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Walmgate Bar
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Walmgate Bar, Walmgate, York. YO1 9UB -
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8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Of the four main medieval gateways into York, Walmgate Bar is the most complete, still with its barbican, or outer defence.
Attraction Duration
1 hour
Age Range
Suitable for all ages
About Walmgate Bar
Walmgate Bar formed the entrance into the city from the south-east. The central arch dates from the 1100s, although most of Walmgate Bar is made up of stonework from the 14th century. On the inner side of the entranceway is a Tudor timber-framed extension, supported on stone columns, which once provided residential accommodation but is now a café.
One of four main gates constructed by the medieval period, Walmgate Bar is the only one to have kept its outer defence, or barbican, intact. The barbican is a passageway, where attackers could be trapped and shot at by defenders on the battlements. York was placed under siege in 1644 by Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War. For three months, the city’s Royalist garrison, loyal to King Charles I, held out despite being outnumbered. The area around Walmgate was pounded with cannon fire, causing severe damage to Walmgate Bar, which was later repaired. Over the next few centuries, the side walls of the barbican became ruinous, leading to suggestions it should be removed. But instead, the barbican was fully restored in 1840.
Family Friendly 
History & Heritage 
Culture 
