Coppergate Centre multi-storey car park and Clifford’s Tower, from Foss Bridge (2006)

On the previous page, after serious thoughts, and not wanting to ‘close low’ on this series of pages on the Castle Gateway area, I thought that it might be nice to take imaginary flight, picturing perhaps one of the city’s pigeons, so that we didn’t have to concern ourselves with the mundane issue of crossing the busy road of Tower Street.

Flying a short distance we find ourselves at the multi-storey car park attached to the Coppergate Centre. From up there on its higher levels we get a bird’s eye view of the area around it. Ten years ago I took a few photos from up there, and revisited this summer to capture similar views ten years on.

Here’s the first 2007 view, looking over part of Piccadilly:

Piccadilly buildings from the multi-storey car park, July 2007

Note the building in the foreground, with greenery growing from its gutter, a former car showroom apparently. To the left, a little further back, the old Reynard’s Garage (and former Airspeed factory). Also prominent is Ryedale House.

And here we are in 2017:

Piccadilly from the multi-storey car park, August 2017

Ten years on, the building in the foreground looks smart and clean. It’s now known as Piccadilly Lofts. I always liked that building, and it’s pleasing to see that it’s still here alongside the Foss. Also striking, I thought, in the photo above, is how Ryedale House looks better now it’s empty, without the various colours of blinds and curtains at its windows. Though there were plans to convert it to residential accommodation there’s been no progress on that front.

The other major difference is that the Reynard’s/Airspeed building on Piccadilly has been demolished. As previously mentioned, the cleared site is to be home to Spark:York, housed in shipping containers.

The former Reynard’s garage is more prominent in this closer view of Piccadilly, again from summer 2007:

Piccadilly and the entrance to Merchantgate, view from the multi-storey car park, July 2007

And this summer:

Piccadilly from the multi-storey car park, August 2017

In 2017, there’s an open area where the Reynards/Airspeed building used to be, and on the back wall of it a colourful mural is visible.

We’re close to the Foss, and moving to the left, we’re looking out over and along it, upstream. In 2007:

River Foss from the multi-storey car park, July 2007

And 2017:

River Foss view from the multi-storey car park, August 2017

The main difference is the new large St John Central building, student accommodation, in the Hungate development area, closing the view along the riverside towards Peasholme Green/Foss Islands. But the ‘Destructor’ chimney is still a landmark, as is Rowntree Wharf, to the right.

We’ve now moved beyond the ‘Castle Gateway’ area, as it has been defined. Here’s another view from ‘on high’, in 2007, taking in the wider landscape, to the Walmgate/Navigation Road area.

View across the Piccadilly and Walmgate area from the multi-storey car park, July 2007

We’ve moved to the right of where we were before. The building now known as Piccadilly Lofts is in the foreground, with the Foss just below it. Piccadilly is behind it, hidden from view. St Denys’s church on Walmgate is a landmark. There’s a large crane to the left of the church. In the far distance, hills are visible, an open landscape.

So much change, in the ten years since. Summer 2017:

View across the Piccadilly and Walmgate area from the multi-storey car park, August 2017

Student accommodation blocks on the horizon to the left, in the Walmgate/Navigation Road area. Close to St Denys’s church a development of town houses on a back plot behind Walmgate, next to the Spark:York site. Looking at them, with the grey and rather boxy/industrial upper storey, and noticing a similar look to other bits of the skyline around here, I’m wondering why there were so many comments suggesting that the Spark:York shipping containers were going to look horribly out of place in this area.

Here’s a closer view:

Piccadilly and Walmgate area rooftops, August 2017

In 2007 I didn’t take many photos of the views from up here. But on the recent visit the light was wonderful and everything was looking bright and handsome, so I took quite a lot, including, of course, a fair few of Clifford’s Tower.

Clifford’s Tower and its car park, August 2017

Recently there’s been so much focus on the more familiar view of this building, from the street level, from the front and the steps. Interesting to see it from up here. From here it looks a bit odd, that green mound, like the car park was there first and the historic structure has been plonked down on it. It reminded me of a jelly mould. A wider grass ‘apron’ around it might be more elegant and appropriate.

