Dippling along the street of fishes in Jorvik

Dippling along the street of fishes in Jorvik Half term in York can be a little claustrophobic so a chance to have an afternoon crawl with podcast mate Bruce a full time Yorkite, got us thinking about exploring some of the less trodden parts of York – having been drinking in York since around 1983 it is hard to believe that there are still one or two boozers that neither of us have stepped into or at least haven’t visited for a vey long while so we agreed to focus on Fisher Gate – south east of the city centre and one of the forgotten bars/gates of York. A bit of Whats app toing and froing and we had agreed a plan which would introduce me to a number of new pubs – less so for Bruce – we were also planning to take both our sons on their first proper York crawl. York’s famous medieval walls are punctuated by four main gatehouses, or 'bars', Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar and

Micklegate Bar below). These restricted traffic in medieval times, and were used to extract tolls, as well as being defensive positions in times of war. There were another six postern or secondary gates, two survive Victoria Bar and Fishergate Bar. These are much less ornate, with out the bastions of the main bars and neither have vehicular access through them unlike the main bars, making then quite pleasant to walk through and linger a while to take in the heritage – though look out for the push bikes.

The Fisher Gate

Fisher Gate dates back till at least 1315, also known as Georges Bar, possibly liked to the nearby St Georges field (now large car park) and St Georges Catholic Church. Fischer Gate began life as a Roman road that led south from Eboracum, during the Viking era when Eboracum became Jorvik the road became known as "Fiscergate", the street of the fishers. It is in this art of York that the rivers Ouse and Foss came together and the area was the city's major manufacturing and trading centre. Historically the road leading to Selby the bar was actually walled up in1489 as punishment for the locals who had rioted in response to a proposed rise in taxes. It was thankfully reopened in 1827 and thankfully missed survived the construction the inner ring road in the 1970s. which also left it car locked and a pedestrian gate. Beer connoisseurs may well know it as one of York’s finest beery gems, The Phoenix sits next to the city side of the Bar, this pub has quelled the thirst of folk for centuries especially the workers of the now long gone, Phoenix Iron Foundry and cattle market (closed in 1837) though at this time the pub was aptly named the Labour in Vain Interestingly, this part of York is politically very green – the ward has been held by the Green party since 2003. 

Taking a moment at York Station

So a quick train from the parents abode in Malton to arrive at a busy York station just before noon – Bruce was keen to show one of his favourite haunts in the south of the city tucked away mid terrace in Fulford . 

Enroute to the Welly

The Wellington or Welly is one of the many Sam Smiths pus in the city and thankfully one that has remained open – though it did close for a time in 2020. Listed as a CAMRA heritage pub whose description states It is the oldest purpose-built York pub to survive so unaltered. Left of the central flag-stoned corridor (which dog-legs round the staircase) is the quarry-tiled public bar. To the right are two small lounges, both served from the servery doorway across the corridor and both retaining their fitted seating and bell-pushes. The only major changes have been the creation of the large rectangular opening to the servery and the associated modern counter in the 1980s. One of the first statutory listings arising from a CAMRA/English Heritage pilot study in 1994.

A couple of really good guides to York Pubs, the first written by Paul Crystal – Pubs in and around York, Destin World publishing, gives a nice summary of the pubs history and its Crimean War links to the next pub on our itinerary – The other is The Directory of York Pub 1455-2003 written by the late and great Hugh Murray – a bit of an expert on all thinks York particularly Pubs and beer – I spent a number of very enjoyable hours in York central Library, reading through his multitude of papers and photographs that are held in the Library archives. Originally Lawson’s beer house – not surprising with its position in a mid terrace row, It was named the Wellington from around 1881 but then re-named the Sir Colin Campbell, Campbell was an officer who fought in the Crimean at the battle of Alma – The name of the Street the pub sits on. 

The pub was bought by Samuel Smiths Brewery in 1887, who promptly changed the name back to The Wellington. A grade II listed building with a bar and 2 parlour rooms all with open fires – Alma Terrace can be accessed by a very nice walk along the river from the city centre it does feel like you are stepping back a century or so – we arrived bang on Noon as the very welcoming landlady pulled back the bolt on the front door and in we went. I’ve fallen out with love with OBB so feeling adventurous went for a pint of XXXX best which is their updated version of what use to be their Light Mild – not a bad Kick off beer at 3.4% (Dark mild still there) The Welly hold a quiz on a Thursday which is very popular – be warned this is a pub that takes Humphrey’s rules and regulations very seriously with numerous posters on the front door and walls reminding you that this is digital free pub, so no phones out and no swearing. 

