Patrick Pool, Petergate, Pavement and Piccadilly

This history of York through its buildings and streets features some of the central historic streets in York. Here we continue the exploration of York streets looking at those beginning with the letter ‘P’ starting with Patrick Pool just off the Shambles area.

We visit Pavement, which is actually a street rather than a pathway and head for Peasholme Green and Piccadilly as well as exploring Low and High Petergate in the Minster area that together form one of the principal streets in the heart of York, tracing their origins back to Roman times.

Patrick Pool

The street of Patrick Pool, a continuation of Swinegate was described in 1249 as “so deep and unused that no-one can pass through it”.

Patrick Pool street was first mentioned in the 12th century and is thought to have been the site of a stagnant pool of some kind or perhaps a bath dedicated to St Patrick.

Patrick Pool, York looking towards Swinegate and Church Street © David Simpson

Situated in the Shambles area and linked to Swinegate and Church Street at its northern end, Patrick Pool is a street with some character. About half way along is a timber-framed building. It is a former warehouse of around 1600 that was restored in the 1960s and now serves as a beer house.

Next to it, on the corner of Patrick Pool and Church Street is the former church of St Sampson from which Church Street is named. Further along Church Street to the south, the church also gives its name to St Sampson’s Square.

Pavement

Pavement’s name comes from an old French word meaning ‘paved way’ and there is also an old street called Pavement in the historic city of Nottingham. It was perhaps one of the first medieval streets in York to have a paved way.

Herbert House, a timber-framed house in Pavement dates from 1620 and was on the site of a house belonging to Christopher Herbert (1532-1590), a wealthy merchant who became a Lord Mayor of York.

The timber-framed Herbert House, Pavement, York © David Simpson

A sign on the building just above the entrance to a passageway called Lady Peckett’s Yard states “Sir Thomas Herbert. Bart. born in this house 1606”.

Herbert House, Pavement, York © David Simpson

Next door to Herbert House is a little public house called the Golden Fleece with a golden sheep hanging just above the entrance.

Golden Fleece, Pavement, York © David Simpson

All Saints church in Pavement is situated at the southern end of Pavement, sandwiched between High Ousegate and Coppergate near the junction with Piccadilly and Parliament Street. Saxon and Viking tomstones can be seen in the church which was mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Pavement, York, an explanation of the name © David Simpson

Being at the junction of all these streets makes it one of the notable focal points for historic York and an information board here explains that this was the scene of public gatherings, proclamations and punishments.

Pavement, York, looking towards the church of All Saints © David Simpson

This area near the church was once, along with St Sampson’s Square, to the north, a focal point for crowded markets and stalls but these were moved into a newly created wide street called Parliament Street, in the 1830s and 40s (see St Sampson’s Square).

All Saints, Pavement, York © David Simpson

The prominent church of All Saints, Pavement and its tower date mainly from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. All Saints’ lantern tower once guided travellers through the Forest of Galtres (to the north of York) but now a lantern is lit in memory of the residents of York who died during the two world wars.

This area has long been an important focal point for public gathering and a good place to make a point. Thomas Percy, the rebellious 7th Earl of Northumberland was executed on scaffolding just outside the church in 1572. His head was displayed at Micklegate Bar.

The ghost of a grey lady in a long dress is sometimes said to haunt the area around All Saints in Pavement. It is said she was denied a Christian burial and is hoping that someone will find her a suitable resting place.

St Crux Parish Hall is the parish hall of All Saints church in Pavement but at the opposite end of the street to the church. It is located in Pavement between the Shambles and Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate which branch off from the street. The building incorporates walls from the medieval church of St Crux, demolished in 1887. The body (but not the head) of the rebellious aforementioned Thomas Percy was buried at St Crux when it was still a church.

There was once a now lost lane near St Crux church called Hosier Lane that formed a part of Pavement outside the church. It was recorded as ‘Hosierrowe’ (Hosier Row) in 1373 and as ‘Hoseyergate’ in 1541. It was the street of the hose makers.

St Crux Parish Hall, Pavement, York with The Shambles to the left © David Simpson

Just beyond St Crux Hall near the junction with Fossgate and Colliergate, Pavement becomes a street called The Stonebow where the tower of another church, St Saviour’s comes into view.

Peaseholme Green

Peaseholme Green was once the water meadow where peas were grown. Modern buildings dominate here but from an earlier age we have The Black Swan Inn, a largely seventeenth century building on the site of an earlier medieval one.

In the fifteenth century it was the home of a merchant called William Bowes, who was Sheriff of York in 1417 and Lord Mayor of York in 1428. William’s son, another William, also resided here, as did his grandson, Sir Martin Bowes.

The Black Swan, Peaseholme Green, York © David Simpson

The junior William was an MP and a Lord Mayor of York in 1443. Sir Martin Bowes was a Lord Mayor of London and Treasurer of the Royal Mint during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Later residents included Edward Thompson MP, who was Lord Mayor of York in 1683 and his daughter, Henrietta Wolfe. She was the mother of General James Wolfe, famed for his capture of Quebec in 1759.

As might be expected for such an old building, the Black Swan of course boasts its own ghosts. One is a beautiful young lady in a white dress with long flaxen hair, who is perhaps a jilted bride. Another is a man in a bowler hat who appears to be waiting for someone. There is a Victorian boy ‘Matthew’ seen in the neighbouring passageway and to top it all there is the spectre of a black cat.

St Anthony’s Hall in Peaseholme Green, once the hall of the Guild of St Anthony dates from 1446-53. Some of its later brickwork dates from 1655. It became the home of the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research in the 1950s but this was relocated to the University of York campus in 2004 and St Anthony’s Hall is now home to York’s Trinity Church.