Clifford’s Tower, a less familiar view

And then here, it was like seeing a familiar thing afresh, and I realised that I rarely look at it from this side, or of course from so high up. From up here, looking across to it, it was good to see it framed by the greenery of trees rather than surrounded by tarmac.

Then to move round to another viewing point and see it rising above brick and pantile.

Clifford’s Tower across rooftops

And alongside the standalone iconic structure of Clifford’s Tower I also admired this pleasing streetscape, looking towards Peckitt Street, heading down to the Ouse. Again, the trees enhance it.

View across Tower Street towards Peckitt Street

To finish this page of ‘bird’s eye view’ images, a view of the Foss.

View of the river Foss by Piccadilly, looking towards Castle Mills, Aug 2017

So pleasing, I thought. It’s clear, from up here, that a green corridor has been formed by the Foss and the trees, shrubs and weeds around it, and on its (usually slow-moving) waters. We’re looking downstream, towards Castle Mills, the Foss Basin and the confluence, where we were on the previous pages. On one side of the river we have the Castle car park, stretching almost to the river’s edge, with a bit of walkway, grass and trees at its edge. At the other side, by Ryedale House, there’s the rather scruffy building, with the humped low roof. I’ve always found it rather pleasing.

Looking at this we then have to imagine what the proposed developments might change here. There’s an application to build a hotel (17/00429/FULM) on the site where the single storey building is now. That, of course, will be much taller, five or six storeys. Much loftier and more dominant than what’s there now. And if we lose the Castle car park and get more public space close to Clifford’s Tower we’re likely to get another sizeable building at the river’s edge, as suggested in published plans. So the reflections in the river will change, reflecting buildings, not light and sky so much.

Time to leave this area and focus on other things. There’s a lot to cover, and I’ve been thinking about Holgate. Time to fly off over there.

. . . . .

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Clifford’s Tower and the surrounding area, 1947 (Photo: Britain from Above)

Clifford’s Tower — or rather, the area around it — is back in the news. A council press release announced plans for the ‘Castle Gateway’, to be discussed by council next week, and recent days have seen a flurry of news reports on the plans.

I’ve been looking at older photos and plans. The photo above is from 70 years ago, 1947, just after the war. Note the building work on the area alongside Clifford’s Tower, the piece of land most of us know as the car park.

Earlier pages included some views of the area around Clifford’s Tower in centuries past, including a 19th century illustration of the prison buildings before their demolition in the early part of the 20th century. The photo above shows the beginnings of plans for the site after that. Foundations and a basement for a council building. Still there under the tarmac of the car park, presumably.

In 1937 The Surveyor magazine (Vol 92) reported that York City Council proposed to erect new municipal offices to house the departments of the city engineer, the city treasurer, the Education Committee and the Health Committee.

The 1826 prison was demolished in 1935. York City Council bought the site and planned to build a new municipal building adjacent to the river Foss. An architectural competition was held and a design selected. The final design involved the excavation of a large, stepped, basement. Construction commenced in February 1939.

— York Castle Car Park Archaeological Specification: Evaluation (1991) (Google cache) (or PDF accessed via this link)

A later photo from the same collection shows that the building hadn’t progressed and that more of the area appears to have been given over to parking for cars and buses (though demand was obviously much lower back in 1953):

Clifford’s Tower and the surrounding area, 1953 (Photo: Britain from Above)

It’s clear from the above image that the building site boundary is designed to continue the line of Castlegate, has re-established the old line of the continuation of Castlegate. It’s shown on older maps but was obliterated by the 19th century construction of the prison buildings (see the 1852 map). After the apparent attempts to reinstate it with the planned council building it was then erased again when the whole site was covered over again, becoming mainly car park.

It’s interesting that the more recent plans are still focused on reinstating it, restoring the line.

We see the idea of a civic building on this site reappear in the influential Esher report of the late 1960s (or York: a study in conservation, to give it its proper title). It includes a plan for the area around Clifford’s Tower, with a prominent and large new building on the same site, next to the Foss, with a bit of space between it and Clifford’s Tower:

Extract from Castle area plan, York: a study in conservation (Esher report) (1968)

But not much space. An accompanying sketch from ground level looking towards the Castle Museum shows how the new building might look, with Clifford’s Tower on the right. It rather intrudes into the space, apparently a bit beyond the previous ‘Castlegate line':

Castle area proposal, sketch – York: a study in conservation (Esher report, 1968)

The 1930s idea didn’t progress beyond foundations, and the 1960s vision didn’t materialise, and neither, thankfully, did more recent plans:

1998: Plans for Coppergate II go on show. (Photo: York Press)

The above model has buildings even further over the ‘Castlegate line’, almost climbing up the mound of Clifford’s Tower.