The bottom of Alma Terrace opens on to a very nice river walk though we would have
been under water the week before

Our next venue, was another new one for me, is situated back down Fulford Road towards the city is the rather elegant, The Light Horseman – Mr Chrystal in his York Pub book, claims this is the only pub in the world with this name. 

Bruce schooling my son n heir on the finer points of pub architecture 

The pub has had close links with the nearby Imphal barracks which over the years as home to a number of cavalry regiments and was used as the officers mess for some time. The current building was built as a purpose built pub in the 1870’s, though there was an earlier pub of that name on the site built sometime after the cavalry Barracks were built in 1796. An impressive white building with a very ornate bar in the main front room, if you visit look out for the Light horseman lantern. 

One of three Thwaites’ tied houses in York, on entering the cask offer looked promising with three pumps adorned with forward facing pump clips – however only one was on Thwaites IPA and unfortunately no Thwaites Gold or Bradfield Farmers Blonde – no reason given but having cheeked a few reviews this seems to be a regular occurrence – only one Beer IPA on offer. 

 

Thwaites are still based in the Star Brewery in Blackburn though this is no focuses on Crafty Dan Craft brewing, and there appears to have been a strategic move towards a pub hotel and spa business, thwaites core beers began to be contracted out to Marston’s who also bought the top two (Wainwright's and Lancaster Bomber) and the bulk of Thwaites' beer business in March 2015 for £25.1m. Marston’s will continue to supply Thwaites pubs with beer under a long-term contract. Bomber was originally a Mitchell’s of Lancaster brew – Thwaites buying the Mitchell’s brewery out in 1999. Thwaites now own 270 tied houses, as well as a number of hotels and Spa complexes run under the Daniel Thwaite Brand. Wainwright labelled as ‘A Lake District original’ is now brewed by Marston’s in Wolverhampton – it was first brewed in as part of the brewery’s 200 year anniversary celebrations, named after Lakes author Alfred wainwright, who was born and bred in Blackburn, it was a Silver Award winner in 2019 and is now marketed by Carlsberg Marston’s as Modern Cask and is CMBC’s best selling cask ale, the Morning advertiser ranks it 7th in the best selling cask beers worth around £26 million a year. However as we know CMBC have some form in taken over regional breweries and iconic beers and murdering them – Jennings, Ringwood, Wychwood so watch this space.

  

Further along Fulford Road is another prominent white building the Edinborugh Arms which was a new pub for all of us – it’s a little ‘landlocked’ in a loop of the inner ring road (its just round the corner from the Sea Horse (another time stopped Sam Smiths house). 

Having had a chequered history of late, local press had painted a positive picture following a recent take over and refurb, though omens were not great as What Pub did report that no real ale is currently available, though press stories had mentioned the newly open pub would have a beer focus – to be honest we walked in to find a large screen showing football with volume well up – a bar full of macro lagers but not a hand pump in sight so we turned tail and went to seek sanctuary in the Phoenix passing through the fisher gate Bar. 

The Phoenix, a must visit pub when in York – never fails to please specially when it is on the quiet side and you can get in the front room and enjoy the real fire, to enjoy fine ales and a very fine pork pie. As always a fine array of ales confronted us – I went for a pint of a new collaboration beer between Keighley’s Goose Eye Brewery and the omni present Ossett – Pretty fly for a goose eye, a very refreshing golden pale at 3.8%, unfortunately neither brewery website explains the name, though the Ossett ones does explain this is a rebrew having first been done in 2022 on Goose Eye kit this 2024 version has been rebrewed at Osset this time round.

Off the Phoenix never fails to please - another fine array of Yorky beers 

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Is there a finer sight in Yorkshire? - Pint, Pie & Fire in The Phoenix 

It was time to head round the corner past York’s Barbican arena and to Walmgate and Lawrence street

junction where handily three pubs jostle within about 100 yards of each other – our plan had been to start at the Rook and Gaskill another long standing beery legend in York Its been a while since I’ve been in the Rook and currently working on a tome about York brewing I was keen to check in to see if Non Beards Brewing was still based at the pub as they seem to have left the virtual world. Unfortunately, we had our timings wrong and the pub doesn’t open now till 4 pm, so it was a quick jog across the road to the Rose and Crown – which looked like it had all the R and G punters in as it was fairly rammed for a Saturday lunchtime and we had to seek ‘seatage’ in the restaurant room.

