York is a

cathedral city Cathedral city is a city status in the United Kingdom. Cathedral city may also refer to: * Cathedral City, California, a city in Southern California, United States * Cathedral City Cheddar, a brand of Cheddar cheese * Cathedral City High Scho ...

with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and

Foss Fos or FOSS may refer to: Companies * Foss A/S, a Danish analytical instrument company *Foss Brewery, a former brewery in Oslo, Norway * Foss Maritime, a tugboat and shipping company Historic houses * Foss House (New Brighton, Minnesota), Unite ...

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 ...

, England. It is the historic county town of

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a minster, castle, and city walls. It is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of the wider

City of York The City of York is a unitary authority area with city status in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The district's main settlement is York, and it extends to the surrounding area including the town of Haxby and the villages of ...

district. The city was founded under the name of

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 ultimat ...

in 71 AD. It then became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of

Deira Deira ( ; Old Welsh/Cumbric: ''Deywr'' or ''Deifr''; ang, Derenrice or ) was an area of Post-Roman Britain, and a later Anglian kingdom. Etymology The name of the kingdom is of Brythonic origin, and is derived from the Proto-Celtic *''daru' ...

Northumbria la, Regnum Northanhymbrorum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Northumbria , common_name = Northumbria , status = State , status_text = Unified Anglian kingdom (before 876)North: Anglian kingdom (af ...

, and

Scandinavian York Scandinavian York ( non, Jórvík) Viking Yorkshire or Norwegian York is a term used by historians for the south of Northumbria (modern-day Yorkshire) during the period of the late 9th century and first half of the 10th century, when it was do ...

. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, it became the northern England ecclesiastical province's centre, and grew as a wool-trading centre. In the 19th century, it became a major railway network hub and confectionery manufacturing centre. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, part of the

Baedeker Blitz The Baedeker Blitz or Baedeker raids were a series of aerial attacks in April and May 1942 by the German ''Luftwaffe'' on English cities during the Second World War. The name derives from Baedeker, a series of German tourist guide books, inclu ...

bombed the city; it was less affected by the war than other northern cities, with several historic buildings being gutted and restored up to the 1960s. The city is one of 15 in England to have a lord mayor, and one of two to have ''

The Right Honourable ''The Right Honourable'' (abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific Style (form of address), style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth ...

'' title affixed, the other being

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

's. Historic governance of the city was as a county corporate, not included in the county's riding system. The city has since been covered by a

municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in S ...

county borough County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. An equivalent te ...

, then a

non-metropolitan district Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially "shire districts", are a type of Districts of England, local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties (colloquially ''shi ...

. Surrounding villages and rural areas, including

Haxby Haxby is a town and civil parish in the City of York district of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 8,754, reducing to 8,428 at the 2011 Census. Open farmland is to the north as far as the vil ...

, are included in the current district; this district's local council is responsible for providing all local services and facilities throughout this area. The city had a population of 153,717 in the 2011 census; the wider district had a population of , making it the most populous in England. According to census data, York has a population of 202,800, a 2.4% increase compared to the 2011 census.

Toponymy

The name ''York'' ( non,

Jórvík Scandinavian York ( non, Jórvík) Viking Yorkshire or Norwegian York is a term used by historians for the south of Northumbria (modern-day Yorkshire) during the period of the late 9th century and first half of the 10th century, when it was do ...

) is derived from the

Brittonic Brittonic or Brythonic may refer to: *Common Brittonic, or Brythonic, the Celtic language anciently spoken in Great Britain *Brittonic languages, a branch of the Celtic languages descended from Common Brittonic *Britons (Celtic people) The Br ...

name ( Latinised as or ), a combination of eburos "

yew tree Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus b ...

" (compare

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, , and , and

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

; compare also Welsh and Breton , both meaning "alder buckthorn") and a suffix of

appurtenance An appurtenance is something subordinate to or belonging to another larger, principal entity, that is, an adjunct, satellite or accessory that generally accompanies something else.*-āko(n), meaning "belonging to,” or “place of" (compare Welsh ).Xavier Delamarre, ''Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise'', éditions errance 2003, p. 159. Put together, these old words meant "place of the yew trees". (In Welsh, ; in Old Irish, ; in Irish Gaelic, ; and in Scottish Gaelic, ). The city is called in Irish and in Scottish Gaelic—names derived from the Latin word . A proposed alternative meaning is "the settlement of (a man named) ," a Celtic personal name spelled variously in different documents as , and : when combined with the Celtic possessive suffix , the word could be used to denote the property of a man with this name. The name became the Anglian in the 7th century: a compound of , from the old name, and , meaning “village,” probably by conflation of the element with a Germanic root ('boar'); by the 7th century, the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th c ...

for 'boar' had become . When the

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

army conquered the city in 866, it was renamed . The

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...

and

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

name of the city following the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Con ...

was recorded as (modern Norman ) in works such as Wace's ''

Roman de Rou ''Roman de Rou'' is a verse chronicle by Wace in Norman covering the history of the Dukes of Normandy from the time of Rollo of Normandy to the battle of Tinchebray in 1106. It is a national epic of Normandy. Following the success of his ''Ro ...

''. , meanwhile, gradually reduced to ''York'' in the centuries after the Conquest, moving from the

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...

in the 14th century through in the 16th century to ''Yarke'' in the 17th century. The form ''York'' was first recorded in the 13th century. Many company and place names, such as the Ebor race meeting, refer to the Latinised Brittonic, Roman name. The 12th‑century chronicler

Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth ( la, Galfridus Monemutensis, Galfridus Arturus, cy, Gruffudd ap Arthur, Sieffre o Fynwy; 1095 – 1155) was a British cleric from Monmouth, Wales and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography ...

, in his fictional account of the prehistoric kings of Britain, , suggests the name derives from that of a pre-Roman city founded by the legendary king Ebraucus. The

Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers th ...

uses ''Ebor'' as his surname in his signature.

History

Early history

Roman Fortifications in Museum Gardens York

Archaeological evidence suggests that Mesolithic people settled in the region of York between 8000 and 7000 BC, although it is not known whether their settlements were permanent or temporary. By the time of the Roman conquest of Britain, the area was occupied by a

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...

known to the Romans as the Brigantes. The Brigantian tribal area initially became a Roman client state, but later its leaders became more hostile and the Roman Ninth Legion was sent north of the

Humber The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between t ...

into Brigantian territory. The city was founded in 71 AD, when the Ninth Legion conquered the Brigantes and constructed a wooden military fortress on flat ground above the River Ouse close to its confluence with 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 ...

. The fortress, whose walls were rebuilt in stone by the VI legion based there subsequent to the IX legion, covered an area of and was inhabited by 6,000

legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...

ary soldiers. The site of the ''principia'' (HQ) of the fortress lies under the foundations of

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 Arch ...

, and excavations in the undercroft have revealed part of the Roman structure and columns. Constantine York

The Emperors Hadrian,

Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary suc ...