So to now, and a large and generally impressive vision of the ‘Castle Gateway’, recently announced. It takes in a much wider area than just the car park — in fact a similar area to the ‘Castle Area’ the Esher report identified nearly 50 years ago, and going right up to Fossgate. A lot to think about. But for now, for the purposes of this page, let’s focus on the most important part, this same car park site and the 2017 vision for it:

2017: ‘Sketch identifying vision opportunities’ (City of York Council, annex 6 on this list)

Interesting to compare with Esher’s ideas shown on the earlier plan above. That suggested the building of a new road bridge going from Tower Street across the Foss to Piccadilly, to a new car park. Now, almost fifty years on, the car is out of favour in city centres, and the emphasis is on a river crossing for pedestrians and cyclists. There’s also a more sensitive approach to Clifford’s Tower, with no incursion over the ‘Castlegate line’.

The news that the car park might be removed perhaps provoked visions of a large public open space, the grassed area extended, sweeping down from the Clifford’s Tower mound to the edge of the Foss. Not so. That land is just too valuable. A building is envisaged, or as the plan puts it, a ‘new high quality mixed use development opportunity’, rising up from the place where work on foundations and a basement began around 80 years ago.

The name change of the proposed scheme is interesting, from ‘Southern Gateway’ to ‘Castle Gateway’. Much better, a recognition of place, of a particular place. ‘Southern Gateway’ sounded like a proposed extension to an airport near London.

it is proposed that the name be changed to Castle Gateway, a name which is both more descriptive and meaningful to the people of York. It references that this was the historic Castlegate ward, and builds on the geographical association with key cultural assets in the area

— York Castle Gateway report, Jan 2017 (PDF)

Among many background papers available on the council website there’s a document illustrating who owns what, in regard to the various pieces of land in this area near the Castle and the Foss. Steamrock Capital, apparently a fairly new company, now owns several buildings in this area. For this ambitious scheme to be realised many different parties will have to work together.

These plans are interesting, exciting even. And it does seem that there’s a sudden flurry of activity on this, after various proposals previously, and all the years of everyone knowing that the car park next to Clifford’s Tower was really a bit rubbish, and needed something doing with it. Presumably it has been given greater urgency by the controversial plan to add a visitor centre to Clifford’s Tower, which has been so controversial that it’s led to a successful crowdfunding campaign to pay for the process of starting a judicial review.

The Castle Gateway scheme will be discussed at the Local Plan Working Group meeting on 23 January and at the Executive meeting on 26 January.

Also to be discussed at the same Executive meeting is the transfer of a piece of land to enable English Heritage to build the Clifford’s Tower visitor centre (see item 7 on this link). But perhaps the grand vision for the Castle Gateway scheme will result in its shifting round to the car park side instead? Many people hope so.

. . . . . .

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Clifford’s Tower, from Bing maps

I was intending to write for this site on a ‘once a week’ basis, but as every week seems to be bringing more than one thing of interest, and many things requiring more pondering, more frequent additions sometimes seem appropriate.

So we’re back at Clifford’s Tower.

And, specifically, studying that image at the top of the page, a ‘bird’s eye’ view from Bing maps. Obviously not a familiar view of the site unless you have the power of flight and permission to fly low over Clifford’s Tower.

It is rather striking, isn’t it.

It illustrates very clearly just how dominant that car park is, on one side. So dominant that it seems to cut in to what looks like it should be a green grassed area matching the other side. It’s unbalanced.

On the left is a flat grassed area around the mound, giving breathing space and a suitably respectful setting for this important monument. To the right, the tarmac extends right up to the base, with no ‘apron’ of grass. It looks really crass and intrusive. Obviously as many parking spaces as possible were fitted in when the land became a car park.

A story in the Press earlier this week picked up on comments made by city archaeologist John Oxley, on Facebook, regarding the car park. It also came up in a discussion on Twitter the same evening. It’s widely accepted that the car park looks rubbish and completely spoils the setting of the tower.

