The City Walls and Bars.

There is nothing which strikes a stranger, on entering York, so forcibly, as its embattled walls, and unique and venerable bars. The moment you behold them, you are reminded of days long past, and of a state of things which for centuries has ceased to exist,-"a thousand years their dusky wings expand!" Those accustomed to the metropolis, or the open and straggling streets of our populous towns, are not prepared to see a city girt round with a fortified wall, and entered by stately bars.

York is one of the few cities in England that possesses such monuments of the olden time'; on which account its walls are objects of peculiar interest to the traveller. York was originally surrounded with walls by the Romans; and the present walls, in many cases, rest upon Roman foundations. Drake was of opinion, that Micklegate Bar was a Roman structure; and his friend, Lord Burlington, supposed that the chief arch by the portcullis, which is built of grit, was a Roman arch. This opinion, however, has been controverted. The learned antiquary, Sir Henry Englefield, -who had made a special examination of the arch, in a paper read before the society of antiquaries, of London, 1780, contends that it is not a Roman, but either a Saxon or Anglo-Norman arch. "It is," observes Sir Henry, as Mr. Drake says, a true segment of a circle, and the material is the grit-stone; but Mr. Drake, like many men of real genius, warmed with his subject, and willing to give it every advantage in his power, seems totally to have forgotten that the Saxon and Norman buildings are all raised on segments of circles, and many of them in this country entirely built of grit. Kirkstall abbey may serve as a proof (if proof was necessary) of both these assertions. But besides this, Bootham Bar has an arch almost exactly similar, and built of the same material; and I think that one more of the gates of York*

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Monk Bar.

is also round-arched; yet nobody has thought of referring either of those to the Roman times. The superstructure of both Micklegate and Bootham Bar is of limestone, being evidently of much later date; perhaps the time, when the grit ceased to be used in buildings, might afford matter of curious investigation."

That York was walled in the time of William the Conqueror is evident, from the fact of its resisting his army for so long a time; and it is pretty certain that the walls were re-built by Edward I., when the Scottish wars broke out. A royal mandate from Edward III. to the mayor and bailiffs of the city of York, dated 15th of July, 1327, commanding them to repair the city fortifications is. extant, and is to the following effect :

"The king to his well-beloved the mayor and bailiffs of his city of York, greeting.—

"Since the Scotch, our enemies and rebels, have thought fit to enter our kingdom in a hostile manner near Carlisle, with all their power, as we are certainly informed; and kill, burn, destroy, and act other mischiefs as far as they are able, we have drawn down our army in order, by God's assistance, to restrain their malice, and to that end turn our steps towards that country and those enemies.

"We, considering our aforesaid city of York, especially whilst Isabel, queen of England, our most dear mother, our brother and sisters,* abide in the same, to be more safely kept and guarded; lest any sudden danger from our enemies' approach should happen in the said city; or fear affright our mother, brother, and sisters, which God avert, for want of sufficient ammunition and guard; we strictly command and charge you upon your faiths and allegiance, and on the forfeiture of every thing you can forfeit to us, immediately at sight of these presents, without excuse or delay, to inspect and overlook all your walls, ditches, and towers, and ammunition, proper for the defence of the

* Prince John of Eltham, and the princesses Joan and Elinor.

said city; taking with you such of our faithful servants as will be chosen for that purpose; and to take such order for its defence, that no danger can happen to the city by neglect of such safeguards.

"And we, by these presents, give you full power and authority to distrain and compel all and singular owners of houses or rents in the said city, or merchants, or strangers, inhabiting the same, by seizure of their bodies or goods, to be aiding towards the security of the walls, bulwarks or towers, as you in your own descretion shall think fit to ordain for the making other useful and necessary works about it; punishing all those that are found to contradict or rebel against this order, by imprisonment, or what other methods you think fit.

"Study therefore to use such deligence in the execution of the premises, that we may find it in the effect of your works; and that we may have no occasion from your negli gence, should danger happen, to take severe notice of you. Dated at Durham, July 15. A.d. 1327.

