Did You Know?

Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Due to its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been undertaken over time by its subdivisions, such as North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

York is a historic walled city that was founded by the ancient Romans, at the base of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, and is the traditional county town of Yorkshire to which it gives its name to.

The University of York and health services have become major employers, whilst tourism has become an important element of the local economy.

York is known for its famous historical landmarks such as York Minster which was built in stages between 1220 and 1472and the city walls, as well as a variety of cultural and sporting events.

York was once the capital of England, when the Vikings made York the hub of the country thousands of years ago. The city of York was now effectively the capital of a new Viking kingdom, this being known as Danelaw.

Actress Dame Judi Dench is known for her roles in many James Bond films including Casino Royale and Skyfall, as well as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Dame Judi was born in York.

The North York Moors Steam Railway was actually the location of the very first Harry Potter film! Once you see for yourself, you’ll be in doubt that you’re in the world of Harry Potter!

York is known for being a hotbed of horse racing but a little known fact is that there has been racing here since Roman times. There are recordings of gatherings in various open spaces around the city particularly in the forest of Galtres but also on Acomb Moor. Racing grew in popularity in the eighteenth century as it became more of an organized event, leading to crowds of over 100,000.

The city of York has a history intertwined with chocolate. Rowntrees, famous for their tangy fruit pastilles and the iconic chocolate oranges of Terry’s both had their origins in this walled city.

The first succesful chocolate bar to be launched in York was Kit Kat in 1935 by Rowntree, and it’s still the biggest seller of chocolate bars today!

Legend states that Guy Fawkes was born in Stonegate – York, and records confirm that he did indeed go to school there, but there is much speculation as to how he died.

York is the home of the National Railway Museum, and is part of the British Science Museum Group. The NRM tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. The museum itself has won numerous awards including European Museum of the Year Award in 2001.

The medieval alleyway known as The Shambles may look straight out of Harry Potter, but did you know that this former butchers’ lane is the oldest shopping street in Europe.

The city is supposedly Europe’s most haunted, with its streets plagued by ghouls and ghosts from the Roman era to the modern age.

York’s National Railway Museum is the largest train museum in the world – and it is also the only place outside of Asia to house a Japanese Bullet train.