As I’ve said before, personally I’m not upset by the current proposals for the English Heritage visitor centre, but also wonder whether it would be at all possible to put the visitor centre on the car park side instead, where it wouldn’t spoil a view many people are fond of. And if it’s not possible, is that just because of land ownership issues and the income City of York Council gets from the car park? (The answer may be somewhere in the planning application documents, but I’m not going to attempt to go ploughing through them all again.)

According to a recent Press report, ‘council executive will be asked later this month to approve of the sale of a small area of land to English Heritage, to allow the building to be constructed.’ It does beg the question, if one bit around one side can be sold, why not a bit of the car park, round the other side? Why can’t City of York Council release just part of the car park land, enough to put some green ‘breathing space’ to the right of the mound to match the amount of space on the left? And enough to erect the proposed visitor centre?

But every plan will upset someone. Comments on the Press story on John Oxley’s comments revealed that the car park has quite a few fans and supporters. Perhaps the next campaign will be to ‘Save the Clifford’s Tower Car Park’ …

Anyway, I’ll leave you with another photo borrowed from the city archives, in which some former residents of the city stand by the huge walls that once stood on the site, helpfully giving a sense of scale.

(c) City of York Council (York Explore, images collection)

I hope the awareness is spreading that our ‘iconic views’ around this side have only been that way since after the mid-1930s when these walls were pulled down.

So many people now treasure the view from Tower Street, radically changed from how the area looked when the photo above was taken. Which suggests that the city authorities did a good job back in the 20th century in the landscaping of the site once these walls were gone — on this side at least. Perhaps the 21st century should try to match that, with a sensitive approach on the other side, removing some of the car park tarmac.

Meanwhile, word reaches me about a plan for nearby Piccadilly … something about shipping containers. Must go and read more about that.

More information

The report on the ‘Southern Gateway’ plans for the area referred to in the Press articles linked to in the text above can be found here (PDF) (report dated 29 Oct 2015).

Connected with the above, a site map showing ownership of the parcels of land making up the ‘Southern Gateway’ area is buried in the middle of a very long document (p217?), and may be of interest: PDF on this link.

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Clifford’s Tower in the late 19th century. It hasn’t always looked like it does now . (Photo: © City of York Council)

Last week, just before the meeting to decide the issue,  I wrote about the plans for Clifford’s Tower. On Thursday I watched the webcast of the council meeting and in the evening wrote a bit about that.

Since then, it’s ‘kicked off’, as they say. There’s a petition, a protest planned for the weekend, a lot of social media activity, reports in local media, and York Central MP Rachael Maskell has become involved. There’s a sudden outpouring of anger and outrage, and words like ‘desecration’ and ‘vandalism’ flying around.

Some of the coverage has been interesting and enlightening, so I thought I’d link to interesting and enlightening things I’ve been reading and watching/listening to, on this subject.

David Dunning at Minster FM has produced short videos (1-3 minutes), presenting the views of campaigners and talking to Cllr Ann Reid.

A recent BBC Radio York interview with Rachael Maskell (MP) (3 mins approx) is also worth a listen.

As is an interview with Jeremy Ashbee from English Heritage, from 28 Oct, explaining why the changes are thought to be necessary, and the process involved in getting to where we are now. It’s at about 9 mins 52 on this link. Part of Jonathan Cowap’s programme, followed by calls from listeners on this subject.

The planned changes have featured in construction/architectural publications. Always interesting to get the wider perspective alongside the purely local angle. ‘Hugh Broughton gets the OK for Clifford’s Tower overhaul‘, reports the Architects’ Journal. ‘Anger as English Heritage plans for York landmark approved‘ is the headline in bdonline.co.uk. (You may need to register (free) to read these.)

These plans may have suddenly come to public attention but they are of course the result of several years of work. Residents’ views were requested earlier this year in a well-publicised consultation covered by local media. In January Stephen Lewis at the Press wrote an in-depth article with the attention-grabbing headline Make sure you have your say on the £2 million visitor centre proposals for Clifford’s Tower.

This and other publicity resulted in what sounded like a good response to the public consultation, as reported in the Press: Model unveiled of proposed visitor centre for city monument. A lot of support, apparently, back then, or certainly quite a bit of interest.