, and

Constantius I Flavius Valerius Constantius "Chlorus" ( – 25 July 306), also called Constantius I, was Roman emperor from 305 to 306. He was one of the four original members of the Tetrarchy established by Diocletian, first serving as caesar from 293 t ...

all held court in York during their various campaigns. During his stay 207–211 AD, the Emperor Severus proclaimed York capital of the province of Britannia Inferior, and it is likely that it was he who granted York the privileges of a ' colonia' or city. Constantius I died in 306 AD during his stay in York, and his son

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...

was proclaimed Emperor by the troops based in the fortress. In 314 AD a bishop from York attended the Council at Arles to represent Christians from the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

. While the Roman ''colonia'' and fortress were on high ground, by 400 AD the town was victim to occasional flooding from the Rivers Ouse and Foss, and the population reduced. York declined in the post-Roman era, and was taken and settled by the

Angles The Angles ( ang, Ængle, ; la, Angli) were one of the main Germanic peoples who settled in Great Britain in the post-Roman period. They founded several kingdoms of the Heptarchy in Anglo-Saxon England. Their name is the root of the name ...

in the 5th century. Reclamation of parts of the town was initiated in the 7th century under King Edwin of

, and York became his chief city. The first wooden

minster church Minster is an honorific title given to particular churches in England, most notably York Minster in Yorkshire, Westminster Abbey in London and Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire. The term ''minster'' is first found in royal foundation charte ...

was built in York for the baptism of Edwin in 627, according to the Venerable Bede. Edwin ordered the small wooden church be rebuilt in stone; however, he was killed in 633, and the task of completing the stone minster fell to his successor

Oswald Oswald may refer to: People *Oswald (given name), including a list of people with the name *Oswald (surname), including a list of people with the name Fictional characters *Oswald the Reeve, who tells a tale in Geoffrey Chaucer's ''The Canterbur ...

. In the following century,

Alcuin of York Alcuin of York (; la, Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus; 735 – 19 May 804) – also called Ealhwine, Alhwin, or Alchoin – was a scholar, clergyman, poet, and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student ...

came to the cathedral school of York. He had a long career as a teacher and scholar, first at the school at York now known as St Peter's School, York, St Peter's School, founded in 627 AD, and later as Charlemagne's leading advisor on ecclesiastical and educational affairs. In 866, Northumbria was in the midst of internecine struggles when the Vikings raided and captured York. As a thriving Anglo-Saxon metropolis and prosperous economic hub, York was a clear target for the Vikings. Led by Ivar the Boneless and Halfdan Ragnarsson, Halfdan, Scandinavian forces attacked the town on All Saints' Day. Launching the assault on a holy day proved an effective tactical move – most of York's leaders were in the cathedral, leaving the town vulnerable to attack and unprepared for battle. After it was conquered, the city was renamed from the Saxon Eoforwic to Jorvik. It became the capital of Viking territory in Britain, and at its peak boasted more than 10,000 inhabitants. This was a population second only to London within Great Britain. Jorvik proved an important economic and trade centre for the Vikings. Norse coinage was created at the Jorvik mint, while archaeologists have found evidence of a variety of craft workshops around the town's central Coppergate area. These demonstrate that textile production, metalwork, carving, glasswork and jewellery-making were all practised in Jorvik. Materials from as far afield as the Persian Gulf have also been discovered, suggesting that the town was part of an international trading network. Under Viking rule the city became a major river port, part of the extensive Viking trading routes throughout northern Europe. The last ruler of an independent Jórvík, Eric Bloodaxe, was driven from the city in 954 AD by King Eadred in his successful attempt to complete the unification of England.

After the conquest

In 1068, two years after the Norman conquest of England, the people of York rebelled. Initially they succeeded, but upon the arrival of William I of England, William the Conqueror the rebellion was put down. William at once built a wooden fortress on a motte. In 1069, after another rebellion, the king built another timbered castle across the River Ouse. These were destroyed in 1069 and rebuilt by William about the time of his ravaging Northumbria in what is called the "Harrying of the North" where he destroyed everything from York to Durham. The remains of the rebuilt castles, now in stone, are visible on either side of the River Ouse. The first stone minster church was badly damaged by fire in the uprising, and the Normans built a minster on a new site. Around the year 1080, Thomas I of York, Archbishop Thomas started building the cathedral that in time became the current Minster. Clifford's Tower, from south

In the 12th century York started to prosper. In 1190, York Castle#12th century, York Castle was the site of an infamous 12th century English pogroms, massacre of its Jewish inhabitants, in which at least 150 were murdered, although some authorities put the figure as high as 500. The city, through its location on the River Ouse and its proximity to the Great North Road (Great Britain), Great North Road, became a major trading centre. John, King of England, King John granted the city's first charter in 1212, confirming trading rights in England and Europe. During the later Middle Ages, York merchants imported wine from France, cloth, wax, canvas, and oats from the Low Countries, timber and furs from the Baltic region, Baltic and exported grain to Gascony and grain and wool to the Low Countries. York became a major cloth manufacturing and trading centre. Edward I further stimulated the city's economy by using the city as a base for his war in Scotland. The city was the location of significant unrest during the so-called Peasants' Revolt in 1381. The city acquired an increasing degree of autonomy from central government including the privileges granted by a charter of Richard II of England, Richard II in 1396.

16th to 18th centuries

Wall of the ruins, st marys abbey York 8714

The city underwent a period of economic decline during Tudor period, Tudor times. Under Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII, the Dissolution of the Monasteries saw the end of York's many Monastery, monastic houses, including several orders of friars, the hospitals of St Nicholas and of St Leonard, the largest such institution in the north of England. This led to the Pilgrimage of Grace, an uprising of northern Catholics in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire opposed to religious reform. Henry VIII restored his authority by establishing the Council of the North in York in the dissolved St Mary's Abbey. The city became a trading and service centre during this period. Anne of Denmark came to York with her children Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, Prince Henry and Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, Princess Elizabeth on 11 June 1603. The Mayor gave her a tour and offered her hippocras, spiced wine, but she preferred beer. Guy Fawkes, who was born and educated in York, was a member of a group of Roman Catholic restorationists that planned the Gunpowder Plot. Its aim was to displace Protestant rule by blowing up the Houses of Parliament while King James I of England, James I, the entire Protestant, and even most of the Catholic aristocracy and nobility were inside. A map of York england

In 1644, during the English Civil War, Civil War, the Roundhead, Parliamentarians Siege of York, besieged York, and many medieval houses outside the city walls were lost. The barbican at Walmgate Bar was undermined and explosives laid, but the plot was discovered. On the arrival of Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Prince Rupert, with an army of 15,000 men, the siege was lifted. The Parliamentarians retreated some from York with Rupert in pursuit, before turning on his army and soundly defeating it at the Battle of Marston Moor. Of Rupert's 15,000 troops, 4,000 were killed and 1,500 captured. The siege was renewed and the city surrendered to Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, Sir Thomas Fairfax on 15 July. Following the English Restoration, restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and the removal of the garrison from York in 1688, the city was dominated by the gentry and merchants, although the clergy were still important. Competition from Leeds and Kingston upon Hull, Hull, together with silting of the River Ouse, resulted in York losing its pre-eminent position as a trading centre, but its role as the social and cultural centre for wealthy northerners was rising. York's many elegant townhouses, such as the Mansion House, York, Lord Mayor's Mansion House and Fairfax House date from this period, as do the York Assembly Rooms, Assembly Rooms, the Theatre Royal, York, Theatre Royal, and the York Racecourse, racecourse.

