20 Interesting facts about York
If you are looking for some fun, interesting facts about York, the list below will get you started.
Families visiting York can learn interesting stories about our heritage, history and culture, discover quirky facts and try new foods.
You also have the chance to visit several ‘ests’ – largest, shortest, fastest, oldest and longest!
To learn more facts about York, come and visit.
1. York was a Roman settlement called Eboracum.
Eboracum was founded in 71 AD and the Romans subsequently ruled the region for over 400 years.
Emperor Constantine was born in York and was the first Roman emperor crowned in Eboracum. His statue sits outside York Minster and is a popular meeting spot for locals.
You can visit Roman era remains at the Multi-angular Tower in Museum Gardens and in the basement of the Roman Baths pub which, as the name of the pub suggests, is the remains of a Roman bathhouse. These two sites are some of York’s hidden gems.
Visit the Roman artefacts in the Undercroft at York Minster whose foundations were built on the site of the original wooden Roman fortress.
Look out for ‘Ebor’ on road signs and shop fronts as you explore York.
2. York was a Viking settlement called Jorvik.
Danish Vikings, led by Ivar The Boneless (great name!) invaded York on November 1st 866AD and renamed the city Jorvik.
Eric Bloodaxe was the last ruler of Jorvik and was defeated by King Eadred in 954 AD as part of his successful attempt to unify England.
The Jorvik viking centre is one of York’s most popular attractions and creatively showcases the Viking artefacts found on this very site during an archaeological dig in the 1980’s. Kids will love Jorvik’s historical cab ride.
York celebrates its Viking heritage with an annual Viking Festival in February. The highlight of the festival is a rousing parade of Viking tribes through the city centre.
To learn more about the history of York, join one of the city’s guided walking tours.
3. York is small but it is classed as a city
The name York was first recorded in the 13th century.
York is a cathedral city (one of England’s 51 cities), a unitary authority and is not considered part of a county.
It is officially known as The City Of York and is not part of the county of North Yorkshire though it lies in the geographical county of North Yorkshire.
Confused yet?!
4. York place names are unique – and confusing
The medieval era gates or gateways that lead to York city centre are not called gates, they are called bars – Monk Bar, Bootham Bar, Micklegate Bar and Walmgate Bar.
Just to confuse you further, roads in York city centre are called gates – Goodramgate, Stonegate, Swinegate and so on.
These ‘gates’ hark back to the Viking era; the word gate comes from ‘gata’, the Scandinavian word for road.
Alleyways in York are called snickets or snickleways and ings are the flood meadows or fields adjacent to the River Ouse.
If you see a sign for ‘strays’ it does not mean animals but open, common grassland areas dotted around the city.
Clear???
5. York city centre is home to England’s shortest street
The unusually named (and much photographed) Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate lies between Fossgate and The Shambles.
Blink and you will miss it.
6. If you are born in York you are a Yorkie
Like the chocolate bar of the same name (though I am not sure which came first?), a person who comes from York is called a Yorkie.
7. Buildings inside York city walls must be shorter than York Minster.
A fact about York that residents are grateful for is that any building inside the city walls is not permitted to be taller than York Minster.
Because of this rule, Yorkies for miles around the city are treated to a view of their much loved Minster.
8. ‘Minster’ means important church.
York was an Anglo-Saxon trading port in the 7th century known as Eoforwick. The first wooden church was built here in 627 AD and was given the name Minster which is an Anglo Saxon term for a teaching church connected to a monastery.
York Minster is the biggest Minster in England.
9. Facts about York Minster
The correct title of York Minster is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York.
It is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and took 250 years to build (1220 – 1472).
York Minster’s 230 foot high Central Tower (which visitors can climb via 275 steps) is the highest point in York. It is so big the Leaning Tower Of Pisa could fit inside it and is estimated to weigh the same as 40 jumbo jets.
The Minster contains the largest expanse of stained glass anywhere in the world.
In 1984, a fire (started by a lightning strike) destroyed the roof of York Minster and the heat from the flames created 40,000 cracks in the 7,000 pieces of stained glass that make up the Rose Window.
Incredibly, the window did not break.
10. York is one of the world’s most haunted cities
Many tourist flock to York at Halloween as there are over 500 different recorded ghosts in York.
Learn about the ghost dog of York Minster or the Roman legion that is said to march through the basement of the Treasurer’s House. Brave a pint of ale at York’s most haunted pub, The Golden Fleece.
