Robin Hood Tower

A corner of the walls with many names

York's historic environment record lists this as Tower 27, the angle tower where the defences turn at the northern corner of the city. Over the centuries it has gone by several names: Bawing Tower in 1370, Frost Tower in 1485 and Robin Hood Tower by the 1620s. Old plans show an earlier polygonal corner with buttresses and what may have been a gunport, but what you see today was built in 1888–89.

What to look for

The tower is a three-quarter circle on plan, with a tall chamfered plinth and eight cross-shaped arrow slits arranged in two staggered rows. Above a string course, each merlon of the battlements has its own small cross slit, and the merlons are gabled on both sides. The platform sits five steps above the wall walk, so it gives a slightly raised view over the surrounding streets. It was repaired around 2012 and is protected as part of the Grade I listed wall between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar.

Fitting it into a visit

The tower is best seen on foot as part of the Bootham Bar to Monk Bar section of the walls, one of the most popular stretches because it runs close to York Minster and the Treasurer's House. Allow time to stop at the corner itself, then carry on to Monk Bar or drop down into the streets around the Minster for lunch.

Highlights

• Northern angle tower of York's medieval city walls
• Rebuilt in 1888–89 as a three-quarter-round tower
• Earlier names include Bawing Tower and Frost Tower
• Part of the Grade I listed wall between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar

Good to know

• Seen from the city walls walk between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar
• The tower platform is five steps up from the wall walk
• Part of a scheduled monument, so treat the stonework with care

Frequently asked questions