Virtual  A Virtual Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain – York

A Virtual Tour Through The Whole Island Of Great Britain.  No. 3 – York

Saturday, March 19, 2022 7:00 pm

From Legionary Fortress to Medieval Castle

Borrowing my title from Daniel Defoe’s early choreography, my first Circuit is from Chester to Edinburgh. Now on our third stop we are taking a virtual tour of the capital of the North – the historic City of York.

One of Britain’s most important and, certainly, one of its most atmospheric Cities, York has everything a lover of history could want.  Founded as a legionary Fortress as the Roman invasion proceeded northwards. Its strategic situation soon facilitated an expansion beyond the circuit of the military fort.  The City survived into the Anglian period before becoming the centre of Viking operations.

Following the Norman Invasion, the people of the North attacked William the Conqueror’s two new castles, and destroyed them. In 1069 William spent Christmas in York and used it as his base to ‘harry’ the North one of the most devastating massacres Britain has seen.  But York survived and eventually flourished as the bastion of the English Monarch’s power, and was an important factor in the rivalry between England and Scotland.

York did not become a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution but retained a regional importance and attracted industries such as chocolate manufacturing, becoming the ‘Home of Chocolate’ hosting Rowntrees and Terry’s.

Our walk will take us around the Medieval Walls, to the Castle and the site of the Roman Fortress, through the streets, alleys and snickets to one of the great Churches of Great Britain, the York Minster.