John's Pictures
(And a few words!)
Hopefully you have joined from the previous page. Now let’s continue the journey along York’s Snickelways.
Providing you have not done any damage ducking to leave Coffee Yard. Walk down Swinegate and right into Back Swinegate. and left into (19) Finkle Street. Following the Snickelway down will bring you back into St Samson's Sq. close to the Roman Bath pub. Before passing the pub call in see the actual 'Roman Bath' which Jones describes as a 'vast stone-built installation, the father of all saunas and Turkish baths and used as only the Romans knew how, 1900 years ago'.
Coming out of the Roman Bath and passing the Three Cranes pub cross Church Street again and enter (20) Silver Street. No picture this time as every attempt I've made to photograph it has been thwarted by burger vans and wheely bins! Nevertheless at the end of Silver Street you will find a very nice 14th and early 17th century building once known as the White Rose Cafe but now known as something else!!
You will now be in the Market. Much smaller than it used to be but an interesting variety of stalls nevertheless. An excellent butcher and fishmonger are in more permanent residence. Browse the stalls if you wish and then tiptoe up (21) Little Shambles and on to The Shambles proper. (22-26)
Finally leave the Shambles behind by turning down (27) St. Crux Passage. (Above right)
St. Crux Passage exits on to what citizens have come to know as York's shortest street with a longest name, Whip-ma-Whop-ma-gate. Cross it but don't look right or you may glimpse one of the city's ugliest areas, Stonebow. (left). Although having undergone some development updating since this picture was taken it still looks out of keeping. How this was allowed to happen in our ancient city is another story. Crossing Whip-ma-Whop-ma-gate from St Crux Passage you will now be in St. Saviourgate.
The church of St Saviour has now been converted into an exhibition centre for DIG York. What makes DIG York so special is that it not only exhibits items from as far back as Roman, Viking and Medieval times DIG York actually asks you to get involved. Perhaps some other time.
Take first right past the church into (28) Hungate again a rather ugly Snickelway and then cross Stonebow. Keep your eyes open this time as it's a busy road.
Walking back along Stonebow towards the city centre and before reaching the junction with Fossgate bear left into (29) Blackhorse Passage, an ancient alley. The wall on the right being the remains of a Carmelite Priory.
Following past the edifice which is the BT Building will bring you to a pleasant Snickelway (30) Foss Bridge Reach (left)' Have a rest and take it easy for a while in the tranquil setting.
Leave the quiet of the river back past the BT building and stroll down (31) Straker's Passage and find yourself in Fossgate. Bear right and then left into (32) Cheats Lane.
(32) Cheats Lane (seen left) seems to be going nowhere but keep on and you will find on the right the beautiful (33) Lady Peckett's Yard. (See below)
The peace and quiet of Lady Peckett's yard will be shattered as you leave and find yourself in Pavement with its' buses, cars and lots of people.
Turn left out of the Yard and then right into Parliament Street.
Walk up Parliament Street and turn first left in Market Street and this is Peter Lane. Off to the left is the 34th Snickelway (34) Le Kyrk Lane. It gets very narrow so it's best to ensure that no one is coming the other way before you start!
Jones tells us that it was once a Medieval Common Lane although there is little sense of the medieval these days!
Back out into the light once more and cross High Ousegate. Pass the pretty church of All Saints, with its' lantern tower, via (35) All Saints Passage. (See right) This photo is actually the wrong way round! You would enter from the far end.
The next Snickelways cover the Coppergate shopping area and the Castle. In order below are (36) St. Mary's Square, (37) Foss-side Walk and (38) York Castle (aka Clifford's Tower) and finally as you leave the Castle cross Tower Street and enter (39) St. George's Field.
Now for a pleasant walk along the River Ouse. Turn right out of St. Georges Field and head along (40) South Esplanade. and further on to (41) King's Staith perhaps breaking your walk at the Kings Arms (formally The Ouse Bridge Inn) if the river isn't in flood!
If you are keen to follow Jones exactly climbing the steps next to the pub takes you on to Low Ousegate. Cross over and follow the horseshoe made up of (42) Ouse Walk, (43) Fish Landing and (44) Church Lane.
It must be admitted that they don't exude much charm so you might instead miss them out, walk up Low Ousegate and on to High Ousegate.
Take a left turn into (45) Pope's Head Alley which will take you back to Peter Lane. Exit Peter Lane and walk up Feasegate and find yourself back in St. Sampson's Square. Cross the square but before you get to Finkle Street, (remember (19) Finkle Street a long time ago!) turn left down (46) Nether Hornpot Lane.
Out of Nether Hornpot Lane and into Back Swinegate turning right at the end into (47) Little Stonegate. (Below left)
I guess that if you have stuck with the book you'll be quite tired by now but one last push takes you to Stonegate, St. Helen's Square and on to Coney Street. Bear right beside the beautiful 15th century St. Martin's Church and you arrive at the final Snickelway which Jones names (48) Beyond the Screen with views of Lendal Bridge and All Saints Church across the river.
Back to Coney Street, along Lendal, Museum Street, Duncombe Place and High Petergate brings you all the way back to the start.
Following some or all of the route outlined in Jones' book will provide you with surprising and attractive views of our city from locations that many will pass by. You may have sore feet but I'm sure that you will find the journey worthwhile.