The castle originally consisted of two circular timber motte & bailey castles built in
1068. One, known as Clifford's Tower, was first built in wood on a 60 foot
high motte and was replaced in stone with a shell keep between 1245 and 1270, protected by a stone curtain wall with towers.
During the Civil War the castle was slighted but it
was rebuilt afterwards. It was
then gutted by fire in 1684 and not restored until the 19th century. Part of the curtain wall remains.
The other
motte, Baile Hill, is across the river and still visible.
It is 20 feet high and has been incorporated into the city walls.
It was used by Parliament in the Civil War from 1642 to 1649 as
a gun emplacement.
English Heritage, open all year.
Photo Charles Taylor
The Romans built one of their main army bases at York
on the banks of the River Ouse in AD71 on a site now occupied by the cathedral.
They encircled the town with walls,
parts of which still remain near the Multangular Tower.
The Danes occupied York in 867. The Roman defences
were in poor repair and the Danes demolished all the
towers save the Multangular Tower and repaired the walls.
The majority of the remaining walls date from the 12th
- 14th century, with some reconstruction carried out
in the 19th century. The walls are punctuated by four
main gates, or 'bars' - Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate
Bar and Micklegate Bar.
Scroll down for photos
of the walls and towers.
Map of York and the City Walls
Bootham Bar
This is the northern entrance to the city and
stands on the site of a previous Roman gate. The
lower part of its structure dates from the 12th century,
the upper storeys being added in the 14th century. The barbican was
demolished in the 19th century.
Robin Hood Tower
Circular in design, it was built in 1888\89 on the site
of an earlier tower.
Monk Bar
Built in the 1300's, it is the most ornate of
the gatehouses. The lowest floor
was built in the 1300's, the second story being built
in the 15th century. From 1577,
the gatehouse was used as a prison. The Barbican was
removed between 1815 and 1825 but it
still retains is original portcullis.
Red Tower
It was built in 1490 of red brick and its walls are four feet thick in places. It was damaged during the 1644 siege.
Walmgate Bar
Walmgate Bar has an unusually well preserved barbican.
Fishergate Bar
Fishergate Bar was the entrance to the city from Selby, and the walls from this Bar to Fishergate Tower commanded the narrow approach to the castle. The Bar consists of a round arch between two wide buttresses, each with passage through. Adjoining the eastern buttress was a rectangular guardroom. T
Fishergate Postern/Tower
The original tower on this site was built in 1440, and was replaced by the Fishergate Postern, between 1504 and 1507 to defend
a gateway in the city walls at the junctions of Paragon Street, Fisher Gate and George Street. In 1489, the gateway was bricked up.
Birchdaughter Tower
Built in 1645, it has a raised gun platform.
Victoria Bar
It was opened in 1838 to provide direct access between Nunnery Lane and Bishophill.
Micklegate Bar
Originally a small gate into the city of York built between 1100 and 1132. In 1333 a large barbican was built, and a portcullis was
added. The barbican was removed in 1826 and the gatehouse has been modified extensively since then.
Toft Tower
A corner wall tower.
Barker Tower
North Street Postern andTower, originally known as Barker tower. The conical roof and a second storey were added in the 17th century.
Lendal Tower
Originally a small water tower similar to Barker tower, it was almost entirely rebuilt in the 17th century.
Multangular Tower
Built as part of a series of eight defensive towers in AD 210. It has ten sides and is almost 30 feet tall but only the lower part is the original
Roman stonework - the upper course with arrowslits is a later medieval addition.
St Mary's Tower
Part of the wall of St Mary's Abbey, it was built in 1324 as a tall, circular tower, 10 metres in diameter
and over 10 metres high. In 1644 it was the subject of a heavy attack
by the Parliamentarians. After the Civil War the tower
was rebuilt with thinner walls on the outside
but kept the octagonal shape on the inside. The
tower has since been restored.
