City of York

These photos were taken on 29th May 2010 during my recent trip to York City.

York Minster

York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The Minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by a Dean and Chapter under the Dean of York

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Clifford's Tower

The principal castle was begun in 1068, as part of a campaign to subdue anti-Norman sentiment in the north. Its wooden defences focused around and atop the motte; they were destroyed during a local rebellion the following year, but rebuilt by the Normans after suppressing the rebels and taking harsh reprisals on York.

In 1190 the wooden keep was again burned down, during a siege by citizens of the Jewish community which had taken refuge there. This was one instance of a continent-wide persecution stimulated in part by the emotionally-charged and propagandized environment of the Crusades. At and following the accession of the crusading king Richard, successor to Henry II who had been careful to protect England's Jews, there were a number of violent outbursts against them in various English towns. In York, a violent incident was quickly followed by most of the Jews there seeking protection within the castle. However, when there fear became so great that they refused even the constable of the castle admittance, an attempt by royal authorities to regain access deteriorated into a mob assault on the castle. Rather than fall into the hands of the mob, many of the Jews committed suicide and set the keep afire. The survivors emerged the following day, only to be massacred by the besiegers. As punishment for this terrible act, the king's Chancellor dismissed the sheriff and constable, imposed a heavy fine on York's citizens (who claimed not to have been involved), but the ringleaders had fled and could not be brought to justice.

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Lendal Bridge

Lendal Bridge was built by Thomas Page in 1863 and is an iron bridge with Gothic features. It links Station Road with Museum Street and thus York railway station with York Minster, and is part of York's Inner Ring Road. At both ends of the bridge stand towers, Barker Tower to the west and Lendal Tower to the east.