Modern history

National Railway Museum - Virgin 91101 (rear)

The railway promoter George Hudson was responsible for bringing the railway to York in 1839. Although Hudson's career as a railway entrepreneur ended in disgrace and bankruptcy, his promotion of York over Leeds, and of his own railway company (the York and North Midland Railway), helped establish York as a major railway centre by the late 19th century. Hudson House, Toft Green, York (geograph 4919113)

Hudson House, Toft Green, York (geograph 4919113)

The introduction of the railways established engineering in the city. At the turn of the 20th century, the railway accommodated the headquarters and works of the North Eastern Railway (UK), North Eastern Railway, which employed more than 5,500 people. The railway was instrumental in the expansion of Rowntree's, Rowntree's Cocoa Works. It was founded in 1862 by Henry Isaac Rowntree, who was joined in 1869 by his brother the philanthropist Joseph Rowntree (Philanthropist), Joseph. Another chocolate manufacturer, Terry's, Terry's of York, was a major employer. By 1900, the railways and confectionery had become the city's two major industries. Lower Petergate in York, England

York was a centre of early photography, as described by Hugh Murray in his 1986 book ''Photographs and Photographers of York: The Early Years, 1844–79''. Photographers who had studios in York included William Hayes (photographer), William Hayes, William Pumphrey, and Augustus Mahalski who operated on Davygate and Low Petergate in the 19th century, having come to England as a refugee after serving as a Uhlan, Polish lancer in the Austro-Hungarian war. In 1942, the city was bombed during the

(part of the

) by the German Luftwaffe and 92 people were killed and hundreds injured. Buildings damaged in the raid included the York railway station, Railway Station, Rowntree's Factory, Poppleton Road Primary School, St Martin-le-Grand Church, the Bar Convent and the Guildhall, York, Guildhall which was left in total disrepair until 1960. Bench King's Square York

With the emergence of tourism, the historic core of York became one of the city's major assets, and in 1968 it was designated a conservation area. The existing tourist attractions were supplemented by the establishment of the National Railway Museum in York in 1975, the Jorvik Viking Centre in 1984 and the York Dungeon in 1986. The opening of the University of York in 1963 added to the prosperity of the city. In March 2012, York's Chocolate Story opened. York was voted European Tourism City of the Year by European Cities Marketing in June 2007, beating 130 other European cities to gain first place, surpassing Gothenburg in Sweden (second) and Valencia, Spain, Valencia in Spain (third). York was also voted safest place to visit in the 2010 ''Condé Nast Traveller'' Readers' Choice Awards. In 2018, ''The Sunday Times'' deemed York to be its overall 'Best Place to Live' in Britain, highlighting the city's "perfect mix of heritage and hi-tech" and as a "mini-metropolis with cool cafes, destination restaurants, innovative companies – plus the fastest internet in Britain". The result was confirmed in a YouGov survey, reported in August 2018, with 92% of respondents saying that they liked the city, more than any of 56 other British cities.

Governance

Local

The City of York is governed by the City of York Council. It is a unitary authority that operates on a leader and cabinet style of governance, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. The city council consists of 47 councillors representing 21 Ward (electoral subdivision), wards, with one, two or three per ward serving four-year terms. Its headquarters are at the York Guildhall, Guildhall and West Offices in the city centre. York is divided into 21 administrative wards: Acomb, North Yorkshire, Acomb, Bishopthorpe, Clifton, York, Clifton, Copmanthorpe, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, North Yorkshire, Woodthorpe, Fishergate, Fulford, North Yorkshire, Fulford and Heslington, Guildhall,

and Wigginton, North Yorkshire, Wigginton, Heworth, York, Heworth, Heworth Without, Holgate, North Yorkshire, Holgate, Hull Road, Huntington, City of York, Huntington and New Earswick, Micklegate, Osbaldwick and Derwent (ward), Derwent, Rawcliffe, York, Rawcliffe and Clifton Without, Rural West York, Strensall, Westfield, York, Westfield, and Wheldrake. The members of the cabinet, led by the Leader of the City of York Council, Council Leader, makes decisions on their portfolio areas individually. Following the Local Government Act 2000, the Council Leader commands the Confidence and supply, confidence of the city council; the leader of the largest political group and head of the City of York Council. The Leader of the council and the cabinet (consisting of all the executive councillors) are collectively Accountability, accountable for their policies and actions to the city council. The current Council Leader, Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrats' Cllr Keith Aspden, was appointed on 22 May 2019, following the 2019 City of York Council election. St Helen's Square, York

York's first citizen and civic head is the Lord Mayor of York, Lord Mayor, who is the chairman of the City of York Council. The appointment is made by the city council each year in May, at the same time appointing the Sheriff, the city's other civic head. The offices of Lord Mayor and Sheriff are purely ceremonial. The Lord Mayor carries out civic and ceremonial duties in addition to chairing full council meetings. The incumbent Lord Mayor since 26 May 2022 is Councillor David Carr, and the Sheriff is Suzie Mercer. York Youth Council consists of several young people who negotiate with the councillors to get better facilities for York's young people, and who also elect York's Member of Youth Parliament. As a result of the 2019 City of York Council election the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party was reduced to two seats. The Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrats had 21 councillors. The Labour Party (UK), Labour Party had 17 councillors and the Green Party of England and Wales, Green Party had four with three Independents. Due to no overall control, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party agreed to form a coalition on 14 May 2019. York is the traditional county town of

, and therefore did not form part of any of its Ridings of Yorkshire, three historic ridings, or divisions. Its Mayor has had the status of Lord Mayor since 1370. York is an ancient borough, and was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to form a

. It gained the status of a

in 1889, under the Local Government Act 1888, and existed so until 1974, when, under the Local Government Act 1972, it became a

in the county of North Yorkshire, whilst retaining its Lord Mayor, its Sheriff and Aldermen. As a result of 1990s UK local government reform, York regained unitary status and saw a substantial alteration in its borders, taking in parts of Selby (district), Selby and Harrogate (borough), Harrogate districts, and about half the population of the Ryedale district. The new boundary was imposed after central government rejected the former city council's own proposal.

Parliament

From 1997 to 2010, the central part of the district was covered by the City of York (UK Parliament constituency), City of York constituency, while the remainder was split between the constituencies of Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency), Ryedale, Selby (UK Parliament constituency), Selby, and Vale of York (UK Parliament constituency), Vale of York. These constituencies were represented by Hugh Bayley, John Greenway (MP), John Greenway, John Grogan (UK politician), John Grogan, and Anne McIntosh respectively. Following their review in 2003 of parliamentary representation in

, the Boundary Commission for England recommended the creation of two new seats for the City of York, in time for the 2010 United Kingdom general election, general election in 2010. These are York Central (UK Parliament constituency), York Central, which covers the inner urban area, and is entirely surrounded by the York Outer (UK Parliament constituency), York Outer constituency.

Ceremonial

York is within the ceremonial county of

and, until 1974, was within the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Lord Lieutenant of the County of York, West Riding and the County of The City of York. The city does retain the right to appoint its own Sheriff. The holder of the Royal Duke, Royal Duke of York, dukedom of York has no responsibilities either ceremonially or administratively as regards to the city.

