York's Hidden History

15/11/2024

Very disappointing to see this. The Chalfonts bear - indeed the cul-de-sac as a whole: https://www.yorkc20.york.ac.uk/vignette/one-of-the-finest-examples-of-speculative-housing-in-york-but-who-is-the-bear/ - is one of 20th Century York's most interesting hidden treasures.

11/11/2024

Ghosts on the move.

11/11/2024

The North Eastern Railway Company war memorial was unveiled 100 years ago, in 1924. The screen walls bear the names of 2236 men of the North Eastern Railway who lost their lives in the First World War.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/30905 #

Memorial type: Obelisk

07/11/2024

Found in Riccall Churchyard, as found in most villages accross the country, is a memorial to those lost in the World Wars.
As for many of these memorials, the same surnames occur multiple times, hinting at the losses suffered by local families.
The gravestone for the Pratt Family can be found elsewhere in the churchyard and shows a particularly poignant date of passing for Gunner W. R. (Walter) Pratt. A reminder that the 11th November armistice may have ended the fighting but not the suffering.

04/11/2024

No big egos here.

In the grounds of The Retreat hospital in Heslington there is a Quaker Burial Ground where several York Friends were laid to rest.

Row after row of identical gravestones. Everyone gets the same, no matter if you're a Backhouse, a Tuke or even a Rowntree. Everyone has the same level of significance and importance.

02/11/2024

Going live shortly on BBC Radio York, Leeds and Sheffield to talk about Sunday’s …

29/10/2024

Have a whale of a time on our Filthy, Beastly Tour of York this Halloween!

One of the highlights of Monday's Filthy, Beastly Tour was a passer-by seeing the picture below.

"What's that?" he asked, peering closely at the photo.
"A beluga," we replied. "It swam up the Ouse to Naburn in 1904."
"I don't believe yer," he said, and walked briskly off.

Book your tickets and make your own mind up, as we tell all manner of beastly and filthy tales of York's hidden history. The tour starts at 11am outside the Yorkshire Museum: https://tiny.cc/yorkfilth

25/10/2024

A grey day in the run-up to Halloween seems the perfect time to visit one of our city's most morbidly fascinating places: the York Cold War Bunker.

Hidden down a cul-de-sac in the suburbs between Holgate and Acomb, the bunker was run by volunteers of the Royal Observer Corps during the Cold War years of 1961 to 1991.

Jake, our English Heritage guide, was absolutely terrific, celebrating the unsung work of the women and men of the ROC, and not shying away from the bleakness of the bunker's purpose. Jake also explained why the bunker - and especially AWDREY - is just as important to our country's heritage as Stonehenge. Absolutely worth an hour of your time.

York Cold War Bunker can only be visited by booking onto a guided tour with English Heritage. These typically take place between 10 and 4 on Saturdays and Sundays during the winter months, but check the EH website for details: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/york-cold-war-bunker/

22/10/2024

This Halloween half-term we're serving up a heady mix of fossils, fire and filth!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/fossils-fire-filth-3632819

Have you ever been chased round Museum Gardens by an escaped bear? Or lugged a rotting whale round the city's streets on a coal cart?
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-filthy-beastly-tour-of-york-tickets-964587686737

Do fossils count as ghosts? If so, is Fossiliam's Family Fossil Hunt really a York Family Fossil Haunt?
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/york-family-fossil-hunt-tickets-719416783967

And do you know just how fiery York's history really is?
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/york-bonfire-walk-tickets-1010398207237

Join a York's Hidden History walk and discover the city's secrets!

Join our brand-new family tour of York, as we chase curious creatures that once roamed the historic city, and the traces they left behind...

21/10/2024

Some mint (but slightly misleading) views of York from our Sunday tour for York Medical Society. It was beautifully sunny when we reached Mint Yard, but Storm Ashley meant the Baile Hill beginning was decidedly damp!

Photo 1: York library and the city walls, Mint Yard.
Photo 2: The Yorkshire Museum and ruins of St Mary's Abbey.
Photo 3: Postbox and Norman motte, Baile Hill.
Photo 4: Middletons, Skeldergate.
Photo 5: York Medical Society group outside the former dispensary on Duncombe Place.
Photo 6: Patients' Entrance to the former dispensary.

21/10/2024

Had a great time leading two private tours for the Yorkshire North East federation of the Women’s Institute. Hoping for more fine weather for today’s third and final walk.

If you’d like a fire-powered stroll through York’s history, we’re leading two York Bonfire Walks on Sunday November 3rd. Tickets can be booked via our Eventbrite page.

18/10/2024

at in the former Blue Coat schoolhouse at St Anthony’s Gardens, Peasholme Green. Appropriate therefore to spot a coral cobble by the entrance to the gardens!

We’re leading a couple of family fossil hunts in York during half-term: Monday 28th and Thursday 31st of October at 2pm. Book your tickets on our Eventbrite page.

15/10/2024

This Halloween half-term, we're serving up fossils, fire and filth! Our filthiest, beastliest offering is at 11am on Monday 28th and Thursday 31st of October.

Have you faced the fiery poo-bison? Been chased round a garden by an escaped bear? Or lugged a rotting Arctic whale round town on a cart? No? Then you've obviously not been on The Filthy, Beastly Tour of York!

Aimed at children aged 6 and over, the Filthy, Beastly Tour of York begins outside the Yorkshire Museum, which is really a hyaena poo-seum. We'll then consult a medieval book of beasts in the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, and look out for wild animals as we head towards the River Ouse.

On North Street, we'll find that some of the city's smells are better than others, avoid some stinky drinking water, and keep a nose out for decomposing sea creatures. Having crossed Ouse Bridge - or should it be Poos Bridge? - and learnt why Jorvik was built on filth, we'll finish our business at Clifford's Tower, where even kings need the toilet.

Is this the number two tour of York? Or the city's turd-best family event? The only way to find out is to join The Filthy, Beastly Tour of York!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-filthy-beastly-tour-of-york-tickets-964587686737

09/10/2024

Samuel Parsons' remarkable 1624 map of Dringhouses is returning to Dringhouses Library on Thursday Nov 28th:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/exploreyorklibrariesandarchives/1416727?

Join us for a celebration of the quatercentenary of this archival gem. After the unprecedented success of our last showing, we ...

06/10/2024

The signs are not always truthful (or obeyed) down the medieval water lanes of York.

04/10/2024

For staff management reasons, we've decided that this Sunday we're going to offer our Photographic Tour of Victorian York at 11am only and our Prehistoric Tour of York at 2pm only. Both tours are limited to 20 spaces.

All bookings already made on Eventbrite are secure and confirmed. If there are spaces, people are welcome to come along and pay cash or card on spec. The photographic tour begins outside York Minster (west end), whilst the prehistoric tour begins outside the Yorkshire Museum.

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/yorks-hidden-history-unlocked-2505389

01/10/2024

We'll be unlocking some of York's hidden history during the YORK UNLOCKED weekend this Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, Fossiliam will be helping the Yorkshire Philosophical Society show visitors round YPS Lodge. Guests are very welcome to bring their fossils along for identification!
https://www.facebook.com/events/500844842728226/500844852728225/

Then, on Sunday, Simon and Liam will be leading photographic and prehistoric tours of the city. These start at 11am and 2pm, and you can book your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/yorks-hidden-history-unlocked-2505389

York Unlocked takes place over the weekend of October 5th and 6th 2024. Join us on one of our York's Hidden History Unlocked walks and see the city's buildings from a medieval, photographic, or prehistoric perspective!