Exhibition Square is an open space in the city centre of

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, England.

History

The area covered by the square lay immediately outside the walls of Roman

Eboracum Eboracum () was a fort and later a city in the Roman province of Britannia. In its prime it was the largest town in northern Britain and a provincial capital. The site remained occupied after the decline of the Western Roman Empire and ultimate ...

and the Mediaeval

York city walls York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Wa ...

, but within the walls of neighbouring St Mary's Abbey. By the 19th-century, the site was being used as a nursery by a Mr Bearpark. In 1833, the section of the city walls was demolished, to enable the construction of

St Leonard's Place St Leonard's Place is a street in the city centre of York, in England. History The site street lay mostly within the walls of Roman Eboracum, and two Anglo-Saxon carved stones and a large coin hoard have been discovered in excavations in the ...

. An Art and Industrial Exhibition was held on

Bootham Bootham is a street in the city of York, in England, leading north out of the city centre. It is also the name of the small district surrounding the street. History The street runs along a ridge of slightly higher ground east of the River Ous ...

, in York, in 1866, and in 1876 it was decided to hold a further exhibition. Bearpark's nursery was leased, while a house and the Bird in Hand pub were demolished, to clear the site. In 1879, Exhibition Square was built on the south-eastern part of the land, with the exhibition hall to its north-west, part of which survives as the

York Art Gallery York Art Gallery is a public art gallery in York, England, with a collection of paintings from 14th-century to contemporary, prints, watercolours, drawings, and ceramics. It closed for major redevelopment in 2013, reopening in summer of 2015. T ...

. The square is now the main location for the start of bus tours of the city, and also of walking tours run by the Association of Voluntary Guides to the City of York.

Layout and architecture

The square lies to the west of the northernmost section of

, where it meets

. Bootham Bar, on the city walls, is opposite. On the north-eastern side of the square is part of the abbey boundary wall, including Bootham Tower and Queen Margaret's Arch, which leads to Bootham's junction with

Gillygate Gillygate is a street in York, in England, immediately north of the city centre. History The area occupied by the street lay outside the walls of Roman Eboracum, but evidence of occupation in this period has been found, and it is possible that ...

. York Art Gallery lies on the north-western side, and

King's Manor The King's Manor is a Grade I listed building in York, England, and is part of the University of York. It lies on Exhibition Square, in the city centre. History King's Manor was originally built to house the abbots of St Mary's Abbey, York. ...

on the south-western side. The railings in front of King's Manor were originally built in 1726 for York Mansion House. In 1911, a statue of

William Etty William Etty (10 March 1787 – 13 November 1849) was an English artist best known for his history paintings containing nude figures. He was the first significant British painter of nudes and still lifes. Born in York, he left scho ...

was placed in the centre of the square, to a design by G. W. Milburn. In 1971, the square was pedestrianised, and the

York Civic Trust York Civic Trust is a membership organisation and a registered charity based in York, UK. Its primary function is to "preserve, protect and advise on the historic fabric of York". It is based in Fairfax House. Foundation York Civic Trust was fo ...

constructed a fountain in front of the statue of Etty.

References

{{Streets of York Squares in York