St Anthony's Hall, York, now the Trinity Church — St Anthony’s Hall, York, now the Trinity Church © David Simpson

Between the hall and St Cuthbert’s church to the north is St Anthony’s Garden, a quiet haven. A plaque records that the site was refurbished and renovated between 2006 and 2009 and opened by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu on June 28, 2010.

St Anthony's Garden, York and St Cuthbert's Church — St Anthony’s Garden, York and St Cuthbert’s Church © David Simpson

St Cuthbert’s church, alongside St Anthony’s Garden and Peaseholme Green, was mentioned in the Domesday Book but there is known to have been an earlier Anglo-Saxon church here.

The church was saved from demolition by Martin Bowes, the Lord Mayor of London who had family connections with the parish, having once resided in Peaseholme Green.

Church of St Cuthbert, Peaseholme Green, York © David Simpson

York’s city wall comes to a temporary end at Peaseholme Green near Layerthorpe Bridge (see Jewbury) but there was once a tower here, demolished in 1829. The wall reappears at the Red Tower, near Foss Islands Road (see Hungate) about a quarter of a mile south of Peaseholme Green.

The reason for the gap in the city walls is that in medieval times the area between the two towers was occupied by the King’s Fish’s Pool, formed from the deliberate flooding of the River Foss. The defensive wall was not needed here.

Low Petergate and York Minster © David Simpson

Petergate : High and Low Petergate

Petergate is so named because of its proximity to York Minster, which is of course dedicated to St. Peter. In fact Petergate is two streets called High Petergate and Low Petergate.

High Petergate, York, looking towards Bootham Bar © David Simpson

High Petergate stretches from Bootham Bar to the intersection of the street with Stonegate, while Low Petergate stretches from there to King’s Square.

High Petergate near York Minster — High Petergate (left and centre) near York Minster © David Simpson

High Petergate itself is also in two parts. Entered from Bootham via Bootham Bar, it is a narrow street that suddenly widens out as it reaches Duncombe Place outside York Minster.

Here we find the church of St Michael-le-Belfrey, situated between the Minster Yard and High Petergate itself. The church is said to date to the year 1066 but was first mentioned in 1284 and has a mostly Victorian facade. High Petergate then continues on the south side of St Michael Belfrey, once again as a narrow street.

High Petergate and St Michael le Belfry with York Minster to the left — High Petergate and St Michael le Belfrey church with York Minster to the left © David Simpson

It is here we find the Guy Fawkes Inn that claims to be the birthplace of Guido Fawkes, the famed gunpowder plotter who attempted to blow up the House of Lords. The Gunpowder Plot was a Catholic plot that attempted to kill King James I and members of the government at the opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605.

Birthplace of Guy Fawkes, York — Guy Fawkes Inn, York © David Simpson

The plot, actually led by Robert Catesby, was foiled because Fawkes’ name and his part in the plot came into the hands of members of the government, ensuring the plotters were caught in the act.

It is an effigy of Fawkes, ‘the guy’ that is traditionally burned on Bonfire Night (also called ‘Guy Fawkes Night’) an event still celebrated annually in Britain with a blaze of fireworks every November 5th. Following his trial, Fawkes was executed by hanging at Westminster, in London on January 31, 1606.

Guy Fawkes inn sign, York © David Simpson

St Michael-le-Belfrey church stands right next to the inn that bears Guy Fawkes’ name. However, there is some doubt about this being his birthplace as it seems Fawkes was born around the corner in Stonegate. Nevertheless, St Michael-le-Belfrey right next to the inn was the place where Guido Fawkes was baptised in April 1570, only thirty-five years before he met his end.

High Petergate becomes Low Petergate a little beyond St Michael-le-Belfrey church after passing the adjoining Stonegate at the Minster Gates.

York Minster from Petergate — York Minster from Low Petergate © David Simpson

Low Petergate is ever so slightly shorter than High Petergate and at the south end it terminates at Kings Square where it is joined by Goodramgate and Church Street.

Along its course Low Petergate is joined on the south side by a narrow street called Grape Lane and a little passageway or ‘ginnel’ called Lunds Court (formerly Mad Alice Lane). Both of these routes link Low Petergate to neighbouring Swinegate.

Lunds Court (Mad Alice Lane) off Low Petergate © David Simpson

The name of ‘Mad Alice Lane’ is somewhat intriguing and has been attributed to a woman called Alice Smith who supposedly murdered her husband here in the early nineteenth century but there are no records to support this.

Piccadilly

Piccadilly is not a street of medieval origin and is a home to buildings of more recent ages. From its north end opposite Parliament Street near All Saints Church in Pavement, it runs roughly parallel to neighbouring Fossgate to the east. Both of these streets cross the neighbouring River Foss to the south.

Set between Fossgate and Piccadilly next to the north bank of the little River Foss is the historic Merchant Adventurers Hall (see Fossgate). It was founded in 1357 as the Guild of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin but was absorbed by the Guild of Mercers in the fifteenth century.

Merchant Adventurer's Hall, York and the River Foss viewed from Piccadilly — Merchant Adventurer’s Hall, York and the River Foss viewed from Piccadilly © David Simpson

In 1580 the guild became the Merchant Adventurers, a powerful company that co-ordinated foreign trade in York. The gatehouse to the hall in Fossgate dates from the seventeenth century.

Piccadilly itself continues south of the River Foss and this in fact is where the street of Piccadilly began as an isolated lane on the south side of the river. The lane came into being following the silting and draining of the King’s Fish Pool and subsequently became a street named after Piccadilly in London in the 1840s, probably to encourage development.

In 1912 Piccadilly was extended north across the River Foss via a new bridge called Piccadilly Bridge. South of the Foss Piccadilly continues southward towards Tower Street that crosses the River Foss at Castle Mills Bridge near the Castle Museum.