 A former Tetley house, now run by Punch it appears to attract a nice mix of locals and tourists/foodies and drinkers and we were surprised by the beer choice – including two from local brewer Ainsty – I went for their Flummoxed Farmer listed as a Blonde/Golden Ale – Salt Jute, Saltaire blonde, Ainsty Angel and a Vault sour were also on offer. 

There’s a nice choice of seating areas in this pub including a very nice outdoor area at the rear. Unlike the other two neighbours this pub is not listed in the GBG, but is just as good and well worth the visit - interesting food menu. 

One door down, is the Waggon and Horses, a bit of an outlier in York as a Bateman’s of Lincolnshire tied pub and their northern most outlet. A former coaching house on what was the on the road from the coast – Walmgate was the site of York’s medieval fish market. 

Batemans have an estate of 69 pubs, with an astonishing 23 in their homish town of Boston, the actual brewery – Salem Bridge Brewery is actually in Wainfleet All Saints, which is roughly half way between Boston and Skegness – we once took a very long drive for Brother’s birthday to visit the brewery which do brewery tours and have a small visitor centre and bar – I can remember our particular visited was plagued by hyperactive wasps which must have been dipping in the XXXB. – it is quite a picturesque brewery with what looks like a windmill (quite common in these parts) that acts as the brewing tower – I seem to recall being able to sit in the bottom of this with the sipping the tour samples. Still a family (4th generation) run business, very much a traditional cask focussed brewery with their iconic XB and XXXB beers – They have recently developed a small parallel craft brewery – the Salem Brew Co which focus on small batch production of what they phrase innovative beers – these seem to be mainly Keg and small pack Skull and Hammers American Pale (5.5%) and Beast from the East Golden (6%) being recent productions 

 The X’s were a way of measuring and promoting the strength of beers in the 19th century. A single X, stood for the Latin word simplex or single XX duplex/double strength and XXX triplex or triple strength beers Modern XB is 3.7% ABV with Triple (XXB) –at 4.8% ABV 

We managed to bag a nice seat in the front window – our fellow drinkers included a couple of locals and a bunch of very young looking Army officers, York retains quite a few large army barracks, The Royal Yorkshire Regiment, Medical Brigade and Reserve Signal Regiments have their bases in York A pub of this name was first recorded in 1795, the current building is Grade II listed, formerly a coaching inn like the Rose and Crown retaining is coach arch – its still offer 6 bedrooms . Its What Pub description starts ‘run by a landlord who loves his real ale – hence the impressive beer board. 

The W & H impressive beer Board 

On leaving the Waggon we head back towards the town centre passing through the walls via the East bar – Walmgate – this street is another where you could do a day long pub crawl starting with Bar 88 at the East end and ending up at the Foss Gate Tap at the far end – passing at least 9 other drinking venues – our target was Brew York which is about half way down Walmgate – we were initially held in the yard by a flustered bouncer/security guard who said they were at capacity and could cope with any more large groups – thankfully this was mainly aimed at the mob that had followed us into the yard and once they had gone he was happy to let the four of us in – to be honest the bars (up and down) were accessible and whilst indoor seating was pretty much fully occupied – thankfully we know of the little hidden outdoor seating spot at the very back of the beer hall, overlooking the River Foss and we managed to get a large table to ourselves – as usual they were  far too many beers on the beer list to choose.- around 20 ! 

Passing the once magnificent Spread Eagle on Walmgate- sadly no longer with us 

Racing the hordes to Brew York's Beer Hall 

All calm in here 

I looked for something new and settled for a pint of Clever Gyle new England Pale ale (this is their second version with strata and mouteka which give a lime like bite,(the beer is apparently named after a line from Jurassic Park ) and a half of Buck, their American Brown Ale both enjoyable. 

If you know - you know - Brew York's secret rear beer garden by the River Foss 

Our York hosts Bruce and Ben had evening engagements so we parted company, son and I headed back to the Railway station with just time for a quick half in the York Tap which is handily right next to the platform the York to Malton trains sit on, I unfortunately didn’t record my choice of ale and cant make out from the photo though it looks good! 

The view from York Tap - handy conveniences 

All in all a very pleasant afternoon in York and it was great to se a number of pubs a little away from the tourist hotspots still doing well and offering a very broad range of great beers – we had know duff pints and paid on average about £4:00 a pint. Alongside the Phoenix, if you are venturing to York, especially, on a busy day and fancy seeking pubs with good ale and somewhere to sit then heading to Lawrence Street and the Rose and Crown, Waggon and after 4pm, the Rook and Gaskill would be strongly recommended.