Multangular Tower, York

Multangular Tower
York
North Yorkshire

The large Roman Multangular tower stands in the grounds of the Museum. It has been called the Multangular tower since about 1683. Before this, it was called Elrondyng. The tower forms part of the old Roman defences of what was the fort of Ebaracum.

This tower was one of two major towers of the great fort the the Minster is now built over, facing out over the River Ouse. The other tower is situated beneath a street called Feasegate. The long wall had smaller towers at intervals, numbering six in total, three either side of a great gatehouse that would have split the wall in two.

The wall in which the tower is built, was probably built between AD209 and AD211, by the Emperor Severus when he was in York. It is the only surviving portion of the Roman walls.

The tower is nine metres high, although only the bottom six metres is of the original Roman structure. The tower was incorporated into the medieval defences of the city and built up so that the remains of the tower could be easily built into the city walls.

Nearby to the tower, a rare Saxon tower survives, surrounded by medieval wall.

Micklegate Bar, York

Micklegate Bar,
York
North Yorkshire

Micklegate Bar started off as a small gate into the city of York sometime between 1100 and 1132. In 1333, the defences of the gateway were beefed up, and a large barbican was built, and a portcullis was added. Unfortunately for us, the barbican was removed in 1826 to aid the free flow of traffic into the city. The gatehouse was remodeled extensively in 1827, 1863 and during the 1950's, when the carved figures were erected on the two pepper pot turrets.



The gatehouse was used to display the severed heads of executed prisoners, some of the more distinguished listed below:

Sir Henry Percy 1403
Sir William Plumpton 1405
Lord Scrop 1415
The Earl of Devon 1461
The Earl of Northumberland 1472
Four of the Farnley Wood Conpirators 1663
William Conolly and James Mayne 1746

The gatehouse lays at the junction of Micklegate and Nunnery Lane.

The Old Baille, York

The Old Baille
York
North Yorkshire

The Old Baille was built in 1068 by William the Conqueror. By 1322, it was disused, and had been incorporated into the city walls.

All that remains of this motte and bailey castle, are the earthworks of the motte, rising to around seven and a half metres. The Old Baille was originally York's second castle, sitting at the junction of Skeldergate, Cromwell Road and Bishopgate Street.

It was built on the opposite side of the River Ouse to the larger and still largely intact Clifford's Tower. The motte was used during the civil war by Parliamentarian forces between 1642 and 1649 as a gun emplacement.

Fisher Gate Postern\Bar, York

Fishergate Postern\Bar
York
North Yorkshire

The original tower on this site (the Talkan tower) was built in 1440, and was replaced by the Fishergate Postern or Bar, between 1504 and 1507 and lays at the junctions of Paragon Street, Fisher Gate and George Street.

The tower is a tall defensive structure built to defend a gateway in the city walls.

In 1489, the gateway that the tower was built to defend was bricked up, when rioting broke out amongst some of York's inhabitants. It was reopened in 1827.

The tower would originally have had a flat roof, perhaps with some sort of crenelation, however, the steepled roof seen today was added during the 16th century.

Bootham Bar, York

Bootham Bar gatehouse,
York
North Yorkshire

Bootham Bar gatehouse stands on the site of the old Roman entrance into the city of York, The Porta Principalis . It contains some of the oldest stone work in the city walls complex, some of the building dating to the 11th century. The gateway was rebuilt extensively in the 14th century, and again during the 19th century, although, as stated before, much of the original stone work is incorporated into the body of the structure. The pepper pot turrets at the top of the gatehouse were added during the 1800's and are therefore not part of the original structure. The gatehouse sits at the junction of Gillygate, Clifton (A59) and High Peter Gate, and acts as a passage way through the city walls. It had a portcullis originally, which can still be seen raised up into the ceiling.

Barker Tower and Lendal Tower, York

Barker Tower and Lendal Tower,
York,
North Yorkshire

The towers of Barker and Lendal, sit either side of Lendal Bridge over the River Ouse. The bridge links Station Road with Museum Street, and was built in 1863 by Thomas Page. Before the bride was built, the opposite banks were travelled to and from using a ferry.

Barker Tower is built on the North bank of the Ouse, and was built in 1300, originally as a boom tower....a tower built to defend a harbour. The tower is known today, as the North Street Postern. The tower has been used as a mortuary, and more recently, as a shop.

Lendal Tower stands on the opposite bank, and is an altogether more imposing building. Originally built as a boom tower....the same reason as Barker Tower, it was erected in around 1300. The tower has since been utilised as a water tower, and 20th century offices.

Both towers would originally have had a huge chain strung between them. This would have prevented any merchant ships from entering the city without first paying a toll.