City wall from Baile Hill to Barker Tower, including Barker Tower and North Street Postern, Victoria Bar and Micklegate Bar

City Wall from Baile Hill to Barker Tower

This entry encompasses a substantial section of York's medieval defensive fortifications, including Baile Hill Tower, Bitch-daughter Tower, 15 intermediate towers, and three principal gatehouses: Barker Tower, North Street Postern, Victoria Bar, and Micklegate Bar.

The walls were constructed in two main phases, dating from 1250–60 and 1330–40. A major restoration was undertaken in 1831–32. The fortifications were substantially breached for railway arches in 1839, 1845, 1874, and 1876; the last breach was rebuilt in 1965. Baile Hill Tower itself dates from 1878, constructed when walls adjacent to Skeldergate Bridge were demolished. Bitch-daughter Tower dates to 1330–40 and was remodelled in 1645. Victoria Bar was constructed in 1838 with foot arches added in 1864 and 1877. Micklegate Bar is mid-14th century but incorporates an early 12th-century gate; its barbican was removed in 1826 and the inner side was remodelled by Peter Atkinson Junior in 1827, with foot arches added in 1827 and 1863. Figures were carved in 1950 by Walter Rylett, and restoration and repairs were carried out in 1952 and 1968. North Street Postern was rebuilt in 1840. Barker Tower is early 14th century, was re-roofed in the 17th century, altered in 1840, and restored in 1970.

All structures are built of magnesian limestone ashlar except for sections of the walkway, which is partly carried on a wall of orange-brown brick. Victoria Bar has steps of orange brick with stone treads and cast-iron balustrade and handrail. Barker Tower is topped with a plain tiled conical roof with overhanging eaves.

The wall is strengthened by squat, weathered buttresses on high bases. The wallwalk is paved with stone flags edged with chamfered coping stones; the parapet is partly crenellated and partly plain, pierced by musket loops, with sloped coping. The towers are semicircular, rectangular, or half-hexagonal in plan, rising from battered, weathered, and double-chamfered plinths. Some feature cruciform slits with or without oillets; some have chamfered doorways with shouldered or flat lintels; others have no openings. Crenellated parapets are unpierced. Baile Hill Tower is octagonal on plan, Bitch-daughter Tower is irregular circular on plan, and Barker Tower is circular on plan.

Baile Hill Tower comprises two storeys with an embattled parapet. A flight of steps to the wallwalk passes through the tower from the foot of the rampart via an arched doorway with a stilted two-centred head. Other openings include three slit lights in chamfered openings and two arrow slits with oillets, one of which is blocked.

Victoria Bar features a semicircular carriage arch of two chamfered orders flanked by single chamfered pedestrian arches. An incised stone above the central arch reads: "Victoria Bar erected by Public Subscription under the direction of The City Commissioners AD1836 George Hudson Esq Lord Mayor."

Micklegate Bar presents a four-storey, three-bay frontage. The outer bays are formed as pilaster buttresses with battered bases rising into two-storey embattled bartizans with cruciform arrow slits. A semicircular carriage arch incorporates a portcullis slot and comprises two stepped orders of gritstone voussoirs. The first stage has a narrow vertical light above the arch; in the buttresses are shoulder-headed doorways originally leading to the barbican walkway, all in chamfered openings. The second stage features a similar central light flanked by cruciform arrow slits with oillets. The third floor has two vertical lights. The bartizans are joined by an embattled parapet over a lion's head gargoyle in the centre; some merlons are pierced by cruciform slits. The heraldry includes a carved plaque commemorating the restoration of 1727, bearing a shield of the arms of Lord Mayor Sir John Lister Kaye, two shields of the Arms of the City of York, and the Plantagenet Royal Arms beneath a crested helm. On the inner side, the carriage arch matches that of the outer face. Each upper storey has two square-headed windows of two pointed lights in chamfered surrounds. A corbel course beneath a plain parapet steps up over the top-floor windows. A shield of the Tudor Royal Arms is positioned between the first-floor windows. Portcullis remains are stored on the first floor.

North Street Postern comprises a rebuilt length of wall containing a four-centred carriage arch between pointed side arches of gritstone voussoirs, all chamfered.

Barker Tower stands two storeys on a battered base, topped by a conical roof broken by a barge-boarded gable with a one-light attic window in a quoined opening. The ground-floor door beneath outside stairs to the first floor has one chamfered jamb with a run-out stop. Other openings consist of vestigial cruciform arrow slits with oillets and two inserted single-pane windows. The first-floor doorway has a plain lintel. The embrasures of the original embattled parapet were converted to single-pane windows by the altered roof; two two-by-six-pane Yorkshire sash windows were inserted in the 18th century. Internally, the original ground-floor openings are splayed with shouldered rere-arches recessed beneath two-centred arches; three survive whilst two have been altered.