From the Robin Hood Tower, s.p.b., a straight section of wall passes above the Deanery Gardens and on to Monk Bar which allowed entrance from the the direction of Bridlington and Scarborough. A further stretch of the medieval town walls continues in a south-east direction and then comes to an end. Taking the steps down to ground level, I crossed Layerthorpe Bridge over the River Foss and alongside the straightened River Foss in an area known as Foss Island. Between here and Red Tower (see later) no medieval wall was built as the historic marshland area provided a natural defence from the east. Alongside the road is a modern retail park while across the River Foss stand a number of modern blocks of flats all looking very expensive.
After some wrong turns in the local streets I found where the wall begins again at Red Tower almost hidden behind some inter-war council housing. From here the wall can be walked in a southerly direction to Walmgate Bar, this the entrance which once took the road from Hull, but no longer. Here, a quirky tearoom set in the Barbican. The wall then continues south-west along a section known as Bar Walls to Fishergate Bar which historically gave access to the City from the A19, the main road to York from the south. A short distance west the Fishergate Postern Tower is the end of the wall on the east side of the River Ouse.
Well before the medieval walls were built the town was defended here by the Norman motte and bailey castle standing on the wedge of land between the River Ouse and the River Foss. Clifford’s Mount is the steep-sided remains of the Norman motte, and the present stone-built keep at the top replaced an earlier timber-built one in the middle ages. A £10 entry fee prohibited further investigations.
Having crossed the River Foss on Tower Street and the River Ouse by Skeldersgate Bridge (early 19th century) Baile Hill stands at the point where the medieval walls begin on the west side of the River Ouse. This hill is another man-made earthen Norman motte of lower height than Clifford’s Tower, the two mottes (castles) commanding entry to the town from the south by river. A short distance ahead Bitch-daughter Tower marks the most southerly point of the town walls. Here a long stretch of wall crosses Victoria Bar to Micklegate Bar which commanded entry into the city from the west, this section of wall running parallel to Nunnery Lane.
Beyond Micklegate Bar is Toft Tower, here the wall turns north-east on the opposite side of Station Road to the rail station and bus stops. On past the cholera burial ground a relatively modern bar takes the walkway over Station Road the wall continuing on over Leeman Road to Barkers Tower on the edge of the River Ouse. Beyond Lendal Bridge over the River Ouse the Museum Gardens and grounds of the Yorkshire Museum occupy the side of Museum Street this leading to St Leonards Place at the end of which Bootham Bar is accessed, the point where this description of walking York’s medieval town walls began.
Barkers Tower, a small medieval round tower, the lower floor tending to flood when the Ouse is in flood, was historically once a chain house and at another time a goal but is now a very interesting teashop which retains many original features.