Minster Dominates Skyline

The Minster dominates the skyline in York but often when you are close to it you can not see it because other buildings block the viewing angle. Turks Head Court in Aldwark is one of the exceptions. The Aldwark area of York used to be a very industrialised area of the city but in the 1960s Lord Esher was commissioned by the council to review the usage of the area as it was becoming derelict and disused. Lord Esher came to the conclusion that it would be nice to create dwellings in this area. Plans were drawn up and the area created as a dwelling area. because it is a little off the normal tourist routes very few tourists go into the area except on the ghost walks. A shame really because they are missing views like this one of the Minster from Turk's Head Court.

Minster behind Treasurer's House

From the other side of the rampant lion gateposts in Gray's Court you get a view of the central tower and chapter house roof of the Minster hidden behind the Treasurer's house.

Gray's Court - Ogleforth

One of the city centre hidden areas just behind the Treasurer's House Ogleforth entrance is the yard of Gray's Court. They have recently opened a tea rooms and created a stairway down from the walls onto the lawn where you can take tea at your leisure on a sunny day or wend your way inside the historic house if it is a wet day.

View soon to disappear - Minster from Rowntree Wharf

This view of the Minster will not be around for much longer, it has been opened up by the demolition of a number buildings in the Hungate area which is nundergoing redevelopment. Beyond the modern brick facade of Clavert's Carperts you can just make out the fine Georgian terrace in St Saviourgate.

York Minster - From Peaseholme House

Just to show what a small change of position can do to a picture, more of the Minster comes into view and St Andrew's Church can no longer be seen by moving down beside Peaseholme House to take this photograph.

York Minster Central Tower - from Spen Lane

I promised to include some tourist favourites like York Minster. This unusual view of the Central Tower is from Spen Lane with the tower dwarfing the small St Andrew's Church at the end of Spen Lane.

Lift up your eyes 5

This one is by way of a small quiz that should be very easy as there are observational clues in each of the photos that should lead you to the identity of the building. Having said that I am going to distract you by pointing out the Buddleia growing on the roof which is probably leading to the ingress of moisture into the wall causing penetrating falling damp.


The meals special offer in the window gives a clue that it is a pub and the artistic etching of the glass in the window shows an ecclesiastical symbol that should give you the name of the pub. The photo below shows the etched glass in a bit more detail.


As Rolf Harris would say"can you tell what it is yet?" Most of you will have identifed it as The Cross Keys in Goodramgate just a stone's throw from York Minster.

St. Sampson's Square

As I walked past St. Sampson's Square I realised that with the leaves off the trees that the central tower of York Minster was visible.

Linked Attractions

This photo links two of the city's most popular attractions, York Minster and The National Railway Museum. The road train plies between the two venues.

Doors within the walls 23 - St Michael Le Belfrey Church

I have waited for months to get an oppurtunity to photograph this door without a vehicle parked in front of it or them being open. St. Michael Le Belfrey stands in the shadow of York Minster but is an interesting church in its own right despite it being ignored by most visitors who are making their way to the Minster.

Minster East End Cloaked

The East End of the Minster is now almost completely cloaked, is it a case of performance art? No not really, this end of the Minster is undergoing renovation and maintenance hence the cloaking in scaffolding and wetherproofing for the masons working on it. We'll probably have to wait some years before the work is completed.

York Minster - South Side

Following Ruby's posting on York Daily Photo yesterday I looked through my own blogs on York Minster thinking that I had used this photo at some time and could not find ia blog with it. in So here it is, almost the whole of the west side of the Minster taken from beside the railings of the Minster School. Years ago, pupils at the Minster Schol used to wear red caps but I haven't seen a red cap in ages. Have they abandoned that part of the unform? This section of road used to be open to traffic and took a heavy load as part of the route between Leeds and Scarborough. During the summer and bank holidays the road would be nose to tail with traffic with several bottlenecks like the lights at Monk Bar, the junction by the Assembly Rooms and the junction by the Yorkshire Insurance (Norwich Union) building.

Robin Hood Tower

Robin Hood tower on the York City Walls is not an original feature. It was added in Victorian times and is a Victorian interpretation of what a good mediaeval tower should look like. You get to the tower from Monk Bar or Bootham Bar. From the tower is a superb view of York Minster.

Flower Tubs and York Minster

The city council are putting a lot of effort with flower displays around the city. Just a shame that over the road from this point the council offices in St. Leonards have been left to deteriorate and become shabby in a most criminal and neglecful way.

Petergate Towards York Minster

As you walk along Petergate towards York Minster there is a row of shops in mediaeval buildings including Scotts Butchers (sadly now closed). Note the overhanging upper stories. Tax was payable on the footprint of the building hence the tendency to extend the building dimensions above the ground floor.

Cutting Stone in the Minster Stoneyard

As I was passing the stoneyard I could hear the sound of the saw whirring as it cut through a large chunk of magnesian limestone. This is how the scene unfolded as a chunk was sliced off the end of a large block and was then loaded onto a trolley and taken away.

Timbered Buildings - Petergate

As you approach Bootham Bar from York Minster these timber framed buildings are on the right. They house an assortment of shops.

York Dispensary - Duncombe Place

On your right as you pass along Duncombe Place towards the Minster is the office building of Gray's Solicitors. It is a rather fine looking building and if you look a little more closely you will see extra details indicating it having been used as the York Dispensary in the past.

St Wilfred's Church - Duncombe Place

As you walk down Duncombe Place towards the Minster allow your eyes to be drawn away from the Minster as you pass the stage door entrance of the theatre to allow yourself to look at this imposing Roman Catholic church.

Ebor Morris tour the city walls

The subtitle to this piece could well have been "Ebor Morris tour the Bars and Bars of York".

The musicians by Monk Bar.

Inside the walls at Walmgate bar.

The dances have been around for a long time so the sign is probably appropriate!

Sherrif's ride performed outside Walmgate Bar and then time for a beer, but what a shame that the Rook and Gaskill didn't open at 12:00 as shown on the list of opening times on the door.

Oh dear, no drink here so we did a dance without music as a requim for a pub we have enjoyed in the past!

After refreshing ourselves in the Swan we returned to the walls to perform at the corner by Baile Hill that overlooks the Swan.

Time for another break at the Golden Ball in Bishophill.

I'm going to count to ten and when I open my eyes I am going to make this nasty brown stuff dissappear!

Interruption to the tour as the section f walls from Micklegate to Station Rise were closed. Although the notice said Monday to Friday and it was now Sunday the gate was locked. Looks like the work overran by a few days! This was an opportune time to go and do our half hour session in King's Square

King's Square brought out loads of photographers as a half hour session was performed for the York Carnival. After a short refreshment stop in the Blue Bell a few stalwarts continued the tour and headed off towards Bootham Bar to continue the last section of available wall.

More tourists taking photos in the rain as Stu gets ready to do a solo jig by York Minster.

The lad does a solo jig outside the Minster.

The hardest part of touring the city walls is getting the sticks up and down the steps. A short video clip of the survivors dancing at Robin Hood Tower can be seen on UTube http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=50-MeI0Wf1Y

The lad does another solo jig, where does he get the energy?

With much ceremony the sticks were dropped at the bottom of the stairs at Monk Bar to mark the end of the tour at the point that it had begun in the morning.

Well, another round on the bag didn't do us any harm (well not too much). The survivors relaxing at the Tap & Spile in Monkgate.