The Yorkshire light is fine and exceptionally clear as I pick my way among the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey. The exquisite arches and stone walls of this ancient Benedictine structure lie in what is now the Museum Gardens of the York Minster. A lovely assortment of wildflowers, growing in crevices near the foundations, wave cheerily in the morning breeze.

PHOTO:
© CHRIS DORNEY | DREAMSTIME.COM,

I’ve left my husband, James, lingering inside the imposing seventh-century Gothic cathedral known as the York Minster, situated adjacent to the ruins. I suspect he’s likely doing calculations in his head, summing up the angles, degrees and long-ago challenges faced by the builders of the massive edifice. I haven’t the slightest desire to know these things and prefer to wander blissfully among the peaceful abbey stones, dreaming about the past and the people who once dwelt here.

York, a remarkably preserved walled city, bears a few curious distinctions: named both Britain’s home of chocolate and Europe’s most haunted city, it’s also recognized as a UNESCO City of Media Arts. There’s a notable literary angle, with strong connections to a number of significant poets and authors. Beneath these seemingly unrelated accolades lies a twisting story of Viking battles, Roman occupation and modern development.

Our day’s plans will no doubt delve into the city’s history, but that requires fuel. We make a detour along the way to Bettys Café Tea Rooms at St. Helen’s Square for a late-morning tea and coffee break. Part of a collection of similarly named establishments scattered across England, the local Bettys is known for its Yorkshire Fat Rascals scones, studded with fruit and dusted with almonds. I order one while James chooses the Gooey Rascals option, made with chocolate chips and a Swiss chocolate caramel filling. Despite being slightly touristy, the café is filled with a good number of locals and delivers exactly the right combination of caffeine, carbs and sweetness for a day of museum exploration.

Post-scone break, the York Roman Bath Museum is next on the agenda. We quickly learn the half-timbered pub facade of this address is deceptive. Upstairs at street level, we encounter the expected menu of ales and beers on tap, but what lies beneath the pub floor is of real interest. Here, a fascinating part of the city’s 2,000-year-old tale is on full view: the ruins of an early Roman bathhouse which once served as a destination for the social gatherings and wellness pursuits of troops of Roman soldiers. Discovered during pub renovations in the 1930s, this remarkable archaeological site includes a collection of coins, personal items and tiles that bear the names of various legions stationed here in the days when the city was known as Eboracum. Among the identifiable physical features of the baths look for the caldarium, frigidarium and tepidarium, along with the plumbing fixtures and furnace room that fed and heated these spaces.

© MARA ROBINSON | DREAMSTIME.

Back in the open air, we follow the winding cobbled streets past half-timbered buildings occupying the medieval quarter known as The Shambles. Here a host of quirky shops conjures author J.K. Rowling’s imaginary Diagon Alley. Though not the inspiration for the book series’ illusory location, Harry Potter’s presence can nevertheless be felt in addresses that include The Shop That Must Not Be Named and The Potion’s Cauldron. Among the authors who were inspired by the twisting, shadowed nooks and crannies of The Shambles were Bram Stoker, W.H. Auden, the Brontë sisters and Charles Dickens.

Long before establishing its literary pedigree, however, and after the Romans departed, York experienced years of Viking settlement. At Jorvik Viking Centre we find an array of exhibits, interactive displays and collections of artifacts that trace those connections to the past. Unearthed by archaeologists from the York Archaeological Trust between 1976 and 1981, the workshops and homes of long- ago Scandinavian settlers lie directly beneath the museum center: a once-thriving city known to the Vikings as Jorvik.

The exhibition is divided into sections that begin in the Discover Coppergate gallery and progress to Explore Coppergate. In this last area, fascinating artifacts are on view along with several Viking-era human skeletons. York, it seems, loves its Viking history. Each winter it holds the annual Jorvik Viking Festival in celebration of this era, with a week of colorful reenactments, crafts, staged battles, exhibitions and a grand feast held in the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall.

PHOTO: © SERGII FIGURNYI | DREAMSTIME

Agreeing we’ve done a lot of time traveling for a single day, James and I walk to King’s Staith Landing to catch a York City Cruise tour boat. Settling into our seats, we relax and stretch our legs as the boat floats along the River Ouse. Completely enchanted by this remarkable city, we listen as the captain shares enthralling bits of historical information and cultural lore, adding to all we’ve learned since breakfast.

By the time we’ve returned to the landing and disembarked from the boat, we’ve returned to the present day. It’s a cool, clear-skyed afternoon, and the promise of a good end-of-day meal awaits, a prize no doubt looked forward to with anticipation by every explorer, regardless of the age of the world in which they’ve landed.