The comments on the articles in the Press seem to have been largely negative from back then, and at least one person was worried enough to want to start a petition at petition.parliament.uk, in January.

A lot more interest now, when it’s a bit too late. Or is it?

A lot more could be said, and no doubt will be. Perhaps on here even. I have something drafted, in a burst of enthusiasm/exasperation, but I think it might need some rephrasing. Enough inflammatory language out there already, methinks.

Big question …

A question … does anyone out there like it? Anyone excited about the proposed changes, or at least perhaps open-minded about them, interested in them? If you’re not appalled, disgusted, outraged, please add a comment.

More information

There’s a lot of interest in the site, but it’s a site with a long and complex history, which perhaps isn’t fully appreciated. Particularly interesting, and a recommended read:  Introduction to York Castle Project. Understanding Clifford’s Tower & 1190 in Variety of Contexts, from History Works.

Among the documents provided in support of the recent planning application, the Design and Access Statement (part 3) is recommended, for an insight into the other possible sites for the visitor centre, and its appearance, and how that has been developed/altered. It’s on this list, or may be directly accessible here as a PDF.

@sosyorkicon on Twitter has details of the protest this weekend.

On this site, you may also be interested in other pages tagged Clifford’s Tower.

The post Clifford’s Tower: update appeared first on York Stories.

The plans for Clifford’s Tower were approved at today’s council meeting, one of many planning applications in a long meeting with a lengthy agenda.

Once again, the way it has been reported in the Press makes it look like the meeting was bad-tempered and argumentative, with ‘stinging criticism’.

I watched it and found it to be good-tempered, civilised, and with intelligent and thoughtful discussion.

Judge for yourselves, if you’ve got time to watch/listen to the discussion on this item, starting at 1hr 23 mins 21 secs.

It’s particularly interesting to hear what the representative from English Heritage has to say.

A few points from the discussion:

— these plans are the product of a long process, which has carefully examined all options

— there was a public consultation

— there was recognition that this isn’t the first ‘remodeling’ of the tower and the area around it

— funding currently available for this project won’t be available in future years

The discussion wasn’t entirely serious all the way through. Cllr Janet Looker suggested she’d love a glass pyramid design for the visitor centre …

Two contributors felt that they were speaking for the residents of York, who, they felt, were in the main horrified at the proposed changes. I don’t get that impression, apart from vociferous comments under the Press articles, including that one above. How representative of wider public opinion are those comments? We don’t know. But I realise, over time, more and more, that it’s perhaps not wise for any of us to claim to know what ‘the people of York’ think, on this or anything else. The louder/angrier/more confident voices don’t necessarily represent the majority.

At another point in the meeting came the very valid observation that the number of objections was really quite low, considering the importance of the site. Suggesting perhaps that most people don’t feel strongly about it. Certainly I haven’t sensed a huge amount of interest on Twitter, or in reaction to this week’s page on the subject.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, and not for the first time, that I hope the number of people watching the webcasts of these meetings is growing. It’s a good way to get an insight into how the planning process works at this stage of the proceedings. It’s also reassuring to see how much discussion takes place before controversial decisions are made. It might also result in more respect for the hard work of councillors attending the meetings — this meeting seems to have gone on for four hours.

Having listened carefully to the thoughts and opinions of people doing their best to do the right thing and make the right decisions — a generally positive experience, as it usually is — I then read the first 10 or so comments on the Press article … which had the opposite effect. Like two separate worlds, essentially. Will that ever change, I wonder.

. . . . .

After a period of thought, readjustment to changing priorities, the need to do more work on other projects, and a feeling that online work isn’t as interesting or rewarding as it used to be, I’m now aiming to add something just once a week to this website, so the next page is due to be added sometime next week. Please sign up to the mailing list if you’d like a notification of updates.

The post Planning meeting: perspectives appeared first on York Stories.

