Yorks Hidden History Preserving Quirky Heritage for Future Generations

York has surprising, old things. Did you know about the water tank? There’s also a WWII air-raid shelter. These were found during planning work. One could get fixed, the other may be torn down. This makes us think about unusual heritage.

The water tank is near Queen Street. Walker Foundry built it in 1839. It served York’s first train station. The station was temporary back then and a bigger station replaced it later.

The tank still exists today. It got listed in 1997. Yet, it hasn’t aided trains in fifty years. The Spurriergate shelter is in a listed building too, but is not in the building’s description.

York once had many public shelters. These were in basements downtown. They were cleared after WWII, and businesses now use those spaces. Some see the shelter as key heritage. It’s like the fancy 1840s building there. The shelter gives you a real sense of the York Blitz.

We hope we never need shelters again. If we did, we’d want something modern. A WWII basement shelter isn’t ideal. This is why they might demolish it. What else can it be used for? The owner wants retail space.

The water tank’s future looks better. A road project is planned nearby. The tank could house a band’s practice room. The building will still connect to trains. It would be cool to hear music there!

Heritage is at risk with no new use. We want to protect our heritage, but economics plays a role too. Hotels and shops can use old buildings. Shelters do not offer many options. This quirky heritage tells great stories.

Things now valued were once at risk. City walls faced demolition in the 1800s. Clifford’s Tower became a garden ruin after it lost its use as a fort.

A shelter isn’t as grand as Clifford’s Tower. Today’s unimportant items might gain value. Heritage lacking practical use is most at risk. Economic use helps preserve them.