The Incredible History of York | United Kingdom
York is one of the most interesting and inspiring cities in the whole of Europe, with one of the longest and most turbulent histories in the world.
Ancient Beginnings
The city was founded by the Romans in 71AD and was the capital of Britannia Inferior which was an area covering much of northern England. However, archaeological evidence dating back to the Mesolithic era showing that people settled in the area around York between 8000BC and 7000BC.
When the Romans settled here they built a wooden fortress above the River Ouse, which was home to around 6000 soldiers; the remains of the fort are beneath York Minster, the city’s famous and magnificent cathedral which was built in 1408.
York Minster, England, UK by Peter McDermott
A pinnacle moment in York’s history was 1068, two years after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when the people of the city rebelled, but their success was short lived when they were crushed upon the arrival of William the Conqueror.
Confectionary
The north of England is famous for its industry, it was the engine room of the British Empire generating wealth from wool, cotton and steel.
Even now you can see the hallmarks of that glorious past, and it still has an industrial heart with new factory openings and investments hailed as another step back to the glory days. York’s contribution to the influence of the north was not in the heavy industries or textiles, but was in chocolate.
As far back as the late eighteenth century the city has eight confectioners for a town that just has 17,000 people living in it. Even now, the Nestle Chocolate Factory produces millions of sweets, and many of the city’s chocolate loving people have had family members work in the world famous factories of Rowntree, Terry’s, and Cravens.
However, the wonderful confection is not just for the sweet tooth, it played an important part in the survival of the famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
In 1909 Shackleton led an expedition to the South Pole. Sadly the expedition was abandoned just 97 miles from the pole, and while they abandoned many of their supplies, including dozens of bottles of Scotch whisky, they did return with a now famous tin of Rowntree’s Cocoa which now has pride of place in the York Castle Museum.
The Smell of the wonderful brown stuff permeates through every nook and cranny, with York Hotels, hostels and B&Bs, just a stone throw away from the sort of sweet shops you can only picture in fantasies.
Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to https://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/qqyyk-york-marriott-hotel/
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