Geography

Location

York lies in the Vale of York, a flat area of fertile arable land bordered by the Pennines, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Wolds. The city was built at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss on a terminal moraine left by the Last Glacial Period, last ice age. Tour boats on the River Ouse

During Roman times, the land surrounding the Ouse and Foss was marshy, making the site easy to defend. The city is prone to flooding from the River Ouse, and has an extensive network of flood defences with walls along the river, and a liftable barrier across the Foss where it joins the Ouse at the "Bridges of York#The Blue Bridge, Blue Bridge". In October and November 2000, York experienced the worst flooding in 375 years; more than 300 homes were flooded. In December 2015 the flooding was more extensive and caused major disruption. The extreme impact led to a personal visit by Prime Minister David Cameron. Much land in and around the city is on flood plains too flood-prone for development other than agriculture. The ''Clifton Ings, ings'' are flood meadows along the Ouse, while the ''Strays of York, strays'' are open common grassland in various locations around the city.

Climate

York has a Oceanic climate, temperate climate (Köppen climate classification, Cfb) with four distinct seasons. As with the rest of the Vale of York, the city's climate is drier and warmer than the rest of the Yorkshire and the Humber region. Owing to its lowland location, York is prone to frosts, fog, and cold winds during winter, spring, and very early summer. Snow can fall in winter from December onwards to as late as April but quickly melts. As with much of the British Isles, the weather is changeable. York experiences most sunshine from May to July, an average of six hours per day. With its inland location, summers are often warmer than the Yorkshire coast with temperatures of 27 °C or more. Extremes recorded at the University of York campus between 1998 and 2010 include a highest temperature of and a lowest temperature of on 6 December 2010. The most rainfall in one day was .

Green belt

York's urbanised areas are surrounded by a green belt that restricts development in the rural areas and parts of surrounding villages, to preserve the setting and historic character of the city. The green belt surrounds nearly all of the city and its outer villages, extending out into North Yorkshire.

Demography

The York urban area (built-up area) had a population of 153,717 at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 UK census, compared with 137,505 in 2001. The population of the

(Local Authority) was 198,051 and its ethnic composition was 94.3% White, 1.2% Mixed, 3.4% Asian and 0.6% Black. York's elderly population (those 65 and over) was %, however only 13.2% were listed as retired. Also at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 UK census, the City of York had a total population of 181,094 of whom 93,957 were female and 87,137 were male. Of the 76,920 households in York, 36.0% were married couples living together, 31.3% were one-person households, 8.7% were cohabitation, co-habiting couples and 8.0% were lone parents. The figures for lone parent households were below the national average of 9.5%, and the percentage of married couples was also close to the national average of 36.5%; the proportion of one person households was slightly higher than the national average of 30.1%. In 2001, the population density was . Of those aged 16–74 in York, 24.6% had no academic qualifications, a little lower than 28.9% in all of England. Of York's residents, 5.1% were born outside the United Kingdom, significantly lower than the national average of 9.2%. White British form 95% of the population; the largest single minority group was recorded as Asian, at 1.9% of the population. The number of theft-from-a-vehicle offences and theft of a vehicle per 1,000 of the population was 8.8 and 2.7, compared to the English national average of 6.9 and 2.7 respectively. The number of sexual offences was 0.9, in line with the national average. The national average of violence against another person was 16.2 compared to the York average of 17.5. The figures for crime statistics were all recorded during the 2006–07 financial year. The city's estimated population in 2019 was 210,620.

Population change

Ethnicity

Religion

Percentages in York following non-Christian religion were below England's national average. Classified as having "No Religion" is higher than the national average. Christianity has the largest religious following in York, 59.5% residents reported as Christian in the 2011 census. York has multiple churches, most present churches in York are from the medieval period. St William's College behind the Minster, and Bedern Hall, off Goodramgate, are former dwelling places of the Canon (priest), canons of the York Minster. There are 33 active Anglican churches in York, which is home to the

and

, the Mother Church and administrative centre of the Province of York, northern province of the Church of England and the Diocese of York. York is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough, has eight Roman Catholic churches and a number of different Catholic religious orders. Leaders of different Christian denominations work together across the city, forming a network of churches known as One Voice York. Other Christian denominations active in York include the Religious Society of Friends who have three Friends meeting house, meeting houses, Methodists (the York Circuit of The Methodist Church York and Hull District), and Unitarianism, Unitarians. St Columba's United Reformed Church in Priory Street, originally built for the Presbyterians, dates from 1879. York's only Mosque is located in the Layerthorpe area, and the city also has a UK Islamic Mission centre. Various Buddhism, Buddhist traditions are represented in the city and around York. There is also an active Jewish community.

Economy

Overview

Yorkshire Museum, York, England-23March2005

Tower of All Saints Pavement Church (geograph 3951967)

A July 2020 report by Council stated that York is worth "£5.2 billion to the UK economy ... with 9,000 businesses and 110,000 people employed across the city". According to ''Make It York'', the city benefits from features that include a well-educated workforce, "excellent transport links to both national and international markets, pronounced strengths in a range of high value sectors, a pioneering digital infrastructure, outstanding business support networks ..." York's economy is based on the service industry, which in 2000 was responsible for 88.7% of employment in the city. Statistics based on 2019 data indicated that tourism was worth over £765 million to the city, supported 24,000 jobs and attracted 8.4 million visitors each year. The Employment Rate in 2018 was 78.8%. The private sector accounted for 77,000 jobs in 2019 while 34,500 jobs were in the public sector. The service industries include public sector employment, health, education, finance, information technology (IT) and tourism that accounted for 10.7% of employment as of 2016. Tourism has become an important element of the economy, with the city offering a wealth of historic attractions, of which

is the most prominent, and a variety of cultural activities. As a holiday destination York was the 6th most visited English city by UK residents (2014–16) and the 13th most visited by overseas visitors (2016). Morris dancers York 8667

A 2014 report, based on 2012 data, stated that the city receives 6.9 million visitors annually; they contribute £564 million to the economy and support over 19,000 jobs. In the 2017 Condé Nast Traveller survey of readers, York rated 12th among The 15 Best Cities in the UK for visitors. In a 2020 Condé Nast Traveller report, York rated as the sixth best among ten "urban destinations [in the UK] that scored the highest marks when it comes to ... nightlife, restaurants, and friendliness". York designer outlet (geograph 6848025)

