Talk:York city walls

Untitled

I seem to recall that one portion of the walls ends in "the middle of nowhere" in what was once a bog. I recall there was a small blockhouse at that point. Looking at the street map, am I right in assuming it was along the portion on the southeast of downtown, east of the Foss? Was it at the northern end? Maury 23:57, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

You've got the right area, but there are two portions that end in the middle of nowhere. Following the wall from Monk Bar towards Walmgate Bar, you arrive at a small (nineteenth-century, I think) tower and a flight of steps down to Peaseholme Green. Coming in the other direction from Walmgate Bar, the wall ends at the Red Tower, a two-storey brick building dating back to 1490 and much restored, probably the blockhouse that you remember. In between was the King's Pool (or Fishpool), where the Foss was dammed by the Normans. In the later Middle Ages it was also called the Marshes, and it gradually silted up (hence Foss Islands Road) and was used as a dumping-ground for refuse. Finally, the Foss was canalised and the land reclaimed for building.

I've been thinking of expanding the article - there is a lot more that could be said. --GuillaumeTell 12:00, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

It's definitely the Red Tower, I remember it now. I also recall walking along Islands Road to get to the next section. It was a fun way to waste away a hangover, walking the length. I particularly liked the part in the park, although the Peacocks are not something you want to encounter with a splitting headache... Maury 23:40, 5 March 2007 (UTC)

"Bar Walls"

I live in York and a lot of people I know refer to the walls as the "Bar Walls" rather than the "City Walls". Can anyone else from York verify whether this is a legitimate local name for the walls? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.29.45.93 (talk) 12:48, 2 November 2007 (UTC)

I live in York, too, but only since 2004. I haven't heard the expression "Bar Walls". However, if you google "bar walls" york, like so, there are plenty of local references. Maybe a reference in the article and a redirect are needed . --GuillaumeTell 14:57, 2 November 2007 (UTC)

Lived in York from 2001 to 2006 and I haven't heard the term 'bar walls' either. But maybe if some people, and significant numbers of people do use the term, then it ought to be mentioned somewhere. Evil Eye 12:50, 11 November 2007 (UTC)

I've lived in York all my life and always used to call them the Bar Walls until I got out of the habit while working on the open-top buses. I tended to use "City Walls" for clarity in that situation and it's kind of stuck. Definitely agree with "Bar Walls". I'm not sure about "Roman Walls", given as they're not actually Roman at all. I certainly don't think I've ever heard anyone casually call them that. Brickie (talk) 12:07, 3 April 2009 (UTC)

Tolls

At the start of the Bars section, the word "tolls" has been redirected from a disambiguation page (fine) to Toll road (not so fine, as it's all about roads and doesn't really cover what went on at city gates). Toll bridge or Toll house are both closer but still not right. I suppose one could say that the Bars functioned as toll houses and add something and maybe a pic of Walmgate bar to the latter's article. Toll gate and other Toll xxxs all redirect to Toll road. Any thoughts, anyone? --GuillaumeTell 11:53, 10 November 2009 (UTC)

I've looked up every synonym that I can find for "tolls". Local Taxation is probably nearer to what was happening at the city gates. We could do with an article about Medieval tolls to include references and links to murage, pavage, pontage, tunnage, poundage etc.. History of the English fiscal system seemed promising but was more about national than civic or local tolls. Not much help, I'm afraid, but another to add to my Todo list.--Harkey (talk) 16:41, 10 November 2009 (UTC)

This is a good exposition of tolls.--Harkey (talk) 16:59, 10 November 2009 (UTC)

Just what we need. I look forward to your article! I wonder whether records of York tolls survive? There might be something in Patrick Nuttgens (ed) "The History of York", which I have, but it has a really rotten index, clearly computer-generated and not checked. I'll skim through the medieval chapters (when I've finished the alt text for Leeds). --Guillaume Tell 17:16, 10 November 2009 (UTC)

I remember borrowing something like a minute book of York's corporation from the central library. A punishment meted out was to "pluck the wedes (weeds) from the walls". A medieval ASBO I guess!--Harkey (talk) 17:32, 10 November 2009 (UTC)

Monkgate Bar

Has anyone a source for the assertion that the 12th century gate was on the site of the Roman entrance? I thought the diversion happened in the Viking city. -- Ian Dalziel (talk) 12:07, 1 May 2010 (UTC)

Yes, I have at least two sources. I'll add them later today. --GuillaumeTell 18:02, 1 May 2010 (UTC)

...or rather, today - done. --GuillaumeTell 16:01, 2 May 2010 (UTC)

Portcullis

The article says that Monk Bar and Walmgate Bar both have portcullises. Walmgate bar section says "It also retains its portcullis (one of only three surviving in Europe)", but the article on Portcullis says that "In England, working portcullises survive at the Tower of London, Monk Bar[2] in York, Amberley Castle, and Hever Castle." So, the claim "one of three" must be wrong, surely? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ianeiloart (talk • contribs) 11:19, 3 February 2016 (UTC)

Assessment comment

The comment(s) below were originally left at Talk:York city walls/Comments, and are posted here for posterity. Following several discussions in past years, these subpages are now deprecated. The comments may be irrelevant or outdated; if so, please feel free to remove this section.

. A diagram or map of the walls would be useful Inline references required Keith D 08:43, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

Last edited at 08:43, 11 July 2007 (UTC). Substituted at 11:06, 30 April 2016 (UTC)

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walls

weren't the square holes (crenels) on the walls added by the victorians? originally it would have just been a normal stone wall, right?

these gaps are crenels: http://www.yorkwalls.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/FYW-York-UK-D.jpg

were they not added? i have heard of it — Preceding unsigned comment added by Menacinghat (talk • contribs) 20:09, 28 December 2018 (UTC)