# Fishergate

Fishergate is a street and surrounding area of York, England.

## History

Fishergate runs along a strip of slightly raised ground, east of the River Ouse. Archaeological investigations have found evidence of prehistoric occupation, before the construction of Roman Eboracum. By the 1st century, a major Roman road ran south from the city, through what is now Fishergate Bar and along the line of Fawcett Street before joining the line of modern Fishergate. Cemeteries also existed in the area. In Anglian times the area was the city's major manufacturing and trading centre. Archaeological finds in 1985–1986 included traces of 8th–9th century timber buildings, and metals, bone and leather representative of the industrial activity in the area. The area remained occupied in the Jorvik period, during which the old Roman road became known as "Fiscergate", the street of the fishers. St Helen's Church was constructed west of Fishergate, and All Saints’ Church to its east. Within All Saints’ Church lived an anchoress named Isabel German (d. 1448), whose remains were found in 2007. In the 14th century, the York city walls were constructed immediately north of the northernmost part of the street, probably over an existing earth rampart, with Fishergate Bar rebuilt in stone.
In the 12th century, St Andrew's Priory was constructed to the west of Fishergate. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the land was probably used as an orchard, and mediaeval settlement soon disappeared, possibly due to destruction during the Siege of York in 1644. In 1730, New Walk was constructed by the river, and Fishergate became a popular residential area, with some large houses constructed. In 1827, a cattle market was opened at the northern end of the street, and the modern line of the northern part of the street was established further west, with the old route becoming Fawcett Street and Escrick Terrace. To its west lay the Redfearn National Glass Factory and some open land. In the 1950s, factories were built on the open land, and the glassworks relocated to Tadcaster. These industrial buildings were cleared in the late 20th century.

## Layout and architecture

The street runs south-east from the River Foss at Castle Mills Bridge, as the continuation of Tower Street. It turns south and continues until it becomes Fulford Road, at its junction with New Walk Terrace and Grange Garth. On its east side, it has junctions with Piccadilly, Paragon Street, Kent Street, Escrick Terrace, Escrick Street, Melbourne Street and Winterscale Street, while on its west side, it has junctions with Oxtoby Court, Fewster Way, Blue Bridge Lane, Marlborough Grange and Sandringham Street. The street forms part of the A1036, and its section from Castle Mills Bridge to Escrick Terrace is part of the inner ring road, with the section from Paragon Street to Escrick Terrace is open to northbound traffic only.
Notable buildings on the east side street include part of the city walls; The Edinburgh Arms pub, built as a house in 1830; 29 Fishergate, a late 18th-century building which served for a time as the Nunnery of the Sisters of St Vincent; the early-19th century Ivy Cottage; and Fishergate County Primary School, built in 1893 by W. H. Brierley. On the west side lie The Masons Arms, a pub built in 1935 to a design by James Knight; 16–40 Fishergate, a terrace built in 1830; an early-21st century bingo hall; and the Lighthorseman Hotel, a pub built about 1870. Fishergate House, built in 1837 by J. B. and William Atkinson, formerly had an address on the street but is now said to lie on Blue Bridge Lane.

## Ward

In the 2003 local elections, the Green Party were elected in both Fishergate Ward council seats and these seats have been held since, most recently in the 2019 council elections. The population of the ward at the 2011 Census was 9,844.

## Gallery

* Fishergate Primary School
* The Lighthorseman
* The Edinburgh Arms
* The Masons Arms