Join me now in York, at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall — a vast half-timbered building with creaky floorboards, beautiful woodwork, and guild banners that go back centuries. My guide Alfred shares some insight into how, centuries ago, guilds brought Bible stories to the people through theater. And just imagining this place as the Old York Stock Exchange is fun.
The York Minster is famous for its medieval stained glass. The best window, which fills the east end of the magnificent cathedral, is covered with a giant gloomy photo of what we’re missing while it undergoes restoration. But the good news is that a small exhibit just below the window, called The Orb, shows four of its exquisite panes that have already been restored. These delicate scenes will ultimately end up high above the worshippers — well beyond anyone’s sight. Created and ultimately intended “for God’s eyes only,” for a short time they can be enjoyed by us as well.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
Having lunch with my local guide, I noticed his enthusiasm for chutney. I hadn’t even considered enthusiasm and chutney in the same sentence before. So I got out my camera to let Tom explain.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
York is arguably the best sightseeing town in England outside of London. I landed at noon at Heathrow, took the express train into London’s Paddington Station, caught the tube to King’s Cross, and hopped onto an express train. Two hours later, I was in the capital of north England: York. By 4 p.m. I was checked into my bed-and-breakfast and heading into the town. It’s a city with a rich history and many dimensions for the visitor. Along with the standard sights, there are ghosts to hunt, riverside walks to enjoy, and fine food to taste.
While ghost walks are little more than goofy entertainment, if any city can claim to be legitimately haunted, it would be York. Consequently, the old-town center is crawling with creepy, black-clad characters leading wide-eyed groups of tourists around on various ghost walks (90 minutes, £5, leaving every night rain or shine, just show up). I spent an evening hopping off and on four different walks to assess them for my guidebook…and woke up screaming at 2 a.m.
Ever since English cyclists started winning the Tour de France and gold medals in the Olympics, biking has been trendy in England. Riverside trails are great for bikers as well as walkers. From York, a fine two-mile walk leads along the Ouse River, over the handsome Millennium Bridge, and back into town. The bridge is delightfully designed with an inviting, reclining-lounge-chair fence.
Tourist towns all over Europe are vying to establish themselves as foodie destinations. While that can be a stretch for English towns, York does amazingly well; the city is teeming with new, creative bistros featuring delightful menus. York’s booming local software industry, its big university, and its popularity with tourists give it a market big enough to keep its chefs busy — and making good money.
While the artisans of the 13th century were anonymous, they had personality and were personalities. Here, under the breathtaking roof of York Minster’s chapter house, I’m scanning a parade of stony faces, meeting the people of York from 800 years ago. It humanizes, just a bit, the Middle Ages.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.