York 1898

This plan of York is from “The Royal Atlas of England and Wales” produced by J.G.Bartholomew for George Newnes Ltd in 1898. The descriptive text that follows is compiled from the “Gazetteer of the British Isles” published by J.G. Bartholomew in 1904.
 

York – County town of Yorkshire and archiepiscopal city, with railway station, North-Eastern Railway.  Location: 188 miles NW. of London by rail.  Population of parliamentary borough, 75,521.  Market days, Thursday and Saturday.  The city of York is pleasantly situated in a wide and fertile vale, at the point where the three Ridings meet, and where the Foss joins the Ouse, which is here navigable.  Probably York is the most ancient city of the British Empire, and possibly of Europe.  Before the arrival of the Romans it was an important settlement and capital of the Brigantes, and was called Caer Errak.  Subsequently it was for 400 years the capital (Eboracum) of Roman Britain.  After the Roman occupation York became the capital of the N. English sub-kingdom of Bernicia, then the capital of the kingdom of Northumbria when it was called Eoforwic, and by the Danes Iorvik.  The ancient part of the city is enclosed by walls, and entered by 4 principal gates or Bars.  The chief architectural feature of York is the minster or cathedral, the finest ecclesiastical edifice in England.  Among other buildings are the Guild Hall, the Mansion House, the castle, and the station.  York is the most important railway centre in Great Britain.  The trade of York is now mostly local, and the industries are not important.