Micklegate Bar - A Tour of Yorkshire part 36

York’s four main bars survive intact. In medieval times, these gatehouses used to restrict traffic by extracting tolls, and were also used as defensive positions in times of war.

Micklegate Bar, which was built between the 12th and 14th centuries, stands across the ancient route from London to York. Kings and queens have passed here and it has also been witness to some of the bloodiest moments in the city’s long history - it now houses a small museum where you can discover much of York’s past.

The severed heads of traitors were displayed here on spikes, as were those of the Jacobites captured in the 1745 Risings; in 1461, the then Duke of York had his head spiked at Micklegate so that, as Queen Margaret says in Shakespeare’s Henry VI, “York may overlook the town of York”.

Thankfully, you won’t find any disembodied heads today!

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Comment by Diana E. Backhouse on October 15, 2012 at 1:32pm

Thank you, Jamie.

Yes I do, Kristine.

Comment by Kristine_ES on October 15, 2012 at 1:26pm

do you know how lucky you are to have all that history and beautiful (as well as functional) architecture?

 

Comment by Jamie Hogan on October 15, 2012 at 1:24pm

Wow, there's some Halloweenesque stuff here. Wonderful detail, in both the image and the words.

Comment by Diana E. Backhouse on October 15, 2012 at 12:01pm

Thank you, Beth, but I can't really take credit for the Shakespearian reference - I borrowed that!

Comment by Beth Overmyer on October 15, 2012 at 3:23am

Brilliant! This has to be one of the best stops yet. I love the details and character you fit into six sentences. If only history class were this interesting; I would've paid better attention (honestly.) Liked how you worked in a Shakespear quote ;-)

Comment by Diana E. Backhouse on October 14, 2012 at 1:47pm

Stephen and  Other - thank you both once again for your kind comments.

Comment by Other on October 14, 2012 at 11:35am

I can imagine a few spiked heads decorating Micklegate Bar on Halloween, given the history of Halloween and Micklegate.  Fake heads, I mean.  Ha!  Must be.  Jeez, there might even be a tradition of it: heads of state, etc.  No?  No way?  I was just wondering.. 

Wonderfully presented, as usual.

Comment by Stephen Torelli on October 14, 2012 at 2:08am

Lots of character in your sketches and I can feel it miles away... here in Brooklyn.

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