Unemployment in York was low at 4.2% in 2008 compared to the United Kingdom national average of 5.3%. The biggest employer in York is the City of York Council, with over 7,500 employees. Employers with more than 2,000 staff include Aviva (formerly Norwich Union Life), Network Rail, Northern Trains, York Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of York. Other major employers include BT Group, CPP Group, Nestlé, NFU Mutual and a number of railway companies. A 2007 report stated that the economic position at that time very different from the 1950s, when its prosperity was based on chocolate manufacturing and the railways. This position continued until the early 1980s when 30% of the workforce were employed by just five employers and 75% of manufacturing jobs were in four companies. Most industry around the railway has gone, including the York Carriage Works, which at its height in the 1880s employed 5,500 people, but closed in the mid-1990s. York is the headquarters of the confectionery manufacturer Nestlé York (formerly Nestlé Rowntrees) and home to the ''KitKat'' and eponymous Yorkie (chocolate bar), ''Yorkie'' bar chocolate brands. Terry's chocolate factory, makers of the ''Terry's Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Orange'', was located in the city; but it closed on 30 September 2005, when production was moved by its owners, Kraft Foods, to Poland. The historic factory building is situated next to the Knavesmire racecourse. On 20 September 2006, Nestlé announced that it would cut 645 jobs at the Rowntree's chocolate factory in York. This came after a number of other job losses in the city at Aviva, British Sugar, and The Chocolate Works, Terry's chocolate factory. Despite this, the employment situation in York remained fairly buoyant until the effects of the late 2000s recession began to be felt. Aviva, York

Since the closure of the carriage works, the site has been developed into offices. York's economy has been developing in the areas of science, technology and the creative industries. The city became a founding National Science City with the creation of a science park near the University of York. Between 1998 and 2008 York gained 80 new technology companies and 2,800 new jobs in the sector.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have COVID-19 pandemic in England, reached England after cases were discovered in York on 31 January 2020. The pandemic caused an economic slowdown because of restrictions imposed on businesses and on travel in the UK; by January 2021, many cities were in their third lockdown and the country's unemployment rate had reached its highest level in over four years. The retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors were especially hard hit in York. In August 2020, the campaign "Make It York" and the city council embarked on a six-month tourism marketing plan "to reenergise the city while building resident and visitor confidence". A report in June 2020 stated that unemployment had risen 114% over the previous year because of restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic. In addition to high unemployment during lockdown periods, one analysis by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership predicted in August 2020 that "as many as 13,835 jobs in York will be lost in the scenario considered most likely, taking the city's unemployment rate to 14.5%". Some critics claimed that part of the problem was caused by "over-reliance on the booming tourism industry at the expense of a long-term economic plan". Other analyses suggested that "York is well-placed for the high street to recover and evolve from the pandemic if new businesses focus on creating an attraction or experience rather than traditional retail". The North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership also "predicted a significant rise in staycation trips to York in 2021".

Public services

Under the requirements of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, York City Council appointed a watch committee which established a police force and appointed a chief constable. On 1 June 1968 the York City, East Riding of Yorkshire, and North Riding of Yorkshire police forces were amalgamated to form the York and North East Yorkshire Police. Since 1974, Home Office policing in York has been provided by the North Yorkshire Police. The force's central headquarters for policing York and nearby Selby (district), Selby are in Fulford. Fire service in the United Kingdom, Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, based in Northallerton. York Hospital Front entrance

The city's first hospital, York County Hospital, opened in 1740 in Monkgate funded by public subscription. It closed in 1976 when it was replaced by York Hospital, which opened the same year and gained NHS foundation trust, Foundation status in April 2007. It has 524 adult inpatient beds and 127 special purpose beds providing general healthcare and some specialist inpatient, daycase, and outpatient services. It is also known as York District Hospital and YDH. The Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust was formed on 1 July 2006 bringing together South Yorkshire Ambulance Service, West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service and the North and East Yorkshire parts of Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service to provide patient transport. Other forms of health care are provided for locally by clinics and surgeries. Cour Magistrats York 6

Since 1998 waste management has been co-ordinated via the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership. York's distribution network operator for electricity is CE Electric UK; there are no power stations in the city. Yorkshire Water, which has a local water extraction plant on the River Derwent, Yorkshire, River Derwent at Elvington, manages York's drinking water, drinking and waste water. The city has a magistrates' court (England and Wales), magistrates' court, and venues for the Crown Court and the County Court (England and Wales), County Court. The Crown Court House was designed by the architect John Carr (architect), John Carr, next to the then prison (including execution area). Between 1773 and 1777, the Grand Jury House was replaced by John Carr's elegant Court House for the Assizes of the whole county. The Female Prison was built opposite and mirrors the court building positioned around a circular lawn which became known as the "Eye of the Ridings", or the "Eye of York". 1776 saw the last recorded instance of a wife hanged and burnt for poisoning her husband. Horse theft was a capital offence. The culprits of lesser crimes were brought to court by the city constables and would face a fine. The corporation employed a "common informer" whose task was to bring criminals to justice. The former prison is now the York Castle Museum, Castle Museum but still contains the cells.

Transport

Water

York's location on the River Ouse, and in the centre of the Vale of York, means that it has always had a significant position in the nation's transport system. The city grew up as a river port at the confluence of the Ouse and the Foss. The Ouse was originally a tidal river, accessible to seagoing ships of the time. Today, both of these rivers remain navigable, although the Foss is only navigable for a short distance above the confluence. A canal lock, lock at Naburn on the Ouse to the south of York means that the river in York is no longer tidal. Until the end of the 20th century, the Ouse was used by barges to carry freight between York and the Port of Hull, port of Kingston upon Hull, Hull. The last significant such traffic was the supply of newsprint to the local newspaper's Foss-side print works, which continued until 1997. Today, navigation is almost exclusively leisure-oriented.

Roads

Like most cities founded by the Romans, York is well served by long-distance trunk roads. The city lies at the intersection of the A19 road from Doncaster to Tyneside, the A59 road from Liverpool to York, the A64 road from Leeds to Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Scarborough and the A1079 road from York to Kingston upon Hull, Hull. The A64 road provides the principal link to the motorway network, linking York to both the A1(M) and the M1 motorways at a distance of about from the city. The trans-Pennine M62 motorway is less than away providing links to Manchester and Liverpool. The city is surrounded on all sides by an outer ring road, at a distance of some from the centre of the city, which allows through traffic to by-pass the city. The street plan of the historic core of the city dates from medieval times and is not suitable for modern traffic. As a consequence, many of the routes inside the city walls are designated as Car-free zone, car-free during business hours or restrict traffic entirely. To alleviate this situation, six bus-based York Park and Ride, park and ride sites operate in York. The sites are located towards the edge of the urban area, with easy access from the ring road and allow out of town visitors to complete their journey into the city centre by bus. Public transport within the city is largely bus-based. First York operates the majority of the city's local bus services, as well as the York Park & Ride services. York was the location of the first implementation of FirstGroup's experimental and controversial FTR (bus), FTR bus concept, which sought to confer the advantages of a modern tramway system at a lower cost. The service was withdrawn following an election manifesto pledge by the Labour Group at the 2011 local government election. Transdev York also operates a large number of local bus services. Open-top tourist and sightseeing buses are operated by Transdev York, on behalf of City Sightseeing. Rural services, linking local towns and villages with York, are provided by a number of companies with Transdev York & Country, East Yorkshire (bus company), East Yorkshire and Reliance Motor Services operating most of them. Longer-distance bus services are provided by a number of operators, including Arriva Yorkshire services to Selby, East Yorkshire routes to Hull, Beverley, Driffield, Market Weighton and Pocklington, and Harrogate Bus Company services to Knaresborough and Harrogate. Yorkshire Coastliner links Leeds City bus station, Leeds via York with Scarborough, Filey, Bridlington and Whitby.

