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Offered languages
- English
Unlock centuries of secrets, sieges, and hidden history on a walk along England’s most complete medieval city walls! Led by a local expert, this tour bypasses standard textbook timelines to reveal the gritty, chaotic, and bizarre reality of life on York’s defensive perimeter.
From imperial Roman foundations to the brutal battlegrounds of the Civil War, you’ll discover the physical scars left by centuries of conflict.
What you’ll discover:
The Gates of Power: Explore famous "Bars" and hidden posterns where guards dropped heavy portcullises in a race against time.
The Scarred Battlements: See where furious rebels burned gates to ash and enemy soldiers dug explosive wartime mines.
Gritty Micro-Histories: Hear the laugh-out-loud true stories of watchmen chasing rogue pigs off the ramparts and a 15th-century trade-war murder.
Myth-Busting: Debunk the famous "Scotsman and the longbow" urban legend.
Secure your spot today and walk the walls like a true medieval watchman!
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet by the main gates to the Museum Gardens on Museum Street where it meets Lendal.
Tour finishes next to York Art Gallery.
Itinerary
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1Multangular Tower
We start our tour at the Multangular Tower, the largest remaining piece of Roman architecture remaining from the ancient city of Eboracum, before taking in a portion of the Museum Garden, passing the Yorkshire Museum, and making our way to the late Roman "Anglian Tower".
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2York City Walls
The crux of the tour taking on you on a tour of the walls, a little over two miles in circumference, pointing out all the fascinating history on and around key locations of the medieval city walls. Includes all of the bars, gates, and postern gates.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
Micklegate Bar (Pass by)
Micklegate Bar is the traditional royal entrance into the city, but its most infamous role was as York's grim gallery. This is where the severed heads of traitors were impaled on spikes, facing outwards toward London as a warning.
Admission ticket free -
Clifford's Tower (Pass by)
We start our tale of Vikings here, and learn exactly what started and ended the 200-year rule of the Vikings. Hear about Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the Boneless, and William the Conqueror's Norman Conquest.
Admission ticket free -
Walmgate Bar (Pass by)
Walmgate Bar is the most physically complete medieval gatehouse surviving, boasting the city's only remaining wooden gates and an intact barbican. Because it sits on the most exposed, low-lying approach to the city, it bore the brunt of York's heaviest warfare.
Admission ticket free -
Monk Bar (Pass by)
Monk Bar is a towering, four-story fortress of a gatehouse that showcases the sheer mechanics of medieval civic defense. Sadly, it is currently not open to the public but we pass by on our way to stunning views of the Minster.
Admission ticket free -
York Minster (Pass by)
At our final stop we get up and close to the world famous York Minster, where we will hear about the early Anglo-Saxon origins of the cathedral, and also a surprising link to the Vikings. Well, it is the Original Viking Walk after all.
Admission ticket free -
3Bootham Bar
Our final gatehouse complete with portcullis. Bootham Bar sits on the old Roman road leading north to Scotland, making it a crucial outpost for monitoring travelers and incoming goods.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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