The pub stands a few feet from the medieval tower called Fishergate Postern and is just around the corner from Fishergate Bar (or gateway). Medieval York was the second largest and second most important city in England. The existing stone walls which surround it, and the bar gateways into the city, were built during this period. The Postern was built in c1500, on the banks of the River Foss, which was then much wider and now passes behind this site.
Photographs and text about the Postern Gate.
The text reads: Medieval York was a popular royal residence and the capital of the north. The existing stone walls which surround the city were originally built in Roman times but have been repaired and added to over the centuries.
Fishergate Postern was built between 1504 and 1507, replacing an earlier structure called Talkan Tower. It stands in front of the building that you are now in and hasn’t changed for 500 years, except for the tiled roof added in the century after the tower was built.
Next to the tower are the remains of a small postern gate, to the Scarlet Pit. This was probably a pool in the River Foss, which now passes behind these premises.
Prints of Fishergate Postern Tower from the city walls, c.1890 and Fishergate Bar, c.1890.
The Fishergate Postern medieval tower, which stands next to the pub.
A photograph of Walmgate, York.
A photograph of historical York.
A photograph of Lendal Bridge, York.
External photograph of the building – main entrance.
If you have information on the history of this pub, then we’d like you to share it with us. Please e-mail all information to: pubhistories@jdwetherspoon.co.uk