66 BY THE KING."

Leland, who wrote A. D. 1520, gives the following description of the walls of York in the reign of Henry VIII. :-" The city of York is divided by the river Ouse; but that part which is on the east side, is thrice as large as that on the west. The great tower at Lendal had a chain of iron to cast over the river, then another tower, and so to Bootham Bar; from thence to Monk Bar ten towers, and to Layerthorpe Postern four towers; for some distance the deep waters of the Foss defended this part of the city without the walls; and from thence to Walmgate Bar three towers; then Fishergate Bar, walled up in the time of Henry VII., and the three towers, the last a postern; from which, by a bridge over the Foss, to the castle, and the ruins of five towers, were all that remained of it. On the west side of the river, was first a tower from which the wall passed over the dungeon to the castle, or

old baile, with nine towers to Micklegate Bar; and between it and North-street postern ten towers; the postern was opposite to the tower, at Lendal to draw the chain over the river between them."

In the siege of York by the parliamentarian army, in 1644, the walls were much injured. Breaches were made in several places, and in almost all quarters the effects of the furious cannonading were visible. In 1645, it is true, some efforts were made to repair the walls; and in 1648, Micklegate, Walmgate, and Bootham Bars were also repaired; but such was their dilapidated state in the year 1719, that Torr, whose work on the antiquities of the city was published in that year, says, "But all things here are subject to time and change! The not long since devouring civil war, and unnatural rebellion, as it made prodigious waste in this kingdom, it had most malignant effects and influences on this ancient and loyal city, as its surrender to the then irresistable force of the rebel army had on the whole nation; and ever since that fatal epocha, its grandeur has gradually declined and sunk." In the year 1831, however, a vigorous effort was made to raise funds for their restoration. The corporation voted one hundred pounds, and by the active exertions of several noblemen and gentlemen, a considerable sum was raised. The lady mayoress, Mrs. Oldfield, set on foot a subscription among the ladies; and the fair daughters of York responded with becoming public spirit to the call made upon them, to testify their regard for these venerable historical monuments that give so peculiar a character to the city. The entire restoration of the walls from North-street Postern to Micklegate Bar was effected at a cost of £1,067 17s. 6d; and from that bar again to Skeldergate Postern, at an expense of £1,725 1s. 6d. They completely encompass that part of the city which is situated on the western side of the river Ouse; and now form a most delightful walk; commanding, on one side, a view of the south part of York Minster, Clifford's Tower, the

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Castle, and the river winding in its course to join the mighty Humber; and on the other side the majestic west front of the Minister, the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, the Roman multangular tower, the classical Museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, and the ancient Guild Hall that rises from the river's edge. "What a lovely walk (remarks one whose genius adds honour even to his native city;*) it used to be from Micklegate Bar, along the walls, to North-street Postern ;-ancient fortifications, grey battlements, verdant fields, and smiling gardens one either hand, finished in grand perspective, by our noble Cathedral in one of its finest points of view." The gentleman to whom we allude has expressed strong opinions against the admittance of railways within the walls; but the commercial advantages of railroad communication between York and the principal cities and towns of England and Scotland, are too important to the citizens, and too closely connected with the rising prosperity of York, to justify their exclusion. No contrast can be finer than the busy railroad,—the wonderous offspring of the nineteenth century, and the stately antique ramparts! The edifice which forms the railway station within the walls, is a decided ornament to the city, and the regret occasioned by the formation of an arch in the walls, is more than counterbalanced by the pleasure of seeing a well-filled train of carriages from London pass through it, as if by magic, and land its passengers in the heart of the town. In the Year 1831, a new archway was erected at the bottom of Baile-hill, near to the spot where Skeldergate Postern formerly stood; through which archway there was formed an improved road to the city jaol. The arms of the city of York, are placed above the arch, with the following inscription beneath them; "these walls were restored by public subscription A.D. 1831, in the third mayorality of the right honourable Lord Dundas."

* William Etty, R.A.