Follow The Foss -3 - Piccadily to Rowntree Wharf

Staying beside the Foss is impossible for the next stretch and requires a slightly complicated but interesting detour via the Merchant Adventurer's Hall (if closed go via Merchantgate and turn left into Fossgate over Foss Bridge and past the Blue Bicycle) Straker's Passage and the back of the telephone exchange.

Once into Piccadily cross the road to view the Foss behind the former FR Stubbs ironmongers shop

Turn to your left and go down the stairs into the garden of the Merchant Adventurer's Hall following the path to the left away from the river.

 

Exit the grounds into Fossgate where on a slight diagonal to the left you will find Straker's Passage on the other side of the road. Enter the passageway.

At the end of the passageway turn right along the back of the telephone exchange.

At the end of the building turn left and then take the next turn to the right to take you back to the river. On your right you will pass a pleasant riverside seating area. On reaching the riverside turn to your left to face upstream and towards the Rowntree Wharf building which is gained via the stairs and bridge over the river.

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Merchant Adventurers

Another view of the Merchant Adventurers Hall viewed from the side of the River Foss next to Merchantgate.

CourtYard Merchant Adventurers - Fossgate

Entering through the ornate doorway of the Merchant Adventurers entrance in Fossgate brings you into this courtyard.

Doors within the walls 11 - Merchant Adventurers Hall

This is the door to the lower room of the Merchant Adventurers that you see to the left of the stairs as you come in from Fossgate

Merchant Adventurers Hall

The Merchant Adventurers were the guild that controlled overseas trade. Access to the hall is either from Piccadily where this view was taken or from the ornate entrance passage in Fossgate.

Fossgate

Fossgate is one of those streets that tends to be overlooked by tourists unless they are heading to the Merchant Adventurers Hall. It is well worth a visit though, this view is from the bridge over the River Foss looking towards the Minster in the background. I will repeat my oft said adage, "look at the buildings above the ground floor level for there is much to see at this second level.

Other points of interest along Fossgate include the bridge over the River Foss, The Blue Bicycle Restaurant with a blue bicycle chained to the street sign just outside the restaurant front door and the entrance way to the Merchant Adventurers Hall which is probably a more interesting approach to the building than the one from Piccadily.

See my earlier blog on the Blue Bell for details of one of the smallest pubs in York. I will return later to Fossgate to look at McDonalds furniture store (not the Burger chain) and look at the Zik Zak shop and one or two others in this short but intersting street.

Note: if you are looking at a Google map of the Fossgate area there is an error in the map showing the location of the river to the South of Merchantgate whereas it is actually located north of Merchantgate.

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