From the Irish Famine to the City Walls of York (Fishergate Postern Tower)
Fishergate Postern Tower, Piccadilly, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9AF
See also the original architecture of this 520 year old tower, complete with Tudor arches, intact spiral staircase and a complete garderobe still in place.
The displays will focus on the actual people who lived in the houses in Walmgate next to the City Walls, showing how their names appeared suddenly in the 1851 census, with their place of birth a named county in Ireland.
The display will tell the stories of case study families, following their descendants down the decades since 1851 to the present day.
There will be a launch event accompanied by traditional Irish folk music, and living descendants of the original Irish Immigrants will be invited.
The aim is to reach out to the community of residents in Walmgate, an area of underprivileged social housing, and very much a non-traditional audience for heritage, plus the wider community of people who have Irish backgrounds. The event will highlight the connection between the Irish immigration of the 1840s and the walls, introduce a new audience of local people to Fishergate Postern Tower and the heritage of the walls. The target is to introduce 500 new people from York to Fishergate Postern Tower, and raise their awareness of the heritage of the walls and ramparts, and the part their antecedents have played in the area.
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 13 September:
- 1000-1600
- Saturday 20 September:
- 1000-1600
Location & directions
Fishergate Postern Tower, Piccadilly, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9AF
- Contact on day:
- Bill Hill
- Telephone number:
- +447810833625
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
The building has a spiral staircase so no disabled access to upper floors but some of the display will be at ground floor level.
Additional information
- Max no of people per tour:
- 24
- Est. tour duration:
- 20 hour(s)
