No trip to York is complete unless you visit Shambles. The most famous street in the city and arguably one of the best preserved medieval streets in the world.
Mentioned in the Doomsday Book of William the Conqueror in 1086, many of the buildings date back to the late fourteenth and fifteenth century (around 1350-1475).
Originally a street of butchers’ shops and houses, many with a slaughterhouse at the back of the premises, it’s now home to a diverse range of interesting and independent York shops.
These include York Ghost Merchants and Harry Potter merch retailer, The Shop That Must Not Be Named.
Shambles info
How to get to Shambles
Was Harry Potter filmed at Shambles in York?
None of the Harry Potter films were shot in Shambles. However, it is possible that the set designers for the films used the street for inspiration for their designs for Diagon Alley.
Also contrary to popular belief, Shambles was not the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series of books. JK Rowling scotched this, saying
Well, looks like I’ve got a fight on my hands, because I’ve never seen or been to the Shambles…
Why is it called Shambles?
Originating in Medieval times, the term ‘Shambles’ refers to a meat market, or open-air slaughterhouse where butchers would kill and prepare animal meat to be sold.
Many other towns and cities in England have Shambles of their own, Swansea, Manchester and even Malton – less than 20 miles from York.