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The Shambles is the oldest street in York and is even mentioned in the Doomsday Book. Many of the lovely buildings are over 600 years old.
It was originally a street full of butchers and at one point in time there were as many as 26 butchers in the street.
Visitors flock to the street, which is now full of olde worlde shops. It is narrow and many of the top storeys of the shops overhang the Street.
It is very close to York Minster and is great for finding that unusual present or keepsake Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King´s Square.
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Walking through The Shambles takes you back in time. It?s often called Europe's best preserved medieval street, of course that includes the surrounding maze of narrow, twisting lanes and alleys. The street itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book, so we know that it has been in continuous existence for over 900 years.
The name "Shambles" comes from the Saxon "Fleshammels", which means, "the street of the butchers". Look up and you'll see the wide window sills of the houses that were used for displaying meat for sale. The butcher's shops have now been replaced with shops catering to visitors, including jewelry and antiques - the favorite shopping area in York.
The Association of Voluntary Guides to the City of York offer two hour free walking tours every day (except Christmas Day). Walks start at 10:15 am and gather at the Art Gallery in Exhibition Square. Additional walks in the summer months start at 2:15 and 7:00 pm. No booking required. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King?s Square.
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York's most famous street is one of the best preserved medieval streets in England. The Shambles takes its name from Shamel - which were the benches where butchers once displayed their meat.
The butchers have long since gone and nowadays most shops are aimed at tourists. Nevertheless the street still retains a certain amount of charm. The timbered houses lean inwards across the narrow street and it's not difficult to imagine how it was hundreds of years ago.
Amongst all the souvenir shops look out for the shrine to Margaret Clitherow, who was sent to death in the 16th Century for harbouring Jesuit priests. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King´s Square.
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Of course a trip to York wouldn't be complete without a visit to this little street. "Cute" doesn't even come close to describing it. The houses and shops are tightly packed and jostle for space on either side. Just walk up or down it and you'll see what I mean.
It has been in existence for 900 years and is suppose to be Britains best preserved Medieval street.
Translated " The Shambles" means "Street of the Butchers." It was once where local butchers did their trade and the wide windowsills were used to display their goods. Leave a Comment Address: York CityDirections: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King´s Square.
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All the buildings are built on an angle leaning inward toward each other. This was done as originally this street was the meat market and so once the animals were killed in the front of the shops and all the un-used animal parts flooded the streets, the leaning of the buildings shaded the meat from the sun. Of course, now it is cleaned up and the very tiny and narrow streets offer shops that even my 5'3" stature had to duck my head to go into! Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King´s Square.
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This is a few cobbled streets with overhanging Tudor buildings. The Shambles is a really busy area of York, it is the most visited street in the UK and it has a good selection of shops, restaurants. You can take a ghost walk or an historical tour through the Shambles. The 15th century buildings lean into the middle of the streets and that means that the roof almost touch. The Shambles is Yorks oldest street, it was mentioned in the Doomsday Book. That makes it more then 900 years old. It is thought to be Europes best preserved Medieval street
The name Shambles comes from the Saxon word "shamel" which means "slaughterhouse". In fact the street was historically a street of butchers shops – records from 1872 show that there were 26 butchers on the street. Animals were also slaughtered on the Shambles.
If you look you can see that the pavements are raised up on each side of the street. This was done so that a channel was made through which the butchers washed their wash away. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King´s Square.Website: www.yorkshambles.com
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The name "Shambles" comes from the Saxon "Fleshammels", which means, "the street of the butchers", for it was here that the city's butcher's market was located. Notice the wide window sills of the houses; the meat for sale was displayed here.
While you're strolling down the street, try to imagine all the blood and rubbish that used to accumulate and end up running down the drains. Hygiene was not an essential part of mediaeval life. Disease a constant threat.
The butcher's shops have now been replaced with shops, with a little more emphasis on cleanliness, catering to visitors (see pic 2), including jewelry (see pic 1) and antiques; indeed, the Shambles is now one of the premier shopping areas in the city of York.
One building of note in The Shambles is the home of Margaret Clitherow. She was arrested in 1586 on the charge of harbouring Catholic priests. To make matters worse, she had regular Masses said in her house and hid clergy vestments there.
The authorities condemned her to death by pressing (crushing beneath a heavy weight). Gives a whole new meaning to having a burden in life. How ghastly. Margaret Clitherow was canonized in 1970, and her home is now a shrine. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King?s Square.
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It's about as close to Harry Potter's 'Diagon Alley' as you're likely to get anywhere within the 'muggle' world. Within these narrow streets buildings overhang you at precarious angles yet somehow they still remain standing. The place does pander unashamedly to the tourist-trade (gift shops galore) but it's still worth a meander around for the olde-worlde atmosphere. Leave a Comment
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The Shambles (the street of the butchers) is the oldest intact medieval street in Europe and it was the home of York's butchers. The timber-framed old houses date back to the 14th and 15th century.
Today the narrow street Shambles is one of the premier shopping area for tourists in the city of York. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls, just off King's Square.
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Don't miss visiting the Shambles, even if it's the most touristy street in York. The narrow street, at one spot you could literally reach across the street and join hands on the upper floors, with darling old medieval shops is now converted into shops selling gifts and sweets.
The name "Shambles" comes from the Saxon word "Fleshammels" or street of the butchers, this was where York's butcher's market was located.
A couple of items to note, look for the wide window sills of the houses where the meat for sale was displayed and also for the hanging meat hooks.
Also the home of Margaret Clitherow, arrested in 1586 for harboring Catholic priests and condemned to death by pressing (crushing beneath a heavy weight-yikes!). She was later canonized and her home is now a shrine. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shambles is situated within the city walls just off King´s Square.
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