Month: January 2013

So, York Residents Weekend 2013 has now come and gone. The opening of Fishergate Postern Tower provided an interesting activity for over 520+ visitors.

We all woke up to snow on the Saturday morning but after clearing away a ton of the snow around the tower and putting up 2 gazebos we had 250+ visitors through on Saturday. They queued in a friendly manner with lots of banter and were very receptive to our history talk before ascending the quirky spiral stairs to the upper floors. It was very cold for the volunteers and Wetherspoon’s kindly refilled our coffee flask and we had the use of their facilities for our comfort breaks.

On Sunday, however, we didn’t even get chance to have a cup of coffee, never mind a comfort break as we were again so busy with 270 visitors through. On Sunday morning the gazebos blew down in a gale and had to be taken in, one becoming broken. Some torches gave up the ghost – some went missing, others ran out of batteries quickly, and some bulbs blew especially when dropped on the floor by children! Our trainee volunteer Charlotte was kind enough to nip out and get a new supply of batteries. If you have one of our torches can we have it back please !

York Residents generously gave donations, and £174 will go towards the restoration fund. We also had 7 stones sponsored, and all have received their certificates by now.

We thank all our visitors for their support, and all the volunteers who helped to make it a successful weekend. Watch this space for future opening dates.

F_Postern

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The solution to last weeks Picture Number 11 –

Mystery11

Along Bootham, opposite Bootham Row, a part of St Mary’s Abbey defensive wall and Tower D is visible, where properties were demolished in the early 20th century and now replaced by an area of grass, shrubs and trees. The defensive wall is approximately 150 metres long from Queen Margaret’s Arch and Postern Tower to St Mary’s Tower. Most of the wall is hidden behind buildings along Bootham except for this section, a section approaching St Mary’s Tower, and Tower E behind the White Horse. The Abbey protective walls were built in 1266 and heightened in 1318 when battlements and new towers were added. Many masons’ marks are cut into stones of this length of wall.

Picture Number 12 :-

Mystery12

A familiar tower – but where is it ?

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.

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The solution to last weeks Picture Number 10 –

Mystery10

This is a turret of tower twenty-eight – the only surviving tower along the entire walls section from Robin Hood’s Tower to Monk Bar. The tower is semicircular in plan measuring approx. four metres wide and projecting two metres from the wall face. Although the lower part of this tower appears to be original the upper part was rebuilt in 1889 with small turrets added on each side producing a structure Victorian in character. Internally the tower contains brick arches supported on concrete beams with some stone flagging to carry the platform.

The neighbouring tower twenty-nine was completely removed in the early nineteenth century. A depression in the outer rampart indicates where tower twenty-nine was probably sited.

Picture Number 11 :-

Mystery11

You can’t walk on me, only past me ?

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.

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What a fantastic night! – East met West at a very enjoyable concert on 14th January 2013.

St Helens Church full to brimming. The singers, dancers and all performers were fantastic. Many thanks to Nana Zheng for organising the event. We also thank the students and friends of the University of York, of York St. John University, and York’s Ebor Morris Dancers for all their talents and generosity of time in making this varied and exciting program for the benefit of the Friends of York Walls. A very enjoyable evening of entertainment was had by all!

Thank must also go to Peter Moulton for his input for the wine and his unseen catering supplies, to Keith and Peter for finding the sponsor prizes, to Chris and John Dowell for much background work, and to all those other people who helped to make the evening a great success .

The winning raffle ticket numbers were drawn by the Lord Mayor of York Councillor Keith Hyman. Ticket numbers and prizes are as follows :-

Ruby Cameron Box of cleaning products 1068
Lucy & Paul Mackenzie Complementary Stone 1946
Mike Collins Family Ticket York Wheel 1038
Iris Galley Richardson Meat voucher 1060
Christine Hanby Betty/Taylors Cafetière 1393
Dorothy Reed Guided tour of the Walls 1490
Paul Sanderson Visit York Family ticket 1810
Mrs Corkish Kennedy’s Dinner for 2 1771
Steve Moehr B & B Holiday Inn – York 1029
Noel Walker Tea for 2 – Dean court Hotel 1041
Gillian Morley Meat Voucher – Ged Bell & Son 1763

EastWest

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