B is for Beyond Bootham Bar

This is a view along the Bar Walls looking back towards Bootham Bar from one of the larger interval towers. This tower has had various names down the centuries, the Bawing Tower, Frost Tower or Robin Hood Tower.
Taking part in ABC Wednesday

Inside the Bar

This is the inside of Bootham Bar, the main features are the remains of a stairway up to the turrets, a fireplace, and a wooden portcullis. You must pass through this room to gain access to the walls beyond.

Porta Dextra

The view east from Bootham Bar steps looks up High Petergate which leads to the Minster. Bootham Bar was built on the site of the Porta Principalis Dextra, the northwest gate of the Roman fort hence the name of the nearby shop. The pub down the street is named The Hole in the Wall and although it currently has a picture of St Mary's Abbey on the sign I think the name may have more to do with it's proximity to Bootham Bar.

Exhibition Square

This is the view looking west from the top of the steps of Bootham Bar towards Exhibition Square and Bootham. The large building in the square dates from 1879 and was originally called the Exhibition Building, now it houses the Art gallery. The red roofed tower and walls opposite once enclosed St Mary's Abbey.

Dawn to Dusk

The city walls are open from dawn to dusk each day for anyone who wishes to walk along them. Many visitors to the city do so of course, and many locals use sections of them as a handy short cut from A to B avoiding the need to cross busy roads. This section of the wall, including the steps, were built in 1834 following the demolition of the original wall and the barbican of Bootham Bar

A Tour of the City Walls

The next few days feature a walk on the city walls from Bootham Bar to Monkgate Bar. The word bar is a shortened version of barbican, each of these bars or gates into the city once had a barbican (fortified gateway) attached. The shields on the bar are the Royal House of Stuart (top)  and two Arms of the City of York. The three figures on top of the bar show a mason and a knight left and right. The central figure is Nicholas Langton a former Lord Mayor from the fourteenth century. 

Bus Ride

Took a bus ride into town recently, my local route is The Purple Line, I used to live out on The Claret Line but they seem to have retired that name now.......