Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

This plaque marks the Shortest Street in York, for those unable to read the plaque it says :-

WHIP-MA-WHOP-MA-GATE
The shortest street in York. Known in 1505 as
Whitnourwhatnourgate (and meaning 'what a street!')
it was changed later into its present name.
The footpath was paved in York Stone by
York Civic Trust in 1984

York Civic Trust was set up to keep York a special place for residents and visitors alike.

Just to the right of the plaque is an alleyway leading to the Shambles (more on that in a later post). The building with the white shop front is a letting agency with address of one and a half Whip-Ma-Whop-Gate.

Gate is derived from the Norse word for street and the gates in the city walls are known as Bars. Can be quite confusing for a visitor if you tell them you are taking them on a tour of the York Bars and they end up walking round the walls without stopping for a drink!