Marygate is a street in

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

, England, running just north of the city centre. Built in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, it gets its name from St Mary's Abbey and the Viking word "gata," meaning street. The area where the street lies was outside the walls of the Roman city of

Eboracum Eboracum () was a castra, fort and later a coloniae, city in the Roman province of Roman Britain, 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 ...

, and represented the northern limit of the settlement; to the north, the land was used only for burials. The street runs south-west, from

Bootham Bootham is a street in the city of York, England, leading north out of the city centre. It is also the name of the small district surrounding the street. History The street runs along a ridge of slightly higher ground east of the River Ouse, Yo ...

, down to the River Ouse.

History

Marygate runs off the street of Bootham. During Roman times Bootham was the main Roman road from York to Catterick. The area where Marygate lies was used for burials. Marygate was outside the northern limit of the Roman settlement. In the early-11th century, the area was known as "Galmanho". Viking earl Siward built St Olave's Church on the street, and his house probably also lay on the street, the area later becoming known as "Earlsburgh". Built in the

Medieval period In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

, the street known as ''St Marygate'', was named for St Mary's Abbey, within the liberty of which it was located. It lay immediately north of the abbey, from which it was separated by a ditch and narrow strip of land, and from the 1260s also by a wall, which was turned into a major defensive structure in the following century. The wall runs the complete length of the street. On the street's corner with

lay St Mary's Tower, while at the River Ouse end was a landing, used principally by the abbey. There were numerous houses on the street by the 13th-century. In 1378, the abbey blocked the street, to prevent goods being landed from the Ouse and taken into the city, but soon gave in, this proving the last serious dispute between the abbey and the city. The area was devastated during the

Siege of York The siege of York in 1644 was a prolonged contest for York during the First English Civil War, between the Scottish Covenanter army and the Parliamentarian armies of the Northern Association and Eastern Association, and the Royalist Ar ...

in 1644, and only structures protected by the abbey walls survive from before this date. The York Girls' Charity School was established on the street in 1705, remaining there until 1784. Also in the 18th-century, a cotton mill was constructed on the street, and in 1768 this became a

workhouse In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as Scottish poorhouse, poorh ...

for most of the parishes in the city. When the York

Board of Guardians Boards of guardians were ''ad hoc'' authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930. England and Wales Boards of guardians were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish overseers of the po ...

was established, in 1837, it took over the workhouse, but this could only house 90 people, and was highly unsanitary. It was finally replaced in 1847. In 1836, the first large post-Roman

bathhouse Bathhouse may refer to: * Public baths, public facilities for bathing * Gay bathhouse A gay bathhouse, also known as a gay sauna or a gay steambath, is a public bath targeted towards Gay men, gay and Bisexuality, bisexual men. In gay slang, a ...

in the city was constructed at the bottom of the street; it operated until 1923. In 1848, the York Industrial Ragged School opened, remaining on the street until 1921. The Manor National School then took over the premises, until they were damaged by bombing in 1943. In 1949, the York School of Art acquired two studios on the street. Between 1937 and 1940, almost all the buildings on the south-east side of the street were demolished, to reveal the abbey wall. The street is now primarily residential, and is described by the

City of York Council City of York Council is the local authority for the city of York, in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. York has had a city council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1996 the council has be ...

as "one of the most picturesque streets in York", with "interest com ngfrom the unplanned nature of its development, leading to variety". Marygate Landing is often flooded, but has views down the river into the city centre.

Layout and architecture

The street runs south-west, from

, down to the Marygate Landing on the River Ouse, where it meets Dame Judi Dench Walk. On the north-west side, it has junctions with Galmanhoe Lane, Marygate Lane and Hetherton Street. The south-east side has several gates through the abbey walls into what is now

Museum Gardens The York Museum Gardens are botanic gardens in the centre of York, England, beside the River Ouse, Yorkshire, River Ouse. They cover an area of of the former grounds of St Mary's Abbey, York, St Mary's Abbey, and were created in the 1830s by th ...

. Notable buildings on the north-west side of the street include 20 Marygate, built about 1800; 28 Marygate, dating from the 17th-century; 32 and 34 Marygate, again built about 1800; 40-42 Marygate, which is late 18th-century; the late-17th century St Olave's House; 50 Marygate, built about 1700; The Garth; the late-18th century St Mary's Cottage;

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

restaurant, built in 1894 to a design by Arthur Penty; and the Minster Inn. The surviving buildings on the south-west side are the wall, with St Mary's Tower and the Water Tower; St Olave's Church; St Mary's Lodge and the gateway to the abbey; and the late-18th century 29 Marygate.

References

External links

* {{Streets of York Odonyms referring to religion