The council’s planning committee is about to decide, at a meeting on 27 October (details here), whether to approve a rather controversial planning application for changes to Clifford’s Tower. The Press reported recently some of the concerns about the plans, which have gathered many objections:

16/01642/FUL | Erection of visitor centre at base of motte, cafe unit on roof deck, installation of new staircase, tower floor, walkways balustrading, roof-deck and restoration works | Cliffords Tower Tower Street York YO1 9SA

A press report can’t really cover the depth and complexity of a planning application for a sensitive site like this, and neither can I. But I wanted to make a few points, after reading some of the reports and other documents available on that link above. The committee report in particular is worth a read, as it summarises the important points and the responses. It’s included in the list on that link above, or try this link (PDF).

I’ve had a read of (some of) the available documents, and a few things in particular stood out as worthy of comment/note/query …

It’s about the money, money/funding

The committee report puts it into context. I’ve emphasised what appears to be the most important sentence:

In April 2015 English Heritage separated into two separate bodies (English Heritage and Historic England). The new charity, retaining the original name “English Heritage” is responsible for looking after the national heritage collection of monuments and sites, of which Clifford’s Tower is one of the most visited heritage assets. All assets are expected to be self funding by 2022/23 when “Grant in Aid” from the government will cease.

This seems to be a crucial point, doesn’t it. There’s apparently a need to get repairs and enhancements done before the current funding arrangements stop. And to enable English Heritage to make more money in the future from this ‘heritage asset’.

Outside and inside

How many of us York residents regularly visit Clifford’s Tower, I wonder, in terms of paying to go inside. How many of us have never visited?

Most of us appreciate the building from street level, down below, looking up. Which is presumably why the visitor centre proposed for street level is seen as the most objectionable part of the plans.

I’ve been trying to recall if I’ve ever been inside. If I have, it was many years ago and I don’t remember it. Perhaps, like many other visitors, I found it ‘underwhelming’.

‘Quite disappointing’

Clifford’s Tower may be much-visited, historically important, and ‘iconic’, but many visitors, once they get inside, really aren’t impressed. This is highlighted in the planning documents, where the word ‘underwhelming’ occurs a few times, and is clear from many of the online reviews at Trip Advisor. Comments include these, from summer 2013:

Although I am aware some English Heritage sites do not contain much this one was quite disappointing.

EH fail to make the most of this striking property. The children were very keen to climb the steps and go in but once inside there is very little information about its history, and what there is, is badly presented.

There is nothing in it apart from the view from the top!

It means many things, this structure, this place, and is rich in complex histories. The current presentation and ‘visitor experience’ is perhaps not conveying this adequately. Hence the desire to add more to the inside and add a visitor centre outside. To make more of what’s there and help visitors understand and appreciate it. Is that so bad?

The proposals are summarised by CYC conservation architect Janine Riley:

The current project at Clifford’s Tower represents a significant “one-off” investment by Central Government (on behalf of the Nation) to sustain the monument into the future by improving its physical condition and by carrying out works to enable better understanding and appreciation of its exceptional cultural value. These works include:
1) Conservation and repair of the tower
2) Introduction of a new structure within the tower surmounted by a deck at the approximate level of the wall walk – to enable better access to existing features and views.
3) A new entrance building and visitor centre at the base of the motte – principally to improve interpretation and revenue, but also to relieve the building of later ad-hoc interventions and improve staff facilities

(Source (PDF) or see ‘Conservation architect’ in this list)

Not the first changes

This site, Clifford’s Tower and its surroundings, has already been altered over time, as I’m sure many residents with an interest in local history know. The layout of the area immediately around the tower as we see it now dates from the 20th century, when prison buildings and walls were cleared.

Clifford’s Tower itself has been on that mound for centuries, but hasn’t always been treated with the kind of respect it now commands. Thanks to the excellent online collection provided by York Museums Trust we can get some idea of how it looked in centuries past. (All the following images are courtesy of York Museums Trust http://yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/, Public Domain).

It’s not possible to cover the entire history of Clifford’s Tower on this page, so let’s just focus on the last couple of centuries. It was, for a time, in someone’s garden, a rather impressive garden folly presumably only accessible to the landowner’s family and friends.

‘Clifford’s Tower and Samuel Waud’s House”, 1720s-1730s (Source)

This depiction appears to show a track winding around the mound, allowing a gentle, slow and elegant ascent. The kind of thing that might be helpful now in terms of increasing accessibility for wheelchair users. But unlikely to happen, as we now cherish the current appearance and the daffodils planted in the grass.

