A brief history of York

The Romans founded the city in AD43 as Eboracum or “place of the yew trees”. During their occupation it became one of the most important towns in Britain and a staging post for the growth and eventual triumph of Christianity.

After the Romans left in the fifth century, the people of Eboracum endured a torrid period as the city suffered numerous barbarian attacks. Eventually the conquest of the region by the Anglian King Edwin heralded a new name for the city – Eorforwic or Evorwic.

The city gradually evolved into an important northern trading post, attracting the attention of Saxons and the feared Vikings. It was the latter who would stamp their authority on the city as the end of the first millennium approached. They too liked the idea of rebranding cities, settling on the name Jorvik.

With the downfall of the Anglo-Saxons and the decline of the Vikings, Jorvik or York became the centre of rebellion against the Normans. It was also during this period that the city’s most distinctive sites, such as Clifford’s Tower and The Minster, were created or redeveloped.

The medieval period saw the city once again establish itself as a major centre for commerce. The Guildhall and the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall are products of this growing confidence. A considerable number of churches were also built in the city during this period.

Having become a pawn in the destructive Wars of the Roses and the English Civil War, conflicts separated by the Gunpowder Plot associated with York’s Guy Fawkes, the city settled down to become an important centre of Georgian culture and legal power in the eighteenth century.

The city’s role as a commercial hub was revived again in the nineteenth century as the railway network developed. Many of the industrial and commercial initiatives with which the city is popularly associated, including carriage building and repairs, residential developments, chocolate and leisure, can be traced to this era.

Now the city is forging a new identity as a base for science and research – but at its heart is a magnificent history full of drama and intrigue.

The countryside north of York boasts two National Parks and numerous heritage sites, including Fountains Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey, Beningbrough Hall and Whitby (home of Captain Cook).

The city itself boasts the magnificent Minster, home of 80% of the stained glass in Britain, the National Railway Museum, Castle Museum and Jorvik Viking Centre amongst its numerous attractions. Evening entertainment is provided by three theatres, ghost walks and cinemas, making York an all-year-round resort.