PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE - Visit York
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE
History Lovers can absorb over 2000 years of history within the city walls, whilst Thrill-Seekers can
take part in the new Gr8escapes game, with just one hour to solve the puzzles and break out of the
locked room. Culture Vultures can flock to York Castle Museum and strut the catwalk in the ‘Shaping
the Body’ exhibition. Or you can be a Foodie and discover some of York’s greatest culinary
achievements.
ATTRACTIONS
York Minster
York’s Minster is renowned around the world as
the largest medieval gothic cathedral in
northern Europe. This is religious architecture
on a massive scale: over 500 feet in length, 100
feet wide and with a central tower 200 feet
high. The cathedral took over 250 years to
complete and it was finally declared complete
(and was consecrated) in 1472. The Minster
contains some of the country’s oldest and finest
stained glass with the newly-restored Great
East Window, which is the largest single
expanse of medieval stained glass in the country. The view of the city and beyond from the Tower is
not to be missed, nor are the exhibits of historical artefacts, dating back to the Roman age . York
Minster's newest attraction, ‘Revealing York Minster’ in the Undercroft, invites visitors to embark
upon a 2000 year journey through a series of interactive underground chambers. In 2017 York Minster
became an attraction involved in England’s Historic Cities project that developed an augmented reality
application for 10 iconic attractions around England, York Minster being one of them. For more
information please visit www.yorkminster.org
National Railway Museum
At the National Railway Museum – Largest railway museum in Europe –
visitors are surrounded with a wide range of railway icons and millions of
artefacts. The only Shinkansen Bullet train to be displayed outside Japan,
a lock of Robert Stephenson’s hair, the Flying Scotsman (Tourism
Ambassador of the Year at the Visit York Tourism Awards) and many other
can be found under the roof of an old train station. The Museum’s
archives include 1.4 million photographs, 15,000 books and 7,000 historic
posters. Whether keen to soak up the social history of the railways, or if
feeling inquisitive about the design of the Eurostar, the Japanese bullet
train or Thomas the Tank Engine, the NRM is a must-see attraction for any
visitor. Entry to the museum is free for everyone. For more information
please visit www.nrm.orkg.uk
The JORVIK Viking Centre
The JORVIK Viking Centre is a dynamic vision of York in the 10th century.
Visitors are able travel back in time to experience the sounds, smells and
images of the Viking city of Jorvik in AD975. State-of-the-art capsules take
them on a sensory adventure through the Viking settlement as it was over a
thousand years ago. In April 2017 JORVIK Viking Centre opened after a
yearlong renovation and is inviting visitors to experience an even better and
more engaging experience with a three year exhibition that will last until
2020 for which JORVIK has collaborated with the British Museum. For more
information please visit www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk
City Walls
At 3.4 kilometres long, the beautifully preserved walls are
the longest medieval town walls in England. About 2.5
million people walk along all or part of the City walls each
year, taking in some stunning views and tracing the steps
of Roman soldiers, who guarded the walls almost 2000
years ago. The completion of the entire circuit will take
approximately two hours on foot, although there are
many chances to climb down and explore any nearby
attraction that takes your fancy, before ascending back up
to continue from where you left off. There are four main ‘bars’ or gateways, one minor bar, one
Victorian gateway, one postern (a small gateway) and 45 towers to find along the way. Fun fact: The
walls weigh approximately 100,000 metric tonnes. For more information please visit
www.visityork.org/York-City-of-York-Walls/details/?dms=3&venue=3610893
Yorkshire Museum
The Yorkshire Museum is home to a treasure trove
of historical gems including The Vale of York Viking
Hoard, the most significant Viking find in more than
150 years, the head of the earliest portrait statue of
Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, and the
famous ‘Cawood Sword’, only the fifth Viking sword
of its type ever to be found and by far the best
preserved, with a mysterious inscription that has
never been solved. In 2017 a unique exhibition
Viking: Rediscover the Legend took place in
collaboration with the British Museum, where two of the most significant and internationally
recognised collections of Viking Age treasure in Britain have been brought together for the first time.
For more information please visit www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk
York’s Chocolate Story
Visitors will be treated to the inside story of the famous
chocolates and sweets that started their lives in York.
