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York City Walls
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Eco Depot, Hazel Court, York, YO10 3DS -
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8:00 am - 8:00 pm
York is one of just a handful of English cities where the medieval walls are still standing. Constructed out of magnesian limestone in the 13th & 14th centuries, York’s ancient city walls stretch for over two miles and take about two hours to walk the full circuit.
Attraction Duration
Approx. 30 mins to 2hrs
Age Range
Suitable for all ages
About York City Walls
The defences, also known as the Bar Walls, stretch for over two miles and enclose an area of 263 acres. Built on top of an earthen bank, a wooden palisade originally ran along the rampart but was replaced by stone walls during the 13th and 14th centuries. York’s medieval defences included four main gates or ‘bars,’ namely Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar and Micklegate Bar. Not only was the city protected by stone fortifications, there were also natural defences in the form of the Rivers Ouse and Foss, along with a man-made lake called the King’s Fishpool.
In Victorian times, the walls were repaired with new features built, such as footpaths for visitors to use. Roman stonework from the legionary fortress survives beneath parts of the earthen bank – itself a 9th century Viking rampart, later heightened in the Norman period.
Family Friendly 
History & Heritage 
Culture 
