We cannot give accounts of all the old fortified towns in England and can only make selections.  We have alluded to the ancient walls of York.  Few cities can rival it in interest and architectural beauty, its relics of Roman times, its stately and magnificent cathedral, the beautiful ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey, the numerous churches exhibiting all the grandeur of the various styles of Gothic architecture, the old merchants’ hall, and the quaint old narrow streets with gabled houses and widely projecting storeys.  And then there is the varied history of the place dating from far-off Roman times.  Not the least interesting feature of York are its gates and walls.  Some parts of the walls are Roman, that curious thirteen-sided building called the multangular tower forming part of it, and also the lower part of the wall leading from this tower to Bootham Bar, the upper part being of later origin.  These walls have witnessed much fighting, and the cannons in the Civil War during the siege in 1644 battered down some portions of them and sorely tried their hearts.  But they have been kept in good preservation and repaired at times, and the part on the west of the Ouse is especially well preserved.  You can see some Norman and Early English work, but the bulk of it belongs to Edwardian times, when York played a great part in the history of England, and King Edward I made it his capital during the war with Scotland, and all the great nobles of England sojourned there.  Edward II spent much time there, and the minster saw the marriage of his son.  These walls were often sorely needed to check the inroads of the Scots.  After Bannockburn fifteen thousand of these northern warriors advanced to the gates of York.  The four gates of the city are very remarkable.  Micklegate Bar consists of a square tower built over a circular arch of Norman date with embattled turrets at the angles.  On it the heads of traitors were formerly exposed.  It bears on its front the arms of France as well as those of England.

[Illustration:  “Melia’s Passage,” York]

Bootham Bar is the main entrance from the north, and has a Norman arch with later additions and turrets with narrow slits for the discharge of arrows.  It saw the burning of the suburb of Bootham in 1265 and much bloodshed, when a mighty quarrel raged between the citizens and the monks of the Abbey of St. Mary owing to the abuse of the privilege of sanctuary possessed by the monastery.  Monk Bar has nothing to do with monks.  Its former name was Goodramgate, and after the Restoration it was changed to Monk Bar in honour of General Monk.  The present structure was probably built in the fourteenth century.  Walmgate Bar, a strong, formidable structure, was built in the reign of Edward I, and as we have said, it is the only gate that retains its curious barbican, originally built in the time of Edward III and rebuilt in 1648.  The inner front of the gate has been altered from its original form in order to secure