Starring roles in this delicious attraction include the
famous Kit Kat and a Christmas stocking favourite - Terry’s
Chocolate Orange. Take a behind-the-scenes look intothe
lives of the amazing men and women who concocted all
these chocolate creations from the 19th to the 21st
century. The immersive experience tells the story of
York’s confectionery trading and manufacturing past,
bringing the story up to date and making sure that visitors get plenty of opportunities to interact with
chocolate. For more information please visit www.yorkschocolatestory.com
DIG
St Saviours Church (formerly the Archaeological Resource
Centre), has been transformed into a simulated archaeological
investigation including site huts, a science laboratory and
research library. Visitors are invited to try their hand at
excavating parts of a Roman fortress, Viking City, Medieval burial
site and Victorian workers’ cottages. They also get a chance to
uncover real artefacts that have actually been discovered in York,
by archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust over the last
twenty-five years. For more information please visit www.digyork.com
Cold War Bunker
A fascinating guided tour of a semi-submerged secret
bunker on the outskirts of York is available for everyone
interested. At the height of the Cold War, Britain had a
total of 1,561 nuclear shelters, designed to withstand
severe bombardment. The shelter is one of the best
surviving examples of its type in the UK and the first to
be designated a Scheduled Monument. Complete with
the original fixtures and fittings, visitors can experience
the surreal atmosphere of the time, which is as
authentic as that found in films such as The Ipcress File or the serial Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. For more
information please visit www.yorkminster.org
York Castle Museum
York Castle Museum is famous for its collections of
both military and social history, and costumes with
over 100,000 items to display. The collection of this
museum was the brainchild of John Kirk, a country
doctor and antiquarian, who between 1890 and
1920 rescued a variety of everyday items he realised
were part of a vanishing way of life. In 1935, his
collection was donated to the City of York.
Everything visitors see is authentic and real; no item
is replicated or fabricated. They can wander in and
out of the workshops where saddlers, weavers and candle -makers plied their trade in the
reconstructed Victorian ‘street’, chat to the shopkeepers about trade of the time and learn about how
leeches were thought to be medicinal. Castle Museum features a series of period rooms that reveal
domestic interiors from various times, Jacobean, Georgian and Victorian. The museum’s 2017
exhibition unlocked the infamous cells of the former prison building, unleashing the powerful, moving
and sometimes gruesome tales of those that were once imprisoned there. For more information
please visit http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/york-cold-war-bunker/
River Cruises
York owes its existence to the rivers Ouse and Foss. The island
they created made York an ideal defensive site and the River
Ouse has remained an important trading highway. Now the
rivers are no longer for defence and trade has dwindled away,
but there is much to be seen and discovered about York from
the waterways. Guided River Trips last approximately one
hour and sail regularly throughout the day from city centre
landings at King’s Staith and Lendal Bridge. Boats have open sun-decks and comfortable lounges with
panoramic windows to ensure a good view of the riverside landmarks in the city and countryside. The
captain will tell the stories of York past and present. There is also a bar on board for those who would
like to enjoy a cup of tea – or something a little stronger. Tickets are available on boarding the boat at
King’s Staith or Lendal Bridge Landing. For more information please visit www.yorkboat.co.uk
The York Dungeon
A scary adventure through York’s darker past – certainly not for
the fainthearted. Man’s inhumanity to his fellow men over the
last 2,000 years is illustrated in a succession of grisly tableaux.
Visitors are invited to encounter sinister characters from York's
gruesome past on this spine-tingling tour, including traitorous
plotter Guy Fawkes and the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin.
