The solution to last weeks Picture Number 12 –

Mystery12

Robin Hood Tower is a good example of what the Victorians thought a medieval tower should look like and can be found between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar at the north angle of the defences behind the Minster. Its position formed one corner of the original Roman walls and ramparts

This tower has been known by a variety of names. The Bawing Tower in 1370, Frost Tower in 1485 and Robin Hood Tower in 1622 – but it had all but disappeared by 1680.

The present tower was built in 1888-89. It is circular and there are eight cruciform arrow slits in two neatly staggered rows. The outside is faced with neat limestone blocksand, but the inside is built from concrete reinforced with tram rails re-used as girders!

Picture Number 13 :-

Mystery13

Bricked up for 338 years, now pedestrian access only – but where ?

The answer will be given here on our FaceBook page.

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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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