Railway

York has been a major railway centre since the first line arrived in 1839, at the beginning of the railway age. For many years, the city hosted the headquarters and works of the North Eastern Railway (United Kingdom), North Eastern Railway. York Train Station - geograph

Air

The closest international airports are Leeds Bradford Airport, Leeds Bradford at , Teesside International Airport, Teesside , Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Doncaster Sheffield , Humberside Airport, Humberside . Further afield are Manchester Airport, Manchester and Newcastle International Airport, Newcastle . Manchester Airport – with connections to Europe, North America, Africa and Asia – has direct rail links by TransPennine Express with its . By road its accessible by the A64 road, A64 to the M60 motorway, M60 via the A1(M) motorway, M1 motorway, M1 and M62 motorway, M62. Hawker Hunter at Yorkshire Air Museum (8248)

Hawker Hunter at Yorkshire Air Museum (8248)

Teesside Airport has one connection via and with a limited service with a bus from to the airport. By road, it is accessible by the A19 road, A19 north to the A67 road, A67. Newcastle Airport has one connection via with the metro to , it is accessible by the A1(M) north to the A1 road (Great Britain), A1 then the A696 road, A696. Leeds Bradford and Humberside have no direct station with buses from the nearest stations. Leeds Bradford serves most major European and North African airports, as well as Pakistan and John F Kennedy International Airport, New York City. Humberside is accessible by the A1079 to the A15 road (England), A15 via the A63 road, A63; Leeds Bradford by the A59 road, A59 to the A658 road, A658 via the A661 road, A661. York has an airfield at the former RAF Elvington, south-east of the city centre, which is the home of the Yorkshire Air Museum and used for private aviation. In 2003, plans were drafted to expand the site for business aviation or a full commercial service. Former RAF Church Fenton is also near the city and private, it is now called Leeds East Airport, Leeds East.

Education

Museums and libraries

York Castle, a complex of buildings ranging from the medieval Clifford's Tower to the 20th-century entrance to the York Castle Museum (formerly a prison) has had a chequered history. As well as the Castle Museum, the city contains numerous other museums and historic buildings such as the Yorkshire Museum and its Museum Gardens, Jorvik Viking Centre, York Art Gallery, Merchant Adventurers' Hall, the reconstructed medieval house Barley Hall (owned by the York Archaeological Trust), the 18th-century Fairfax House, the Mansion House, York, Mansion House (the historic home of the Lord Mayor) and the so-called Treasurer's House, York, Treasurer's House (owned by the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, National Trust). The National Railway Museum is situated just beyond the station, and is home to a vast range of transport material and the largest collection of railway locomotives in the world. Included in this collection are the world's fastest steam locomotive LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard, LNER Class A4 4468 ''Mallard'' and the world-famous LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman, LNER Class A3 4472 ''Flying Scotsman'', which has been overhauled in the Museum. Although noted for its Medieval history, visitors can also gain an understanding of the Cold War through visiting the York Cold War Bunker, former headquarters of No 20 Group of the Royal Observer Corps. York Library (15th July 2013) 002

The city's first subscription library opened in 1794. The first free public library, the York Library, was built on Clifford Street (York), Clifford Street in 1893, to mark Queen Victoria's jubilee. A new building was erected on Museum Street (York), Museum Street in 1927, and this is still the library today; it was extended in 1934 and 1938.

Higher and further

The University of York's main campus is on the southern edge of the city at Heslington. The Department of Archaeology and the graduate Centres for Eighteenth Century Studies and Medieval Studies are located in the historic King's Manor in the city centre. York St

It was York's only institution with university status until 2006, when the more centrally located York St John University, formerly an autonomous college of the University of Leeds, attained full university status. The city formerly hosted a branch of the University of Law before it moved to Leeds. The University of York also has a medical school, Hull York Medical School. The city has two major further education institutions. York College (York), York College is an amalgamation of York Technical College and York Sixth Form College. Students there study a very wide range of academic and vocational courses, and range from School leaving age, school leavers and sixth formers to people training to make career moves. Askham Bryan College offers further education courses, foundation and honours degrees, specialising in more vocational subjects such as horticulture, agriculture, animal management and even golf course management.

Secondary and primary

There are 70 Local Education Authority, local council schools with over 24,000 pupils in the City of York Council area. The City of York Council manages most primary and secondary schools within the city. Primary schools cover education from ages 5–11, with some offering early years education from age 3. From 11 to 16 education is provided by 10 secondary schools, four of which offer additional education up to the age of 18. In 2007 Oaklands Sports College and Lowfield Comprehensive School merged to become one school known as York High School, York, York High School. There is one "''outstanding''" Roman Catholic secondary school in the city, All Saints Roman Catholic School, York, All Saints School, which was founded in 1665, the school is split-site meaning that the education of lower years (years 7-9) happens on the Lower Site attached to the oldest running convent in the country, Bar Convent. And the upper years including sixth form are taught on the Upper Site which is on Mill Mount, the former site of Millthorpe School, Mill Mount County Grammar School for Girls. The Sixth form is both the largest and most well-respected sixth form in the city. As a school it plays an essential role in York's Catholic community being the only secondary institution dedicated to the denomination. It was the first Catholic school in the country to admit girls for education in the 1660s. York also has several private schools. St Peter's School, York, St Peter's School was founded in 627. The scholar Alcuin, who went on to serve Charlemagne, taught there. It was also the school attended by Guy Fawkes. Two schools have Quaker origins: Bootham School is co-educational and The Mount School, York, The Mount School is all-girls. Another all-girls school is Queen Margaret's School, York, Queen Margaret's School, which was established under the Woodard Foundation.

Culture

The city is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a city of ''Media Arts''. An unsuccessful 2010 bid by York city council and a number of heritage organisations to make a UNESCO World Heritage Site indirectly led to the city making a successful bid for its title.

Theatre

The York Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal, which was established in 1744, produces an annual pantomime which attracts loyal audiences from around the country. The theatre's veteran star, Berwick Kaler, often played the pantomime dame, dame, before he retired from acting in the pantomime in 2019, and officially parted ways with the theatre after the so-called "Panto Wars". The Theatre Royal continues to produce an annual pantomime without Kaler, who came out of retirement in 2021 to star in a new panto at The Grand Opera House, York, Grand Opera House. Both the Grand Opera House and Joseph Rowntree Theatre also offer a variety of productions. The city is home to the Riding Lights Theatre Company, which as well as operating a busy national touring department, also operates a busy youth theatre and educational departments. York is also home to a number of amateur dramatic groups. The Department of Theatre, Film and Television and Student Societies of the University of York put on public drama performances. York Opera

The York Mystery Plays are performed in public at intervals, using texts based on the original medieval plays of this type that were performed by the guilds – often with specific connections to the subject matter of each play. (For instance the Shipwrights' Play is the ''Building of Noah's Ark'' and the fish-sellers and mariners the ''Landing of Noah's Ark''). The York Cycle of Mystery Plays or Pageants is the most complete in England. Originally performed from wagons at various locations around the city from the 14th century until 1570, they were revived in 1951 during the Festival of Britain, when York was one of the cities with a regional festival. They became part of the York City Festival every three years and later four years. They were mostly produced in a temporary open-air theatre within the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, using some professional but mostly amateur actors. Lead actors have included Christopher Timothy and Robson Green (in the role of Christ) and Dame Judi Dench as a school girl, in 1951, 1954 and 1957. (She remains a Patron of the plays). The cycle was presented in the Theatre Royal in 1992 and 1996, within York Minster in 2000 and in 2002, 2006 and 2010 by Guild groups from wagons in the squares, in the Dean's Park, or at the Eye of York. They go around the streets, recreating the original productions. In 2012, the York Mystery Plays were performed between 2 and 27 August at St Mary's Abbey, York, St Mary's Abbey in the York Museum Gardens.

