 road from Leeds to Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and the A1079 road from York to Kingston upon Hull. The A64 road also provides the principal link to the
motorway network, linking York to both the A1 road and the
M1 motorway motorways at a distance of about 10 miles from the city.
The city is surrounded on all sides by an outer ring road, at a distance of some 3 miles from the centre of this city, which allows through traffic to by-pass the city. The historic core of the city dates from mediaeval times and is not suitable for modern traffic. As a consequence much of the area inside the city walls is either
Car-free zone or traffic is heavily restricted. To alleviate this situation, five bus based
Park and Ride sites operate in York. The sites are located towards the edge of the city, with easy access from the ring road, and allow out of town visitors to complete their journey into the city centre by bus.
Rail transport
York has been a major railway centre since the beginning of the railway age, with the first line arriving in 1839. For many years the city hosted the headquarters and works of the
North Eastern Railway (UK).
York railway station is a principal stop on the
East Coast Main Line from
London to Newcastle upon Tyne and Edinburgh. It takes less than two hours to get to York from London by rail, with at least 25 direct trains each weekday. The station is also served by long distance trains on Cross Country services linking Edinburgh and Newcastle with destinations in south and west England via
Birmingham.
First TransPennine Express provide a frequent service of semi-fast trains linking York to Newcastle,
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Leeds, Manchester,
Manchester Airport, and Liverpool. Local stopping services connect York to Harrogate,
Kingston upon Hull, Leeds,
Sheffield, and many intermediate points.
Air transport
York has an airfield at the former RAF Elvington, some 7 miles south-east of the city centre, which is also the home of the Yorkshire Air Museum. Despite having the longest runway in the county, at present Elvington is only open to private aviation. Plans sometimes surface to open it to other traffic, either for business aviation or a full service airport.
York is linked to
Manchester Airport by an hourly direct
First TransPennine Express train, giving access to the principal airport serving the north of England, with connections to many destinations in Europe,
North America,
Africa, and
Asia. The nearer Leeds-Bradford Airport is linked to York by the hourly
York Air Coach service operated by First York.
Local public transport
Public transport within the city is largely bus based. The principal bus operator is First York, a part of FirstGroup plc. First York operates the city's local bus services, as well as the park and ride services. York is also the location of the first implementation of FirstGroup's experimental, and controversial, FTR (bus), which seeks to confer the advantages of a modern
tramway system at a lower cost.
Longer distance bus services in York are provided by Yorkshire Coastliner, which operates routes linking Leeds via York with
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Filey,
Bridlington and Whitby. East Yorkshire Motor Services,
Arriva Yorkshire, and a number of independent operators, provide rural services linking local towns and villages with York.
Several competing companies, including
City Sightseeing, provide open top bus tours.
Sites of interest
York Minster, the largest Gothic architecture cathedral in northern Europe, stands at the city's centre.
York's centre is enclosed by
York city walls. The entire circuit (including parts where walls never existed) is about .York Castle, a
quatrefoil keep built on top of a Norman motte, was the site of a massacre of
Jews in 1190.The Shambles (York) is a narrow medieval street, lined with shops, boutiques and tea rooms. Most of these premises were once butchers' shops, and the hooks from which carcasses were hung and the shelves on which meat was laid out can still be seen outside some of them. The street also contains the Shrine of Margaret Clitherow, although it is not located in the house where she lived.
Another feature of central York is the Snickelways of York, narrow pedestrian routes, many of which led towards the former main market-place. The city has many museums, including the York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum & Gardens,
JORVIK Viking Centre, the
York Art Gallery,
Richard III Museum and the
Merchant Adventurers' Hall. The
National Railway Museum is situated just beyond the station, and is home to a vast range of transport material and the largest collection of railway locomotives in the world. Included this collection are the world's fastest steam locomotive LNER 4468 Mallard and the world famous 4472
Flying Scotsman, which is being overhauled in the Museum.
York is also noted for its wealth of churches and pubs. Many of the remaining churches in York are from the medieval period. It is said that York contains one pub for every day of the year, and that there is no point within the city walls where one can stand and not be able to see at least one pub and at least one church, but these claims are exaggerated.
Culture
Theatre
York has two main theatres, the
York Theatre Royal and the
Grand_Opera_House_%28York%29. It also has many amateur companies, and is home to the Riding Lights Theatre Company.
Music
A former church,
Medieval churches of York#St_Margaret.2C_Walmgate, is now the National Centre for Early Music, host to concerts, broadcasts, competitions and events through the year, especially during the York Early Music Festival.
Media
The York area is served by a local newspaper,
The Press (York) (known as the
Evening Press until April 2006) and two local radio stations Minster FM and BBC Radio York. It is also served by
York@54, a local free-to-air television station.
The University of York has its own television broadcasting channel York Student Television (YSTV) and two campus newspapers, the national award winning
nouse and
Vision (York). Its radio station
University Radio York was voted
BBC Radio 1 Student Radio Station of the Year 2005.
