Founded as a garrison town by the Romans, taken over by the Anglo-Saxons then captured by the Vikings, York’s early history was a mixture of turbulence and prosperity. Local uprisings against Norman invaders led to the building of York Castle but during the Middle Ages the city become a wealthy centre for the North of England. Despite the prosperity that continued through later centuries, crime and deprivation were constant presences in the city. Many criminals ended up in Clifford’s Tower and a debtors’ prison and women’s prison were built in the castle grounds in the eighteenth century. Highwayman Dick Turpin was tried and executed in York, the notorious Guy Fawkes was a native of the city and York Assizes held numerous witchcraft trials.In A Dark History of York author Stephen Wade delves into the often lesser known but darker stories from York’s past. This fascinating insight into York will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the city’s remarkable history.