Music

The Academy of St Olave's, a chamber orchestra which gives concerts in St Olave's Church, York, St Olave's Church, Marygate, is one of the music groups that perform regularly in York. A former church, Medieval churches of York#St Margaret, Walmgate, St Margaret's, Walmgate, is the National Centre for Early Music, which hosts concerts, broadcasts, competitions and events including the York Early Music Festival. Students, staff and visiting artists of York St John University music department regularly perform lunchtime concerts in the university chapel. The staff and students of the University of York also perform in the city.

Food and drink

Each September since 1997, York has held an annual Festival of Food and Drink. The aim of the festival is to spotlight food culture in York and North Yorkshire by promoting local food production. The Festival attracts up to 150,000 visitors over 10 days from all over the country. The Assize of Ale is an annual event in the city where people in medieval costume take part in a pub crawl to raise money for local charities. It has its origins in the 13th century, when an Assize of Bread and Ale was used to regulate the quality of goods. The current version was resurrected in 1990/91 by the then Sheriff of York, Peter Brown, and is led by the Guild of Scriveners. The Knavesmire, home of York Racecourse, plays host to Yorkshire's largest beer festival every September run by York CAMRA – York Beer & Cider Festival. It is housed in a marquee opposite the grandstand of the racecourse in the enclosure and in 2016 offered over 450 real ales and over 100 ciders.

A product claimed to be local is York ham, a mild-flavoured ham with delicate pink colouring. It is traditionally served with Madeira wine#Uses, Madeira Sauce. The ham has been described as a lightly smoked, dry-cured ham that is saltier but milder in flavour than other European dry-cured hams. Folklore has it that the oak construction for York Minster provided the sawdust for smoking the ham. A likely apocryphal story attributes Robert Burrow Atkinson's butchery shop, in Blossom Street, to be the birthplace of the original "York Ham", or at least to have made it famous.

Attractions

Architecture

, a large Gothic architecture, Gothic cathedral, dominates the city. York's centre is enclosed by York city walls, the city's medieval walls, which are a popular walk. These defences are the most complete in England. They have the only walls set on high ramparts and they retain all their principal gateways. They incorporate part of the walls of the Roman fortress and some Norman and medieval work, as well as 19th- and 20th-century renovations. The entire circuit is approximately , and encloses an area of . The north-east section includes a part where walls never existed, because the Norman moat of York Castle, formed by damming the

, also created a lake which acted as a city defence. This lake was later called the King's Fishpond, as the rights to fish belonged to the Crown. A feature of central York is the Snickelways of York, Snickelways, narrow pedestrian routes, many of which led towards the former market-places in Pavement (York), Pavement and St Sampson's Square. The Shambles is a narrow medieval street, lined with shops, boutiques and tea rooms. Its unusual name comes from an old English term for an open-air slaughterhouse or meat market. Most of these premises were once butchers' shops, and the hooks from which carcasses were hung and the shelves on which meat was laid out can still be seen outside some of them. The street also contains the Shrine of Margaret Clitherow, although it is not located in the house where she lived. Goodramgate has many medieval houses including the early-14th‑century Lady Row built to finance a Chantry, at the edge of the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York, Holy Trinity church. File:York Micklegate Bar - panoramio.jpg, The southern entrance to York, Micklegate Bar, is a 12th14th century structure File:Shambles shopper 8686.jpg, The Shambles is a medieval shopping street; most of the buildings date from between 1350 and 1475 File:Odeon Cinema 3.jpg, The Art Deco style Odeon Cinema on Blossom Street File:Stonebow House, York.jpg, The 1960s Brutalist-style Stonebow House

Pubs

In June 2015 York Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA listed 101 pubs on its map of the city centre, some of which are hundreds of years old. These include the Golden Fleece Inn, York, Golden Fleece, Ye Olde Starre Inne, noted for its sign which has spanned the street since 1733, and Kings Arms, York, The Kings Arms, often photographed during floods. On 18 June 2016, York CAMRA undertook a "Beer Census" and found 328 unique real ales being served in over 200 pubs in York, reinforcing the city's reputation as a top UK beer destination.

Tea Rooms

In the centre of York, in St Helen's Square, there is the York branch of Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, Bettys Café Tea Rooms. Bettys' founder, Frederick Belmont, travelled on the maiden voyage of the ''RMS Queen Mary, Queen Mary'' in 1936. He was so impressed by the splendour of the ship that he employed the Queen Mary's designers and craftsmen to turn a dilapidated furniture store in York into an elegant café in St Helen's Square. A few years after Bettys opened in York war broke out, and the basement 'Bettys Bar' became a favourite haunt of the thousands of airmen stationed around York. 'Bettys Mirror', on which many of them engraved their signatures with a diamond pen, remains on display today as a tribute to them.

Media

The York area is served by a local newspaper, ''The Press (York), The Press'' (known as the ''Evening Press'' until April 2006), ''The York Advertiser'' newspaper (based at ''The Press'' on Walmgate), and four local radio stations: BBC Radio York, YorkMix Radio, YO1 Radio and Jorvik Radio. A local commercial radio station, Minster FM, broadcast until 2020 when it was replaced by Greatest Hits Radio North Yorkshire. Another digital news and radio website is YorkMix run by former print journalists, that incorporates Local News; What's On; Food & Drink; Things To Do and Business sections with articles written by residents and local journalists. In August 2016 YorkMix was nominated in two categories in the O2 Media Awards for Yorkshire and The Humber. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC Yorkshire and BBC North East & Cumbria on BBC One and ITV Yorkshire and ITV Tyne Tees on ITV. This means York receives news from Emley Moor and Bilsdale television transmitters. On 27 November 2013, Ofcom awarded the 12-year local TV licence for the York area to a consortium entitled The York Channel, with the channel due to be on air in spring 2015. This service is now on air as That's TV North Yorkshire. York St John University has a Film and Television Production department with links to many major industrial partners. The department hosts an annual festival of student work and a showcase of other regional films. The University of York has its own television station York Student Television (YSTV) and two campus newspapers ''Nouse'' and ''York Vision''. Its radio station University Radio York, URY is the longest running legal independent radio station in the UK, and was voted Student Radio Station of the Year 2020 at the Student Radio Awards.

