As the Roman invasion of Britain moved north, a garrison was established
on York's site by the Romans and the fortress was called
Eboracum.
They evidently recognized that the site was strategically located to
control the principal south-north route through the country: the Vale
of York. It was not only a natural focus of ancient land-routes, which
Roman-built roads subsequently augmented, but also well-placed to connect
with the inland waterway system that later developed; the Ouse was part
of this system, and had a reasonably convenient connection to the North
Sea via the Humber. The
fortress,
situated in the northwestern section of the future medieval York,
attracted a civilian population which settled on the opposite bank of
the Ouse and York became one of the provincial capitals and, after
the Christianization of the empire, the
centre of a
bishopric. It was to remain one of England's most important cities
for the next 1,300 years, although this was a double-edged sword, for it
meant that York would often be caught up in national conflicts.
What happened to York after the departure of the Romans is hazy. Little
evidence of the Anglo-Saxon newcomers has been turned up in York by
archaeologists, as yet. The Roman roads probably helped keep it a
settlement of some importance as the remnants of the Christian
Romano-British society disintegrated. This is suggested by two pieces
of evidence: when Augustine was sent to Britain (601) to begin the
process of restoring orthodox Christianity it was intended that York
be the centre of one of two planned episcopal sees; and when the
king of
Northumbria was converted to Christianity (627) his baptism took
place at York, where a modest wooden church dedicated to St. Peter was
hastily constructed for the purpose – the king initiated a project
to reconstruct it on a larger scale, in stone.
Possibly York's importance in this early period of the Middle Ages was
more as an administrative centre – both religious and secular – than
one of population or trade. This role is reflected in further
rebuilding of the
Minster church in the late seventh century, and again after severe
fire damage in 741. On the other hand, York was also subject to the
political instabilities of the period; during the wars between the
various kingdoms into which the country was divided, York was
captured several times in the seventh century.
By the eighth century the picture is clearing. There is evidence of
an Anglo-Saxon settlement in the Fishergate area, by the River
Foss – perhaps an industrial and trading community serving the
resident administrators – which justified the
"wik" in the Anglo-Saxon name for the town:
Eoforwic.
The Anglo-Saxons may have been deliberately avoiding the area of Roman
habitation on the south-west bank of the Ouse. This shift of the
civilian settlement would help explain why the medieval bridge across
the Ouse was further east than the likely site of the Roman crossing
at the end of Stonegate. In 735 York's bishop acquired archiepiscopal
status and York was beginning to acquire a reputation as a centre of
learning, thanks to a school attached to the church of St. Peter. There
seems to have followed a period of prosperity – yet also one of
complacency for, whereas an eighth-century writer mentions the city
having high walls (presumably the remnants of the Roman fortifications),
the existence of strong walls was denied by a later writer, referring to
events of the 860s, so perhaps the walls had been allowed to fall into
disrepair.
In 866 the Danes, having conquered East Anglia, spread northwards and
captured York, in the following year defeating the Northumbrian forces
that tried to retake it. The Danes subsequently refortified the city
and made it, under the name Jorvik, the
centre
of their northern kingdom; this attracted further Danish settlement
to the area, leading to an economic boom, in part thanks to the energy
of Danish craftsmen and traders and their improved accessed to markets
in northern Europe. Christianization of some of the Danish kings
lessened the impact of this on the city's role in religious
administration, although there appears to have been some disruption
and paganism flourished alongside the Christian church.
The city continued to be a target in the struggle for control of
England. The Viking kingdom of the north faced threats from both from
Wessex and Norsemen from Ireland, the latter succeeding in taking over
York. Athelstan of Wessex took it during his invasion of 927 but was
unable to hold it. Control of Yorkshire swung back and forth until just
after mid-century when Northumbria was united with southern England
into a single kingdom, although earls continued to rule the north from
York. In this unstable environment, the role of York as a centre of
Christian learning declined.
History of
medieval York