The resident plague doctor will perform a check-up, the Labyrinth
of the Lost will make visitors lose their mind and everyone will be
able to learn about the legend of The Golden Fleece. For more
information please visit www.thedungeons.com/york/en/
Gr8escapes York
One hour is all you have to solve the various codes and puzzles to
escape from York's first live escape room. Groups are locked into
a room with one hour to escape and the only way to get out in
time is to solve a series of puzzles and codes hidden throughout
the room. Gr8escapes requires a good level of common sense,
quick thinking and a keen eye to complete the tasks in time. Teams
can range from two to five players. For more information please
visit www.gr8scapeyork.co.uk
York Art Gallery
York Art Gallery reopened and the new Centre of Ceramic
Art (CoCA) was launched in August 2015, after an £8
million development. New gallery spaces are equipped to
host exhibitions showcasing more of the gallery’s
nationally significant collections than ever before, as well
as major touring exhibitions and blockbuster loans. CoCA,
the new Centre of Ceramic Art, is home to the gallery’s
collection of more than 5,000 examples of British Studio
Ceramics from throughout the twentieth century right up
to the present day. Visitors will find almost 2,000 ceramic works on display. Changing displays and
exhibitions showcase the collections and archive, and a unique highlight is the 17 metre long ‘wall of
pots’ displayed by colour to create a rainbow effect. The admirable Anthony Shaw collection is also on
long term loan to the gallery, displayed by the collector in a domestic style setting, as it was previously
shown in Shaw’s home in London. The gallery opened with a major new commission by renowned
ceramicist Clare Twomey called Manifest: ten thousand hours, where visitors will be in awe of the ten
thousand handmade slipcast ceramic bowls, identical in form and colour, piled high in towering
columns. A second installation, Halo, by artist Susie MacMurray, is made of thousands of pure gold
wire threads, textured to create the illusion of shimmering movement, springing out of an eight metre
wide wooden panel backdrop, casting a golden glow at the end of the gallery space. For more
information please visit www.yorkartgallery.org.uk
HIDDEN GEMS
Bar Convent
The Bar Convent was founded in total secrecy at the end of
the 17th century. Violent anti-Catholic laws meant the sisters
lived in constant fear of punishment, imprisonment - or even
death. Over the centuries their house on Blossom Street
became a masterclass in the art of disguise, with winding
corridors, a concealed priest hole and even an entire hidden
chapel. Today, England's oldest living convent has opened its
doors to the public, welcoming those of all faiths and none to
explore three-hundred-years of history. In 2015 it has
undergone a major refurbishment, as part of a two million
pound development programme, to become a Living Heritage
Centre. At the heart of this is the construction of the new exhibition, which tells the incredible story
of the house and the women behind it. From secret plots and priest holes, to angry mobs and Luftwaffe
bombs, the Bar Convent has witnessed some turbulent times in York’s history. The exhibition tells
these tales and more. It also shines a light on Mary Ward, the radical Yorkshi re nun who founded the
movement that still occupies the convent today. For more information please visit www.bar-
convent.org.uk
Barley Hall
Barley Hall is a stunning medieval house, once home to
the Priors of Nostell and the Mayor of York. Until the
1980s the house was hidden under the relatively
modern facade of a derelict office block and was only
discovered when the building was going to be destroyed.
Barley Hall has now been lovingly restored to its original
splendour and decorated to replicate what it would have
looked like as the Snawsell home around 1483 and
boasts a magnificent Great Hall. Main exhibition: Power
& Glory; York in the Time of Henry VIII will help to discover the impact this famous Tudor monarch
had on the cit. The exhibition includes costumes from Showtime’s ‘The Tudors’ and the classic BBC
drama ‘Six Wives of Henry VIII’. For more information please visit www.barleyhall.co.uk
Fairfax House
The winter home of Lord Fairfax; perhaps nowhere sums up
Georgian York as well as Fairfax House, one of the most
distinguished 18th century town houses in Britain. Designed by
18th Century architect John Carr, it is an architectural
masterpiece and now the ideal backdrop to the Noel Terry
Collection of Furniture, also one of the finest of its type. Built in
1762 a stone’s throw from Clifford’s Tower, the house,
charming and perfectly proportioned, is a perennially popular
visitor attraction. The railway age swept away much of
Georgian England, but what remains in York is a precious
reminder of the city's most elegant manifestation. The 20th
century history of Fairfax House is extensive - being used as a cinema and dance hall saved the house
from decay and it can now be enjoyed once again as an example of city-living in Georgian York, the
centre of polite society. For more information please visit www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk
Goddards House & Garden
On the edge of the racecourse, just a stone’s throw away
from the centre of York, sits Goddards, the home of the
Terry family (think Chocolate Orange). Noel Goddard
Terry was the owner of the famous chocolate-making
company Terry’s of York. His family house was designed
by architect Walter Brierly in the Arts and Crafts style,
with four acres of gardens designed by George Dillistone.
