Seven beautiful hidden gems in York to visit in 2023 where you can explore the Yorkshire city’s rich history

Yorkshire’s cities are not just populated with famous landmarks that draw tourists in, there are also secret places most people outside of York won’t know about.

The city has many historic structures and buildings including York Minster, a castle and the city walls. With its history dating back to 71 AD, there are lots of attractions that offer a glimpse into the life of York locals centuries ago and even millennia.

York was originally named Eboracum back when it was founded; it became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior and later of the kingdoms of Deira, Northumbria and Scandinavian York.

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The fascinating history and heritage of the city can be explored in various hidden places from a secret convent to snickelways.

The Bar Convent in York. (Pic credit: James Hardisty)The Bar Convent in York. (Pic credit: James Hardisty)
The Bar Convent in York. (Pic credit: James Hardisty)

Seven beautiful hidden gems in York where you can discover the city’s history

Bitchdaughter Tower

This tower is on the corner of the city walls near the old Norman castle mound of Baile Hill, between Skeldergate and Bishopthorpe Road.

The name is thought to have been adapted to ‘Bitchie Doughter’ and was used as the King’s prison, as such it was considered a ‘nightmare’ room.

York City Walls. (Pic credit: James Hardisty)York City Walls. (Pic credit: James Hardisty)
York City Walls. (Pic credit: James Hardisty)

Interestingly, ‘Doughter’ originally came from the old French word ‘dortour’ which means a bedroom and the tower was exposed to the prevailing south-westerly winds, where it may have been a cold, damp and miserable place to be imprisoned.

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Bitchdaughter Tower was initially part of the outer defensive wall of the bailey adjacent to William the Conqueror’s second castle, built in 1069.

Coffee Yard to Stonegate snickelway

The snickelways of York are a group of small, narrow streets and footpaths throughout the city and the word ‘Snickelway’ was first used by local author Mark W. Jones in 1983 in his book A Walk Around the Snickelways of York.

York Minster. (Pic credit: Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images)York Minster. (Pic credit: Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images)
York Minster. (Pic credit: Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images)

The word snicket is a northern English dialect word meaning ‘narrow passage, ginnel, a narrow passageway between or through buildings, and alleyway’.

Coffee Yard links Swinegate with Stonegate and is considered York’s longest snickelway at nearly 67.1 metres long. The reconstructed Mediaeval house, Barley Hall, built in 1360 by the monks of Nostell Priory, is located on this snickelway.

The culvert in the Undercroft of York Minster

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Within the famous landmark of York Minster, there is a hidden treasure; a culvert which is a drain carrying water still has water flowing through it today and dates back to the Roman era.

While you are there you will also see the remains of Roman barracks.

Bar Convent

This house was first established in 1686 when Catholicism was illegal and is now considered the oldest living convent in the UK and the oldest surviving place of Catholic worship after Henry VIII closed them all down in the 1530s.

A Yorkshire woman, Mary, founded the religious order who reside at Bar Convent and it was her mission to encourage education for women. Her belief was that girls and women could achieve greatness if they were awarded the same education and opportunities as boys and men.

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While she died before her goal was achieved, her followers continued her work and opened the first schools for girls in the UK at Bar Convent and in London in 1669.

In present times, it is the main house of a global order of sisters, and there are more than 200 schools in Mary Ward’s name across the world.

Askham Bog Nature Reserve

The Bog is a fascinating survivor of the ancient fenlands of Yorkshire and occupies the site of an ancient lake, which is the remaining water feature from a retreating glacier that existed 15,000 years ago.

It has magnificent royal ferns, a rare gingerbread sedge and incredible displays of water violets. It is home to some of the greatest diversity of plants and insects, including marsh orchids, marsh violet and meadow thistle.

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Askham Bog is also the residence of rare species of water beetle and moth fauna, with rare species such as the fen square-spot.

York Cat Trail

An activity that is free for all young and old; this trail will guide you through York where you will pass by some of York’s attractions including Clifford’s Tower, Shambles and York Minster.

You wouldn’t know the trail is there unless you actively seek it; you can grab a trail leaflet and find the cat statues dotted around the city.

The trail starts at The Cat Gallery, funnily enough, and takes an hour or so to complete.

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The history of the cats in York dates back to 1920, when Sir Stephen Aitcheson added two on a building that he owned. Some say he put them there to scare away rats and mice.

Local architect Tom Adams decided to develop the idea into a trail and commissioned York-based sculptor Jonathan Newdick to create the cats.

York Air Walk

There are hidden history walks that will also open your mind to the fascinating background of the city.

The York Air Walk is an aerial wander through the city’s ancient, natural and scientific history.

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Professional guides Dr Simon Rogerson and Dr Liam Herringshaw will take you on a journey around the city’s mediaeval walls where you will experience the sights and sounds, meet a weather forecaster, a stargazer and the local resident who gassed Queen Victoria.

The walks are organised by Hidden Horizons which runs every week; each walk takes two hours to complete and follows a route exploring an ‘Elemental York’ theme of Air, Fire, Earth or Water.

York Air Walk takes place every Monday at 10am and starts at Micklegate Bar and finishes at York Minster.

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