The best way to see York is by walking along the city (or bar) walls – and it’s totally FREE!
York walls are about bout 2 miles (3.2km) in length and it takes around 1.5 – 2 hours to walk the entire length.
There are four main gates (entrances) to the city – also known as bars – Micklegate Bar, Bootham Bar, Monk Bar and Walmgate Bar. There are also six postern gates, and 44 towers – see the York walls map below.
OG YORK t-shirts
BAR WALLS
Celebrating the medieval bar walls, this map is in the style of the underground map
The most popular section is from Bootham Bar to Monk Bar because stays closest to the city centre and as a result offers amazing views of York Minster.
OG York tip Walking anti-clockwise from North Street Postern, through Micklegate Bar and down to Baile Hill Tower is our fave. It affords great views over the rooftops to the Minster. Passing Bitch Daughter Tower, the approach towards the wooded copse atop Baile Hill gives a glimpse of a less urban time.
York city walls map
York walls info
York walls bars or entry points
York walls history
York walls are the most complete surviving example of medieval city fortifications in England.
Beneath the stonework of these medieval defences lie the remains of much older walls, dating back to the Roman era.
The original Roman walls endured until the 9th century, when York was captured by Danish Vikings in AD 866. The Vikings covered the Roman walls with an earth embankment and built a wooden palisade – a tall fence of sharpened timber – on top.
Micklegate Bar
Micklegate Bar was the most important of York’s four main medieval gateways and the focus for grand events. The name comes from ‘Micklelith’, meaning great street.
To this day it is tradition that visiting monarchs stop here to ask the Lord Mayor’s permission to enter the city.
North Street postern (Barker Tower)
Barker Tower, now the North Street Postern Tower, was built in the early 14th century.
It has been used as a boom tower, a mortuary from 1879, but restored in 1930 and now used as a café.
Bootham Bar
There has been a gateway here for nearly 2000 years – Bootham Bar is on the site of one of the four main entrances to the Roman Fortress.
The existing structure is not Roman, but the archway dates from the 11th century and the rest of the structure is mainly 14th century.
In 1501 a door knocker was installed as Scots were required to knock first and seek permission from the Lord Mayor to enter the city.
Monk Bar
The largest and most ornate of the bars, Monk Bar dates from the early 14th century.
It was a self-contained fortress, with each floor capable of being defended. On the front of the bar is an arch supporting a gallery, including ‘murder-holes’ through which missiles and boiling water could be rained down upon attackers.
It has the city’s only working portcullis, which was in use until 1970.
Layerthorpe Tower
Layerthorpe Tower is unusual as it was built without a solid base, supported on two buttresses, and between them to the east, a pointed arch of five orders.
This arrangement may have been due to soft ground near the River Foss.
OG YORK t-shirts
BAR WALLS
Celebrating the medieval bar walls, this map is in the style of the underground map
Red Tower
Built in 1490, the Red Tower forms the only brick section of York’s city walls – which did not sit well with the local stone masons, leading to murder.
Unhappy with tilers being employed, the stonemasons attempted to sabotage the building of the tower.
In 1491, tiler John Patrik was murdered and two leading masons charged. They were, however quickly acquitted.
Walmgate Bar
Walmgate Bar is the only bar to retain its barbican, portcullis and inner doors.
Its oldest part is a 12th century stone archway. The walled barbican at the front dates from the 14th century, the wooden gates the 15th century and timber-framed building on the inside from the 16th century.
It was burned by rebels in 1489 and battered by cannon during the siege of 1644.
Fishergate Bar
‘Barram Fishergate’ is the first documented reference to the bar, in 1315 – a central stone above the archway reveals the date.
Fishergate Bar suffered considerable damage in the Yorkshire peasants’ revolt against Henry VII – the rebels burning the gates after murdering the Earl of Northumberland.
OG YORK t-shirts
BAR WALLS
Celebrating the medieval bar walls, this map is in the style of the underground map
Fishergate Postern
Oldest surviving postern gate on the wall, the current tower was built between 1505 and 1507, in place of the earlier 14th century Talkan tower.
Baile Hill Tower
A ‘modern’ tower on the city walls, built in 1878 when walls adjacent to Skeldergate Bridge were demolished.
Victoria Bar
As the name suggests, Victoria Bar dates from the 19th century.
This new gate was opened in the walls 1838 to enable traffic to exit the city directly between Nunnery Lane and Bishophill
