Stonegate
A medieval street along a Roman route
In Roman York this street was called via praetoria. Stonegate led from the army's headquarters (on the site of the Minster) down to the ships on the River Ouse.
In medieval times the street was used to transport the stones up from the barges for the building of the Minster.
With its medieval buildings, the street now has small shops, cafés and pubs (including Ye Olde Starre Inne, with its unusual beam sign straddling the street).
Check out the red printer's devil on the wall by Coffee Yard, a reminder of a former printing shop in the building. (A less well-known ornament in the street is the gloomy lady taken from a ship's prow and now adorning number 13. This is usually missed by visitors.)
Tip For a short side trip off Stonegate, follow the Coffee Yard snickelway leading off Stonegate by the printers devil to Grape Lane, former red light area of Medieval York.
TIME Allow around an hour
LOCATION Minster Area
Stonegate