Monkgate is a street in

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 ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

running north-east from the city centre.

History

The street roughly follows the line of a Roman road from Eboracum to

Derventio Derventio is a Britto-Roman name, but of Celtic origin (''dervo-'' "oak-tree"), and refers to one of the following Roman sites in Roman Britain : * Derventio (Papcastle), the Roman fort and settlement at Papcastle near Cockermouth, Cumbria * Derven ...

. Its starting point was the Porta Principalis Sinistra of the Roman walls, now

Monk Bar 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 Wal ...

on the current

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 Wal ...

. The name "Monkgate" was first recorded in about 1075, named for monks attached to

York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbis ...

. A Hospital of St Loy may have existed on the street, near Monk Bridge, but there was definitely a leper hospital there by 1380, and in 1396 a Maison Dieu was built, which survived until about 1610. In the 12th-century, St Maurice's Church was constructed on the street. The city's Jewish cemetery was also on the street. The area became built up, but was devastated by the

Siege of York The siege of York in 1644 was a prolonged contest for York during the First English Civil War, between the Scottish Covenanter army and the Parliamentarian armies of the Northern Association and Eastern Association, and the Royalist Ar ...

in 1644, and all the current buildings are from after this date. The Thomas Agar Hospital almshouse, built in 1631, appears to have survived the siege, but was demolished in 1879. The

York County Hospital York County Hospital (1740–1977) was a hospital in York, England. The building, which is grade II listed, has been converted for residential use. History The hospital has its origins in a small hospital established in Monkgate in April 1740. ...

was established on the street in 1740, and moved into a large building set back from the road in 1851. In 1754, the Grey Coat School for girls was built, while from 1803 until 1840,

Manchester College Manchester College might refer to: England * Manchester College, a former name of Harris Manchester College, Oxford *Manchester Metropolitan University, formerly Manchester Polytechnic, formed in 1977 by a merger between Manchester College of Art ...

was based on the street, its buildings then becoming St John's College. In the 18th- and 19th-centuries, the street was a prosperous residential area, with most buildings on the street dating from these centuries. However, the area around it became increasingly industrial, and its prosperity declined. St Maurice's Church was demolished in 1878, and a replaced demolished in 1967, although its cemetery survives. The trees which once lined the street have largely been removed. Despite this, the City of York Council claims that Monkgate has "retained its charm" and is "not as congested or noisy as some other city approaches". Near Monk Bar, it has independent shops and other commercial uses, including a health centre and

job centre An employment agency is an organization which matches employers to employees. In developed countries, there are multiple private businesses which act as employment agencies and a publicly-funded employment agency. Public employment agencies One ...

, while it is more residential further out.

Layout and architecture

The street runs north-east from Monk Bar, continuing the line of Goodramgate. It terminates at a roundabout at which it meets Heworth Green, Huntington Road, and Foss Bank, by Monk Bridge over the

River Foss The River Foss is in North Yorkshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Ouse. It rises in the Foss Crooks Woods near Oulston Reservoir close to the village of Yearsley and runs south through the Vale of York to the Ouse in the centre of ...

. On the south-east side, it has junctions with St Maurice's Road, Agar Street, and Monkgate Cloisters, which leads to the former hospital. On the north-west side, it meets Lord Mayor's Walk and Penley's Grove Street. Notable buildings on the north-west side of the street include 19 and 21 Monkgate, built in 1812; 37 Monkgate, built in 1794 and extended in 1848; a Methodist church, built in 1903; St Wilfrid's School, built in 1875; 39 Monkgate, built in 1794; 55 Monkgate, built about 1810; and 63 and 65, 67 and 69, and 71-75 Monkgate, all built in the 1810s. On the south-east side, buildings include the Bay Horse, built about 1820, with an ice house behind it; the 18th-century 24 Monkgate; 36 Monkgate, completed in 1798; the Grade II* listed

Middleton House Middleton House, also known as the Chatham–Hanes House and R. Philip Hanes Jr. House, is a historic home located at Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was built about 1829, and located on a hill overlooking the Savannah River i ...

, built about 1700; the early-18th century 40 Monkgate; 42 Monkgate, built by George Hudson; an 18th-century

malt kiln A malt house, malt barn, or maltings, is a building where cereal grain is converted into malt by soaking it in water, allowing it to sprout and then drying it to stop further growth. The malt is used in brewing beer, whisky and in certain foo ...

; and 44 Monkgate, built around 1723.

References

{{Streets of York Streets in York Odonyms referring to religion