Trees grew up around it, and are also shown growing inside it, in this depiction, with a picnic in progress.

‘Interior of Clifford’s Tower, York’ (1820s. Source)

Pictured here it’s all rather wild and wooded, with its mound covered in trees.

‘Clifford’s Tower and Castlegate Postern’, 1820s-30s (Source)

A prison was built here in the early 19th century, on what is now the car park area, on the right of this image.

‘The Castle Yard’ (Francis Bedford, 19th century. Source)

Note the wall erected at the bottom of the mound, cutting in to it. In about the same place as English Heritage want to put their controversial visitor centre, almost 200 years later.

The new visitor centre will apparently include part of this wall, revealed, as it’s still there, under the mound reconstructed on top of it in the 20th century.

After the demolition of the prison and its walls the site was tidied and turned into a visitor attraction, and has been attracting visitors ever since.

Shape and setting

So, let’s get back to the 21st century. Here’s a photo taken on one of my walks, in the early morning, some years back. Blue sky visible through the openings near the top of this open-to-the-sky structure.

Clifford’s Tower, summer morning, 2006

And again yesterday afternoon, with the light round the other side and the tower in silhouette.

Clifford’s Tower from the car park, 25 Oct 2016, late afternoon

The plans include the insertion of decking type structures inside, to increase the floorspace/viewing platforms. I guess these will change that silhouette shown in the photos above.

The photo above also of course demonstrates that although the tower looks mighty impressive from some angles it basically rises up above a car park on this side. Getting rid of that would improve the area more than any of the present plans would, but it seems unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future, presumably because car parks bring in income for the council, and because, as we’ve seen with the current plan, any changes in this area are complicated, controversial, and costly.

Forever changes

Changes are happening all over the city, have been for years, have always been part of it. What looks like improvement to some feels like a loss to others.

For example, ‘the tunnel’ in the Museum Gardens, the remains of St Leonard’s hospital, just inside the entrance. It was atmospheric, intriguing, full of sarcophagi against the walls, full of meaning and clearly historic, but with no explanation. Now it has been cleared of the sarcophagi and basically serves as an exhibition space for information boards on the history of the site. The ideas behind its ‘improvement’ were no doubt well-meant, but, in my eyes, they made the place soulless and removed its charm and mystery.

Just as all other visitor attractions and heritage assets have been updated, so I guess Clifford’s Tower will be in some way in the near future, whether or not the current plans are approved. The remodeling work of the first half of the 20th century left us with a nice tidy mound and a car park next to it. English Heritage want to make more of Clifford’s Tower, and presumably make more from it too, in terms of higher entrance fees once the improvements/changes have taken place.

I’d prefer it to remain as it is, personally. Any ‘improvements’ for visitors won’t improve it for me. But we’ll adjust to any changes, in time. So many changes all around, already, and always. Generally well-intentioned, as becomes clear if you read the planning documents and see how much work goes into a planning application for a sensitive site such as this. In this case it included a public consultation where we were all encouraged to comment.

I realise I’d probably get more of a positive reaction from readers if I joined in with the condemnation of the planned changes. But it seemed more important to look for the context and to think about the history of the site.

The package of proposals being put forward in this planning application … is designed to greatly enhance the visitor experience, by enabling better physical and intellectual access to the monument, and by capitalizing on its elevated position to improve interpretation, understanding and enjoyment of the place and its histories.

— Janine Riley, CYC. Source (PDF)

More information, & update

The planning committee meeting will be available to view from 4.30pm on www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

The meeting agenda is on this link.

The relevant planning application documents (16/01642/FUL) are available on this link.

Update: the plans were approved. For any updates see all pages tagged Clifford’s Tower.

Footnote …

It’s not just English Heritage hoping to make more income from their assets. Adverts may follow, which lead you to Amazon.co.uk and, if you buy anything via my links (like that one), it brings this underpaid writer/photographer/website administrator a few pence in advertising fees, via Amazon Associates. Buy enough and I might even be able to afford the entrance fee to Clifford’s Tower.

And this is probably a good time to mention … here’s one I wrote earlier, under the pen name Lisa North. Ebook available from amazon.co.uk, with a bit more on the earlier history of Clifford’s Tower, and many other familiar and not so familiar buildings in York. (More reviews here.)

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