To discover facts about York’s gruesome past and ghostly apparitions, join one of the nightly ghost tours which you can read about here.
If you’re brave enough, you can even stay in one of the haunted hotels in York!
11. York has A LOT of pubs
Another fact about York that locals like to brag about is that there are (allegedly) 365 pubs in the City of York – one for every day of the year.
Within The Walls York Pub guide (available here) lists 103 pubs inside the city walls alone!
The oldest pub in York, Ye Olde Starre Inn on Stonegate, dates back to 1644.
12. Famous Yorkies
There are too many famous people from York to mention but famous Yorkies include actor Dame Judi Dench, painter William Etty, railway pioneer George Hudson, poet W. H Auden and Roman emperor Septimus Severus.
One of York’s most famous sons is Guy Fawkes who was born in a house opposite York Minster (now the Guy Fawkes Inn) and who went to school at St. Peters in York, a school which still exists today.
13. York is a must for train fans
In the 19th century, York became a famous railway hub when Yorkie George Hudson persuaded George Stephenson to run the London line through York.
Today York is home to the largest train museum in the world, The National Railway Museum, which houses (amongst many other artefacts) the largest collection of train carriages in the world. It is the only place in the world outside of Japan to see a Bullet Train and the fastest steam train in the world, The Mallard, is here.
The huge National Railway Museum is one of the best free things to do in York.
14. York is famous for chocolate – and not just the Yorkie Bar.
In the Victorian era, York became a chocolate manufacturing centre and is a tradition that continues today.
Locally born manufacturers Benjamin and Joseph Rowntree established a factory here in 1862, followed by Terry’s (of chocolate orange fame) in 1926.
There is one chocolate factory left in York (Nestle) making KitKats and, on a good day, you can smell melting chocolate in the air.
Discover York’s chocolate-y past at the interactive and engaging York Chocolate Story.
15. York city walls are the longest city walls in England.
The city walls (also called the Bar Walls) were built in medieval times on the site of earlier Roman walls and are the longest city walls in England.
The walls average 4 metres/13 feet high, 1.8 meters/6 feet wide and are approximately 3.4 kilometres miles long.
It will take around 2 hours to walk a circuit of York city walls.
16. York is home to England’s oldest working convent.
The Bar Convent is opposite Micklegate Bar and was founded in 1686. It still operates as a convent today.
There is an exhibition and excellent cafe on site and bed and breakfast accommodation available. It has to be one of the quirkiest and oldest places to stay in York.
17. The Shambles is the best preserved medieval street in Europe.
A short, medieval era cobbled street, The Shambles is reputedly the oldest shopping street in Europe – and the best preserved.
The Shambles gets its name from the wooden shelves on the shop fronts where medieval butchers of York once displayed their meat. You can still see the metal hooks hanging from some of the shop fronts.
Today, The Shambles is one of the most popular attractions in York.
Don’t miss the often overlooked Shrine of St. Margeret Clitherow which is a tiny chapel half way down The Shambles. The York born saint lived here in a butchers shop in the 16th Century. Margeret’s severed hand now resides in The Bar Convent.
18. A Yorkshire Pudding is not a dessert
The Yorkshire Pudding is a British favourite but it is not a dessert. It is a savoury accompaniment to a traditional roast dinner and is made from eggs, flour and milk. Delicious!
You can try a Yorkshire Pudding on most pub menus or get a takeaway Yorky Pud wrap from the York Roast Co on Low Petergate.
19. You can eat a Fat Rascal in York
Don’t panic, a Fat Rascal is a Yorkie’s favourite sweet cake.
The 19th century cake is similar to a scone but a Fat Rascal has added cherries and almonds.
Fat Rascal’s are synonymous with Betty’s Tea Rooms, an iconic York institution in the heart of the city centre which sells over 375,000 Fat Rascal’s every year!
20. York is a city of festivals
York doesn’t just live in the past – it is a vibrant, lively city with year round festivals to suit everyone.
Yorkies love their food and the city hosts Britain’s largest food and drink festival each September.
There is also a flower festival, ice festival, chocolate festival, Roman festival, hot air balloon festival, Viking festival, Christmas festival plus many more!
For a full list of festivals and current dates, click here.
If you learn new, fun facts about York from your visit please let me know!
