Goodramgate is a street in the city centre of

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, in England.

History

The area now covered by Goodramgate lay within the walls of Roman

Eboracum Eboracum () was a fort and later a city in the Roman province of Britannia. In its prime it was the largest town in northern Britain and a provincial capital. The site remained occupied after the decline of the Western Roman Empire and ultimat ...

. The street runs diagonally across the line of former Roman buildings, from the Porta Decumana (now King's Square) to the Porta Principalis Sinistra (now

Monk Bar York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Wa ...

). Anglo-Saxon artifacts have been found in the area, while its name dates from the Viking Jorvik era, being named after someone called "Guthrum" or "Gutherun". The street was first recorded in about 1180. In the Mediaeval period, the street lay in the parish of Holy Trinity Church, although since 1316 the church has been hidden from the street, behind

Lady Row Lady Row, also known as Our Lady's Row, is a mediaeval Grade I listed building on Goodramgate in York, England. Historic England describe the structure as "some of the earliest urban vernacular building surviving in England". History The buil ...

. The precinct of

York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Arch ...

lay immediately north of the street, and until the early 19th-century, was entered through a gateway. Part of this may survive in the rebuilt structure at the entrance to College Street. The original site of the York Dominican Friary may have been on the street, although it moved to Toft Green in 1227. By this time, the street contained some large, stone, houses, associated with wealthy merchants. Many Mediaeval buildings survive on the street, although some were destroyed when its south-western end was widened in 1771, or when Deangate was constructed in 1906. Several non-conformist churches have existed on the street, including the Methodist Monk Bar Chapel, while the former Lecture Hall was used by Baptists and then Presbyterians. Sanderson's Temperance Hotel, later the Victoria Hotel, was used by the

Swedenborgian The New Church (or Swedenborgianism) is any of several historically related Christian denominations that developed as a new religious group, influenced by the writings of scientist and mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772). Swedenborgian or ...

s and the Primitive Methodists. The street has long been a centre for retail, with a market created in 1502 for beds, mattresses and upholstery. It is now lined with shops, bars and restaurants, including two small supermarkets built in the 1960s.

Layout and architecture

The street runs north-east from the northern tip of King's Square, where it meets Church Street and

Low Petergate Petergate is a street in the city centre of York, in England. It is divided into High Petergate and Low Petergate. The well-known view of the Minster from Low Petergate is described by the City of York Council as "excellent". History Petergate ...

, to

on the

York city walls York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Wa ...

, beyond which its continuation is Monkgate. College Green lies off the north-western side of the street, where it meets Deangate and College Street. Ogleforth and the snickelway Monk Bar Court also lead off the north-western side, while Aldwark,

Bedern Bedern is a street in the city centre of York, in England, which originated as a college for the vicars choral of York Minster. History The Bedern College was founded in 1252, to house 36 vicars choral associated with York Minster. The name "Be ...

, and Powells Yard lead off the south-eastern side. Notable buildings on the south-east side of the street include 13, 15, 17, 23, and 25 Goodramgate, all with 16th-century origins; 31 and 33 Goodramgate, also of Mediaeval origin; the 15th-century

41–45 Goodramgate 41–45 Goodramgate is a grade I listed building in the city centre of York, in England. Most of the building was constructed in 1500: a three-storey, five-bay range facing onto the east side Goodramgate, and a single-storey hall behind its nor ...

; The Snickleway Inn and Wealden Hall; and the 17th-century 53 Goodramgate. On the north-west side, they include

, with Holy Trinity Church behind; 6 –10, and 12 Goodramgate, both with 17th-century origins; The Royal Oak and The Golden Slipper, both with 15th-century origins; 17th-century houses at 22 –24 Goodramgate; 30–32 Goodramgate, with parts dating from the 1380s; 38 and 40 Goodramgate, with 15th-century origins; and the

Old White Swan The Old White Swan is a pub in the city centre of York, in England. The core of the building is timber-framed and was constructed in the early-17th century. It lay at the back of a coaching yard on the north-western side of Goodramgate, but wit ...

, with a 16th-century core.

References

{{Streets of York Streets in York