York (and a little Rhode Island)

We left Edinburgh first thing this morning for the 3.5 hour drive south to York. The route took us close to the east coast at times, with really nice views of the North Sea across rolling green fields. Every time we've traveled along the highway we've passed bright yellow rapeseed fields and I haven't been able to get a good photo- but managed to snap one today from the car window.

The color is stunning, especially when you see a square field of yellow surrounded by lush green.

Once in York we went promptly to a pub to figure out a plan. York sits on the River Ouse (pronounced "ooze") and like Chester and many other English towns was a walled Roman fortress in AD 71.

 

Roman Multangular Tower and section of fortress wall
 

In the fifth century became an Anglo-Saxon settlement and by the seventh century the York Minster existed. Today it is an amazing gothic cathedral, one of the largest in northern Europe, and as incredible on the outside as it is on the inside.

So big I can't even get the whole front in the picture!


Halfway through my self-guided tour I felt a tap on the arm and there was my co-worker Steve, on his own group tour. I knew Steve was going to be in Edinburgh when I was there and we'd talked about trying to meet up for a beer, but it hadn't worked out and I figured that was that. I had no idea he was going to be in York with his group and he had no idea I'd be in York, and then to be in the same place at exactly the same time and to actually run into each other (the cathedral is HUGE and there were easily 200 people inside when we were walking around) is what Steve referred to as a "Rhode Island coincidence."    

Admission to the York Minster, which is an active Church of England house of worship, includes an underground museum which explains how the first church was built on the ruins of the Roman fort and the foundations incorporate elements from the Anglo-Saxon period as well. 

 

A rare Anglo-Saxon gravestone portrait, possibly a priest.

A crypt in the basement includes a 12th century Norman period relic known as the "Doomstone."

 

According to the Museum placard, the stone depicts the Mouth of Hell where lost souls are pushed into a cauldron by devils and demons. Kind of makes you want to go upstairs into the church...

Forgot to mention that in addition to everyone else, the Vikings were here too, calling the town Jorvik. We didn't have time to visit, but there is a big interactive museum in York located at a Viking site that appears to include some sort of roller coaster ride! 

York also has plenty of medieval architecture and interesting small streets.   


Tomorrow we head west and back to Manchester for the trip home. We've only been here for a week but it seems like we've really seen and done so much!


 

    
  

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