This quiet corner of York city centre is seen here from the city walls. It is an area that was transformed in the 1980s, with the restoration of older buildings and the construction of new buildings in styles to complement the older properties.
Traffic was drastically reduced by the introduction of bollards part way along the road, preventing the road being used for through traffic but still allowing access for residents.
It is a lovely quiet way to walk into the city centre from the east.
It wasn't always such a pleasant place. A major report on the future of York city centre was produced in the 1960s - the Esher Report - and it said of this area 'The most decrepit thoroughfare in central York, but not entirely a lost cause. The former St Andrew's Church, secularised after the Reformation and much patched, is still a pivotal feature. To the S the frontages are largely cleared, but there remains one distinctive 18th c. pedimented town house (built and occupied by the architect T Atkinson), now a warehouse. The middle and northern parts of the street still have some Georgian and early Victorian cottages capable of improvement, enhanced by the street's gentle wavering.'
Thank you all for your lovely comments - I'm pleased that you like this view from our city walls.
Ian