Sports
The City's
Football (soccer) team is
York City F.C. who play in the Nationwide Conference. York also has a
rugby league side, York City Knights and an open rowing club York City Rowing Club, located underneath Lendal Bridge.
York Racecourse was established in 1731 and from 1990 was awarded Northern Racecourse of the Year for 17 years running. This major horse racing venue, located on the
Knavesmire, sees thousands flocking to the city every year for the 15 race meetings. In August racing takes place over the three day Ebor Festival that includes the Ebor handicap dating from 1843.
The most notable sportsmen to come form York in recent years are footballer
Marco Gabbiadini and the current England national football team manager Steve McClaren, who both attended Nunthorpe Grammar School (now called
Millthorpe School).
Motorcycle speedway took place at York. The track in the Burnholme Estate was completed in 1930 and a demonstration event staged. In 1931 the track staged team and open events and the York team took part in the National Trophy.
York International 9s is a rugby league nines tournament which takes place in York each year.
Quaker involvement in the city
York has a long association with the
Religious Society of Friends. The York-born Quaker chocolate entrepreneurs and social reformers
Joseph Rowntree (Philanthropist) and Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree left an indelible mark on the city, through both their business interests and their philanthropy. They built the village of New Earswick to provide quality affordable housing for their employees. They also founded two Quaker schools, Bootham School and The Mount, and contributed in large part to the building of
York Public Library and the creation of Rowntree Park. The four Rowntree trusts, funded from the Rowntree legacies, are based in York.
The Retreat is a large Quaker mental hospital, situated in the east of the city outside the
york city walls. It was founded in 1796 by William Tuke; over the next century his son Henry Tuke, grandson
Samuel Tuke and great-grandson
Daniel Hack Tuke also devoted themselves to mental health reform, continuing to reform The Retreat and publishing a number of works on the subject. Another notable York Quaker was the sculptor Austin Wright.
Photo gallery
Image:York Minster from Minster Gardens.jpeg|York Minster as seen from Minster Gardens.Image:Lendal Tower.jpg|Lendal Tower on the River OuseImage:York Wheel Full.jpg|The
Yorkshire WheelImage:Ouse Bridge York Flooded.JPG| The Ouse Bridge in York, with the river at a peak.Image:YorkRomanWalls.jpg| Remnants of St. Mary's Abbey in York.
See also
References
External links
Guides and maps
- Where In York York's Local, independant website for what's on, businss listings, clubs and societies, weddings, jobs, and useful information.
- York Guide by NorthYorks.com
- York Tourism
- York Attractions Places of interest in York
- Virtual Tour of York Tour the City by hundreds of panoramic views from 2000 to the present day.
- York Guide Online since 2001 studies of York by independent York residents
- York Insiders' City Guide York Insiders' City Guide
- York Pub Guide York Pub Listings
- Essential York Essential Guide to York
- York Virtual Tour
Local media
- The Press The local newspaper's site with news, sport, what's on and tourism information.
- York Student Television England's oldest student TV station
- York@54Independent TV station
Academic
- The University of York
- York St John University
- The National Centre for Early Music
- The National Science Learning Centre
History
- Timeline of York's history and a few articles.
Photos and images
- Imagine York: Historic Photographs Online Council Library Archive of historic photographs of York, searchable by keyword.
- The Evelyn collection of picture of York from the early 1900's
- City of York Council's flood 2000 archive
- Pictures of York by people in York
- Red Hot Chilli Project - Gallery - York
- Pictures of Steam Locos in York
- York stories and walks
Weather
- Average weather condition
The University of York
Outstanding teaching and research, in a historic European city ... Changing attitudes towards mental health. Independent research by the Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the ...
University of York | Dept of Physics
Information about the departments research groups, undergraduate and post-graduate degree courses, and also its staff and students.
City of York Council Home Page - City of York Council
North Yorkshire. Includes information on Council services, the environment, the local economy and tourism.
Park & Ride - City of York Council
Five Park & Ride sites currently operate in York. They allow you to travel to York by car, park for free in secure car parks and complete your journey into the city centre by bus.
Home - Department of Mathematics - The University of York
Departmental News. Undergraduate Prize Winners 2007/8; Bill Hall, 2007/2008 K. M. Stott Prize Winner; Dr Evgeny Sklyanin, Reader in Mathematical Physics elected as a Fellow of the ...
York Official site for visitors, Book hotels in York, B&Bs, Camping ...
hotels in York, B&Bs In york and Camping - Everything in York from events, attractions, activities and transport information around York
University of York, Department of Music
Details of the department's concerts, staff profiles and information about the courses available.
York Racecourse - Home
Information on horse racing, fixtures, travel and catering. York, England.
Department of Electronics, The University of York
Teaching and research department. Details of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, research, ties with industry and departmental vacancies.
York Functional Programming Home Page
Home Page. The Functional Programming (FP) group is part of the larger Programming Languages and Systems group. We are interested in a wide range of topics in FP but specialise in ...