Secret York: An Unusual Guide (Secret Guides)

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York is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Britain. This era was York’s apogee, its wealth and status reflected in the built environment, so much of which survives today. The city had always been an important ecclesiastical and trading centre, but it benefited significantly from the burgeoning textile and wool trade, and royal patronage. The latter came largely a result of York’s status as an Archbishopric and its strategic role as a base for English forays into Scotland. Prosperity was further reinforced by the establishment of a Jewish community. Shyam Lakhani from The Bottle Club said; “In a world dominated by social media stories and online advertising, many are drawn to the idea of exclusivity. The venue opened on May 12 - 10 years on from the death of her sister, Cerys, who lost her battle with cancer, aged 36, leaving behind two children. That’s exactly what artist Walter De Maria did in 1977 in a random room of a New York Soho loft, which not only made this NYC hidden gem an enigmatic art but also somewhat iconic. Initially, the Earth Room with a 22-inch-deep layer of soil was supposed to be temporary, but following its success, the art piece became permanent.

What could be more York-like than having the remains of a Roman bathhouse underneath a pub?! The Roman Baths is a pub on the busy St. Sampson’s Square, but underground are the remains of the bathhouse where Roman soldiers went to blow off some steam. While the museum is quite small, there’s lots of information about the life of Roman soldiers living in Eboracum (as York was known). Reward yourself from a pint at the bar after taking in all the history! Take a journey down to 520 Madison Avenue to see this one above (which is very similar to these parts of the wall in the East Side Gallery in Berlin). Built on Roosevelt Island, this abandoned smallpox hospital has been left untouched since its last inhabitants left. This little spothas become a really cool little place to surprise a loved one with a surpriseproposal. 💍 2.)TouchThe Berlin Wall Just outside the Museum Gardens is St. Olave’s Church, home to my favorite door in York! This pretty little church was first mentioned in 1055, rebuilt in the 1400s, and underwent substantial repairs in the early 1700s. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Norway, St. Olaf—and this church was the first known church dedication to the saint anywhere in the world. It’s definitely one of York’s hidden gems.

Cholera broke out in the city of York in 1832, and at least 185 people died of the disease. There is a small burial ground, which is located just across the street from York’s train station and the Principal Hotel. A lot of people don’t notice this hidden gem on their way to or from the station. But there are about 20 gravestones left here. The late c. 15th saw York’s fortunes reversed. Yorkist king Richard III was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth Field by the House of Lancaster’s Henry Tudor, marking the end of the War of the Roses. York’s textile industry declined in the face of competition from West Yorkshire towns. The city became ruinous and depopulated. Worse was to come following the collapse of York’s great religious houses during the Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries, followed by Catholic strife and then civil war…

In 1980, Otto Penzler, a German-born American editor and publisher of mystery fiction, realized that his collection of first edition novels had gotten a little out of hand. He needed a space for his 60,000 – and growing – collection of books. The necessity gave way to what is now the oldest and biggest bookstore, with fun touches of dramatics – the door leading to Penzler’s office is marked by police tape. For a true lover of mystery and crime fiction, this is truly one of the best-hidden treasures of NYC. The Very Hush Hush – Tunnels Beneath Columbia University If like many you're not totally sure what yoga is good for, and also can't remember what or when the summer solstice is, there is a peculiar event for your convenience. For the last dozen years on June 21, the spandexed masses have gathered to practice their usually private and inward-looking exercises in the honky, sultry, dirty, neoned jukebox of Mammon that is Times Square. The tradition started with just a handful of inspired devotees who glimpsed, among the heaving tourists, a hint of the eternal sublime: there is a flood of unharnessed forces in that place. Why not use it? A brilliant new guidebook to New York unearths 'insider experiences' from Brooklyn to the Bronx, all so unusual that even most locals won't know about them. Laura Fowler delves in for a preview. When you think of New York, Central Park will be one of the first things that comes to mind. It is, undisputedly, one of the most popular places in NYC and one of the must-visit spots. Why is it on our list, you might wonder? Central Park is ginormous, so much so that a large number of hidden treasures are found within, including Ramble cave.Old City Hall Subway Stationis one of the prettiest subway stations in New York. Closed in the early 20th Century, the stained glass window and beautiful arches is a remnant of historic New York. Calling all mystery lovers. Columbia University is so much more than a place for learning and pomp. The famous university has a series of mysterious tunnels running beneath its buildings that are surrounded by stories of horror and crime. Providing what the consumer craves through secrecy and rarity, the ‘speakeasy’ drives our deepest desire to uncover the mystery, discover the story for ourselves and be part of a premium experience, all at once.” This can be one of the hardest secret spots of the lot to see when you’re in New York but if you stay on the 6 train while it turns around you may catch a rare glimpse of this beautiful station. Armed with a copy of Jones's book, we headed for Bootham Bar, one of the entrances through York's ancient walls. The gateways through York's walls are called bars and Bootham Bar is the oldest, marking a nearly 2,000 year old Roman way into the city.

Having a prime location built into the actual city walls, Gatehouse Coffee is probably my favorite coffee shop in the city. Not only can you walk out along the barbican of the gate to the city, but you can also enjoy your drinks on the rooftop terrace with views towards the Minster, or cozy up in the indoor rooms. Their chai tea latte is the only hot beverage I’ll buy (and for someone who doesn’t drink coffee or tea, that says a lot). Gatehouse is definitely one of the best coffee shops in York! After the fall of the Berlin Wall a generation ago, parts of the wall were distributed all across the globe, with five pieces ending up across the city of New York. Most of us would never have given much thought to soil.. but put lots of it -280,000 pounds to be exact– in a room and we’d begin to recognize it for its beauty. One of my favorite finds since living in York would definitely be this church on Goodramgate. Hidden away off of a very busy street, entering the gardens is like walking into a peaceful oasis. The church itself dates from the 12 th century, although most of its features are from the 15 th century. It’s open Wednesday-Sunday from 11:00am-3:00pm. By the end you're at Orchard Beach; you started at a wooded lake, and now you're looking at gulls drifting over Long Island Sound. There's even another gold-toothed fisherman here, of a different sort: a guy with a metal detector and a perforated scoop. 'I find rings,' he says, 'sometimes. It's like I says: people at the beach, they lose things.' He shrugs and moves on.

In the Bronx’s sleepy neighborhood of Spuyten Duyvil, sitting on the edge of a cliff, alongside the Palisades and overlooking the Hudson River is a charming Italian-style villa built in 1926. The Villa Charlotte Bronte consists of 17-units of duplexes and triplexes, all different from each other.