Friday 10 August 2018

It's a while since I visited York - and I've never really had time to look round. So, the last few days have been quite magical, with a chance to see this historic City. This is Clifford's Tower, which was built by William the Conqueror and is all that remains of his original castle which was one of the two motte and bailey castles he built in York in 1068-69. At one time the tower was a gaol and held some very famous people, including George Fox, the founder of the Quakers and Dick Turpin, the notorious highwayman. It was also the site of one of the worst anti-Semitic massacres of the Middle Ages. The Jewish community of York included a number of money lenders. As a number of the local Christian gentry owed considerable sums, they egged on an angry mob, such that the entire community of some 150 people took refuge inside the tower. Many of them chose to commit suicide rather than be murdered or forcibly murdered. One of the worst anti-Semitic massacres of the Middle Ages took place in York in 1190. The city’s entire Jewish community was trapped by an angry mob inside the tower of York Castle. Most members of the community chose to commit suicide rather than be murdered or forcibly baptised by the attackers. After killing their wives and children they set fire to the wooden keep and killed themselves. While I've been in York I've found a wealth of stories - some positive like the tales of the Quaker Community and their influence on society at the time - some horrific like this one of the Jewish Massacre. They are all part of history and shouldn't be forgotten. #TBIN #ttot @visityork #OnlyinYork #YorkAdventure #makeitYork #travelblogger #instagood #instatravel #instagramers #girlswhotravel #sheisnotlost #instatravel #instapic


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