Visitors can relax in the Terry family home, recreated
with a warm atmosphere. They can sit down and pour
themselves a glass of sherry in the Drawing Room, or take a leisurely stroll around the garden rooms.
For more information please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/goddards-house-and-garden
Mansion House
One of York’s great historic treasures and one of its best kept secrets... York’s
civic history is waiting to be uncovered in the Mansion House. The house contains
a fascinating collection of Civic regalia and artefacts. From the simplicity of the
hall way to the grandeur of the Stateroom, from seeking the secret drawers
hidden in a bureau to discovering the chamber pot. This fascinating building is
just waiting to be discovered, conveniently located in the heart of the city in
beautiful St Helen’s Square. After a major renovation, Mansion House has re-
opened to the public again in October 2017. For more information please visit
www.mansionhouseyork.com
Merchant Adventurers' Hall
A 656-year-old meeting place... The Merchant Adventurers’
Hall is one of York’s medieval marvels. The Hall is home to
many remarkable collections. Including silver, furniture and
paintings, which provide a glimpse into the rich history of the
Hall and the people associated with it. The Hall also remains
the everyday base for the Company of Merchant Adventurers
of the City of York. They invite visitors to discover the secrets
of this unique guild hall and its 650 years of history. For more
information please visit www.merchantshallyork.org
Richard III and Henry VII Experiences
Two Kings, Two Gates, One City. Visitors are invited to
discover the story of medieval York during the reigns of
Richard III and Henry VII. An incredible opportunity to
explore two of York’s major monuments: Monk Bar and
Micklegate Bar, located on the historic city walls and find
out the role they played in the strife and ceremony that
was shaped by the Wars of the Roses and experience the
rebellion and conflict during the sixty years that spanned
this turbulent period in English history. For more
information please visit www.richardiiiexperience.com
Treasurer's House
Elegant town house dating from medieval times. Only a
few metres from York Minster, Treasurer’s House was
the first house ever given to the National Trust complete
with a collection - and it is not all that it first seems. It
has a history spanning 2,000 years including thirteen
period rooms housing one man's remarkable collection
of antique furniture, ceramics, textiles and paintings
from a 300-year period. For more information please
visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/treasurers-house-york
TOURS Yorkshire Food Finder Yorkshire Food Finder is all about linking food lovers from far and wide with the county's finest artisan food producers and great Yorkshire restaurants. Whatever takes visitors fancy, Yorksire Food Finder have devised a series of themed escorted gourmet food trails to explore how some of Yorkshire's quality foods are created, bred or grown, afterwards getting an opportunity to enjoy these foods showcased on specially themed menus at some of the best eating places in the county. While Yorkshire is rich in incomparable produce with a wealth of places that serve it on their menus, bringing together the two elements as one unique experience is what Yorkshire Food Finder does best. For more information please visit www.yorkshirefoodfinder.org Musket and Muslin Tours Musket & Muslin offer a range of themed walks with locally born and bred historian guides, together with an exciting and expanding programme of costumed talks and presentations. Themed walks include Musket Walks (re-live the epic siege of York during the English Civil War), Muslin Walks (see the splendours of the 'Age of Elegance’ and explore York's darker side), Mudlark Walks (for 600 years of sauce and scandal) and Mullion Walks (Discover how 2,000 years of history has been shaped by the female sex - from the famous through to the infamous). For more information please visit www.musketandmuslin.co.uk The Bloody Tour of York Mad Alice will take visitors on a hair-raising 90 minute walking tour of the city. Down snickleways and side streets recounting the gruesome and grisly past of the city. Stories of invasions, executions and heads on spikes featuring some famous historical characters are rife on every corner. For more information please visit www.thebloodytourofyork.co.uk The Original Viking Walk Everyone will be able to delve back in time to Viking Age York as this tour unearths the city's Anglo- Scandinavian & Norman past at various sites around the city. Many people know that the Vikings had a big influence on York but very few realise just how great this influence was. Visitors can join Sigwulf on an adventure through the ancient Capital of the North and hear about the deeds of Ivar the Boneless, Eirik Bloodaxe, and Harald Hardaraada. For more information please visit www.northernforge.co.uk/page/originalvikingwalk Ghost Walks York has more ghosts than any other European city and lots of gory stories to go with them. Every night of the week visitors and residents of the city can join a guided walk around York in search of the supernatural and the unexplained. Did you know that many of York’s pubs are said to be haunted? The oldest of them is the Black Swan in Peasholme Green and the most haunted one is The Golden Fleece with its many supernatural sightings. There’s no need to book ghost tours in advance. For more information please visit http://www.visityork.org/thedms.aspx?dms=11&nv=0&ItemType=336&easi=true&lStat=1&bf =
SHOPPING
For shopaholics, the York Designer Outlet on the outskirts of the city provides an ideal opportunity to
bag some bargain designer clothes. In the city centre itself you will find shops with character, with
everything from high street stores to unusual boutiques, cafés and restaurants and a plethora of
antiques shops.