Sport

Football codes

The city's association football team is York City F.C., York City who are competing in the as of the 2022–23 season. York have played as high as the Football League Second Division, old Second Division but are best known for their 'giant killing' status in cup competitions, having reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1954–55 FA Cup, 1955 and beaten Manchester United F.C., Manchester United 3–0 during the 1995–96 Football League Cup, League Cup. Their matches are played at the York Community Stadium as of 2021, having previously played at Bootham Crescent since 1932. The most notable footballers to come from York in recent years are Lucy Staniforth, 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Under-20 World Cup winning captain Lewis Cook (footballer, born 1997), Lewis Cook and former England national football team, England manager Steve McClaren. York also has a strong rugby league history. York FC, later known as York Wasps, formed in 1868, were one of the oldest rugby league clubs in the country but the effects of a move to the out of town Huntington Stadium, poor results and falling attendances led to their bankruptcy in 2002. The supporters formed a new club, York City Knights, who played at the same stadium until 2015 when they moved to Bootham Crescent. In 2021, they moved to York Community Stadium. the men's team play in The Championship (rugby league), Championship and the women's team (York Valkyrie) play in the RFL Women's Super League, Super League. There are three amateur rugby league teams in York; New Earswick All Blacks (in New Earswick), York Acorn and Heworth A.R.L.F.C., Heworth. York International 9s was an annual rugby league nines tournament which took place in York between 2002 and 2009. Amateur side York Lokomotive compete in the Rugby League Conference. Rugby union has been played in York since the 1860s, with multiple teams currently playing within the city. York RUFC was formed in 1928, and amalgamated with the York Cricket Club in 1966. The teams' home ground is at York sports ground at Clifton Park. The men's 1st team play in North 1 East, with the women's team in RFUW Women's NC1 North East championship. York Railway Institute (RI) RUFC home ground is at the York RI sports club on newlane, York. The men's team currently compete in Yorkshire Division 4 South East (Yorkshire 4), and the ladies team play in the RFUW Women's NC1 North East championship. Based at the York site of chocolate and confectionery maker Nestle Rowntree's, Nestle Rowntree RUFC was founded originally in 1894 and re-founded in 1954. They currently play their home games at York St. John University Sports Field and they compete in Yorkshire Division 4 South East (Yorkshire 4).

Racing

York Racecourse was established in 1731 and from 1990 has been awarded Northern Racecourse of the Year for 17 years running. This major horseracing venue is located on the Knavesmire and sees thousands flocking to the city every year for the 15 race meetings. The Knavesmire Racecourse also hosted Royal Ascot in 2005. In August racing takes place over the four-day Ebor Festival that includes the Ebor Handicap dating from 1843. On 6 July 2014, York hosted the start of Stage 2 of the 2014 Tour de France. Starting the Départ Fictif from York Racecourse, the riders travelled through the city centre to the Départ Actuel on the A59 just beyond the junction with the Outer Ring Road heading towards Knaresborough. In 2015, the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire was held as a legacy event to build on the popularity of the previous year, with the Day 2 stage finishing in York. Motorbike speedway once took place at York. The track in the Burnholme Estate was completed in 1930 and a demonstration event staged. In 1931 the track staged team and open events and the York team took part in the National Trophy.

Other

An open rowing club York City Rowing Club is located underneath Lendal Bridge. The rowing clubs of The University of York, York St John University Rowing Club and Leeds University Boat Club as well as York City RC use the Ouse for training. There are two sailing clubs close to York, both of which sail dinghies on the River Ouse. The York RI (Railway Institute) Sailing Club has a club house and boat park on the outskirts of Bishopthorpe, a village to the south of York. The Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club has a club house in the village of Naburn, south of York. York hosts the UK Championship, UK Snooker Championship, which is the second biggest ranking tournament in the sport, at the York Barbican.

Garrison

York Garrison is a List of British Army Garrisons, garrison of the British army, which administers a number of units based in and around the city of York. The garrison's current units are: *York Station **Imphal Barracks ***Headquarters, 1st (United Kingdom) Division ***2 Signal Regiment (United Kingdom), 2 Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals ***12 Military Intelligence Company, 1 Military Intelligence Battalion ***1 Investigation Company, Special Investigation Branch Regiment ***Kohima Troop, 50 (Northern) Signal Squadron, 37 (Wessex and Welsh) Signal Regiment, 37 Signal Regiment ***3 Army Education Centre, Educational and Training Services Branch **Worsley Barracks ***Helmand Company, 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment ***York Detachment, Officers' Training Corps#Leeds, Leeds University Officers' Training Corps **Yeomanry Barracks ***A (Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry, Yorkshire Yeomanry) Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry *Strensall Station **Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall, Queen Elizabeth Barracks ***Headquarters, 2nd Medical Brigade (United Kingdom), 2nd Medical Brigade ***34 Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps ***Headquarters, Army Training Unit (North) ***4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East, 4th Infantry Brigade Cadet Training Team ***1st (United Kingdom) Division Operational Shooting Training Team **Towthorpe Lines ***Army Medical Services Training Centre

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

York is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with: * Dijon, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France, since 1953 * Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, since 1957 * Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, since 2016 In 2016 York became sister city, sister cities with the Chinese city of Nanjing, in line with an agreement signed by the Lord Mayor of York, focusing on building links in tourism, education, science, technology and culture. On 22 October 2014 it announced the first 'temporal twinning' with Jórvík, the Viking city on the site of York from 866 to 1066. In 2017 York became UK's first Human Rights City, human rights city, which formalised the city's aim to use human rights in decision making.

Freedom of the City

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of York.

Individuals

* John Kendal: 1482. * John Moore: 29 September 1687. * Cosmo Gordon Lang: 1928. * Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, HRH Princess Royal: 1952. * Edna Annie Crichton: 1955. * Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Duke of York : 23 February 1987. (Revoked by a Unanimity, Unanimous vote of the City of York Council on 27 April 2022). * Sarah, Duchess of York, Duchess of York: 23 February 1987. * Katharine, Duchess of Kent, HRH Duchess of Kent : April 1989. * John Barry (composer), John Barry : 2002. * Judi Dench, Dame Judi Dench : 13 July 2002. * Berwick Kaler: 2003. * Professor Ron Cooke, Sir Ronald Cooke : 2006. * Neal Guppy: 2010.

Military units

* The Royal Dragoon Guards: 24 April 1999. * 2 Signal Regiment (United Kingdom), 2 Signals Regiment: January 2001. * A Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry: 3 December 2009. * RAF Linton-on-Ouse, RAF Linton on Ouse: 19 September 2010. * The Queen's Gurkha Signals: 8 September 2015.

Explanatory notes

: There was no census in 1941: figures are from National Register. United Kingdom and Isle of Man. Statistics of Population on 29 September 1939 by Sex, Age, and Marital Condition. : There is a discrepancy of 37 between Office for National Statistics figures (quoted before) and those on the ''Vision of Britain'' website (quoted here).

References

External links

Photos and images

Imagine York: Historic Photographs
– online council library archive of historic photographs of York, searchable by keyword

Historical and genealogical sources

*
History of York
– comprehensive site dedicated to the history of the city
Life in a Mediæval City Illustrated by York in the XVth Century
– Gutenberg {{Authority control York, 1st-century establishments in Roman Britain 70s establishments in the Roman Empire 71 establishments Capitals of former nations Cities in Yorkshire and the Humber Coloniae (Roman) County towns in England Fortified settlements Leeds City Region Populated places established in the 1st century Towns in North Yorkshire Trading posts of the Hanseatic League Unparished areas in North Yorkshire Former non-metropolitan districts Former boroughs in England