My Castle Gateway
The Castle Gateway project is shaping a new area of high quality public realm – a beautiful setting for the city’s heritage assets that reflect the historical context and significance of this area of regional and national importance.
Over this summer My Castle Gateway will be working with any and all who are interested, to refine the open brief for the new public area and to look in more detail at how we can create new spaces and new routes which connect Clifford’s Tower, the Eye of York, Tower Gardens and the Castle Museum.
Cllr Nigel Ayre, Executive Member for Finance and Performance, said;
“This Summer’s Castle Gateway events offer an ideal invitation to the city’s residents to experience and envisage the space we are redesigning for the future, at the heart of our city.
The variety of engagement and art events will allow the community to imagine a new purpose for the area including play, public events, relaxation and open space.”
The area comprises some of the city’s most significant historical assets and has been transformed for a variety of purposes across the decades.
Throughout history the Castle Gateway has been an ever-changing area of national and international importance, from a Roman fortress to Viking trade. It was the site of the Norman Conquest and the harrying of the north, as well as a Royal Court and Royal Mint.
The area was known as a place of law and order and the site of many public hangings. Until the 1930s the area housed a huge panoptican prison, enclosed by a three metre high wall.
In the 1950s the city’s response to the rise of the motorcar led to the car park which surrounds Clifford Tower today.
To read more about the history of the area, visit the My Castle Gateway blog at https://mycastlegateway.org/2019/06/27/the-castle-and-eye-of-york-a-very-quick-account-of-2000-years-of-change/
My Castle Gateway want to hear from as many voices as possible to help design the future of this space through drop-in events and workshops across the summer. In addition to these, back due to high demand, the Shakespearian Rose Theatre will be returning to Castle Car Park and recently announced, panel-selected arts events with be filling the iconic site with sound, light and dance this autumn.
These alternative uses of the space help us understand the full potential for the future of this area.
What’s On?
What’s On?
To find out the latest events, head to the official website of My Castle Gateway here.