York Designer Outlet
Those who would like to pick up a designer
bargain should head to the York Designer
Outlet. The outlet, which is known as the
“designer destination of the north” – has a
wealth of quality labels and top names, all
under one roof. It has over 120 stores including
exclusive brands such as Ted Baker and Hugo
Boss, as well as high street favourites like the
Gap Outlet, Marks & Spencer Outlet, and the
Next Outlet. A wide selection of food outlets
and cafés, the award-winning safety-approved
children’s play area and over 2,700 free car parking spaces are also available for the visitors of the
outlet. With various activities and events taking place throughout the year, the outlet is a perfect
location for a family day out. For more information please visit www.mcarthurglen.com/uk/york-
designer-outlet/en/
The Shambles
The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping
streets in Europe. Although none of the original shop-fronts have
survived from medieval times, some properties still have exterior
wooden shelves; reminders of when cuts of meat were served from
the open windows of butchers’ shops. The street was made narrow
by design to keep the meat out of direct sunlight, so narrow at one
point, that it is said that you were able to shake hands from the
highest window with someone in the house across the street. Try to
imagine the sights and smells from the noisy, chaotic jumble the
street once was. Despite its current quaint status, visitors can readily
envisage The Shambles thronged with people and awash with offal
and discarded bones. The outbreaks of the plague that periodically
erupted in the city could easily be blamed on such unsanitary
practices. Today the beautiful old buildings have been restored and
now host cheerful cafés and quirky boutiques. For more information
please visit www.visityork.org/York-The-Shambles/details/?dms=3&venue=3614611Original shops to try:
Dog & Bone Vintage, Castlegate – a wonderful Vintage shop established from a market
stall in Brighton.
Hairy Fig, Fossgate – ‘Purveyors of Fine Fodder’ - quirky deli with lots of local produce to
buy
Cleggs, Goodramgate – high quality gifts for the home, Cleggs make and renew unique
products by hand, as well as sourcing fairly traded items from crafts people around the
world.
Burgins Perfumery, Coney Street - an independent perfumery established in 1880,
stockists of major, bespoke and exclusive brands
Palenque, Low Petergate – independent jeweller occupying a beautifully restored and
maintained Tudor building with a double fronted window and original interior features
Monkbar Chocolatiers, The Shambles – Artisan chocolatiers - chocolates are made on the
premises and customers can see the various stages of production.
Cycle Heaven, Fulford – independent bike retailer.
York Antique Centre, Stonegate and Red House Antiques Centre, Duncombe Place
Pyramid Gallery, Stonegate – offers one of the country’s finest selections of British made
contemporary crafts, jewellery and original prints.
Pandora’s Box, Colliergate - a curiosity shop selling antiques, oddities, curiosities and
unusual gifts.
For more information and to book your stay in York:
Visit www.visityork.org/adventure
Press contact: Kay Hyde, Head of PR & Communications.
Tel: 01904 554451,
Email: Kay.Hyde@makeityork.comYou can also read
