So, welcome to your new city. We know trying to discover all
the best offerings of a new place can be a bit of a pain, so the Lifestyle team
have been real generous and are giving you a helping hand in your path to
unearthing York’s most interesting spots.
York is FULL of gates. No, not kissing ones. It’s a fancy
way of saying street, basically, and it can be quite difficult knowing your
Coppergates from your Colliergates. We've handpicked the most interesting ones
you need to know about!
Jubbergate.
It may sound like something from a Lewis Carroll
poem, but it’s not in Wonderland, it’s just off Parliament Square. Home to
York’s main market, pick up fresh flowers, fix your phone, and browse local
artists’ work.
Swinegate.
Swinegate has an unusual history; originally a
lane where pigs were kept, it later developed a slightly seedier nature when it
became home to brothels and prostitutes- then known as “Swingate”, with
neighbouring Grape Lane being known as “Grope” lane (charming). Now home to
more respectable joints, you’ll find student musts Vudu Lounge and 1331 here.
Hungate.
Here you’ll find York’s largest and most ambitious
excavation site. DIG is literally unearthing York’s astonishingly long history,
and although the guided tours have stopped there’s still plenty to be marvelled
at over at the exhibition that’ll be hanging around all year.
Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate.
Short street, long name. The plaque
that lives on this street tells us it means “”What a street!” and is probably
the only street name to be considered this quirky & adorable anywhere. The
“Whip” element comes from the days of public humiliation as punishment- stocks
were erected here so petty criminals could receive a good old fashioned
flogging.
Shambles.
No guide to York’s best streets would be complete
without heralding the famous Shambles. This cobbled lane has pretty much the
coolest namedropping potential out of all York’s streets, having been mentioned
in the Doomsday Book in 1086. Usually full of tourists- because it’s plain
gorgeous, make sure you check out the incredible chocolatiers, and head down
for a romantic stroll at night.
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Originally published in Y Magazine, Issue 1 (view here), 29th Sept '12
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