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Summary

The Water Tower was built circa 1318-1324 adjacent to the Ouse at the south-west corner of St Mary's Abbey precinct. It is circular in plan externally, hexagonal in plan internally. There are five openings for firing arrows and the doorway to the rear. Originally crenallated, the parapet hs been destroyed. The lower part of a doorway above the lower doorway can be discerned, showing that the tower was formerly two-storeyed.

Monument Type(s)

• INTERVAL TOWER (built 1318-1324, Medieval - 1318 AD to 1324 AD)
• ARCH (Mid 19th Century to Unknown - 1836 AD)

Protected Status

• Conservation Area
• Listed Building
• Scheduled Monument

Full description

Water Tower 1324. Pedestrian arches beside Queen Margaret's Arch and the Water Tower inserted c1836. MATERIALS: walls and towers of magnesian limestone. Water Tower (sometimes known as Marygate Landing Tower): originally 2 stages, now sunk in sloping ground to wallwalk level. Exterior is circular on plan, interior hexagonal, with single opening to each inner face: chamfered doorway to wallwalk has shouldered head, four cruciform slits have oillets to the arms, one vertical slit at wallhead has chamfered opening. INTERIOR: openings are splayed and have shouldered lintels. Adjacent pedestrian gateway is 4-centred double chamfered arch. (An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York: RCHME: The Defences: HMSO: 1972-: 160-173; An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York: RCHME: Outside the City Walls East of the Ouse: HMSO London: 1975-: 14-22).

NMR, 2019, NMR data (Digital archive). SYO2214.

Sources and further reading

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