Amongst York’s most uniquely charming features are its snickelways, the often narrow, winding passages that snake throughout the city centre. Popularised in local author Mark W. Jones’ 1983 book A Walk Around the Snickelways of York, the word ‘snickelway’ is an amalgamation of ‘snicket’, ‘ginnel’, and ‘alleyway’, and, whether you’ve lived in York your whole life or are a more recent arrival, chances are that you’re yet to discover all of the numerous nooks and crannies the city has to offer…
Little Shambles
This tiny and uniquely picturesque snickelway connects the Shambles Market with the famous tourist magnet the Shambles, probably the most photographed of all the city’s streets, along with Duncombe Place and Minster Yard. One of the earliest documented mentions of the Shambles can be found in the Domesday Book, first published in 1086. Given its location and close proximity to such a bustling tourist hotspot, the Little Shambles snickelway may not be favoured as a cut-through by locals, especially during peak times and weekends, but it’s still well-known and loved by Yorkies!
Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate / Saint Crux Passage
While Whip-Ma-Whop-ma Gate’s official status as a snickelway may be debatable, it’s notable for being one of the shortest streets in town (only stretching around 24 metres in length) as well as its unusual name, which was first recorded as ‘Whitnourwhatnourgate’ in 1505, which is thought to mean either ‘neither-one-thing-nor-the-other-street’ or ‘what a street’. Located adjacent to the Shambles as a continuation of Colliergate, Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate is also home to a tiny, narrow snickelway known as Saint Crux Passage, a well-used cut-through to the Shambles.
Three Cranes Lane
Located directly next to the Three Cranes pub at St Sampson’s Square and leading through to Swinegate, this narrow passage is one of the most atmospheric snickelways in York, which was once a busy thoroughfare used by locals cutting through to the Thursday Market in the square. These days, it can be arguably regarded as one of the least ‘easy-on-the-eye’ snickelways in York, mainly due to the proliferation of graffiti and the fact that it’s used as a bin store for local businesses. Despite its rugged appearance, Three Cranes Lane is a solid example of our city’s historic snickelways, nevertheless.
Peter Lane
Accessible from Market Street (directly next to the current site of The Perfume Shop), the unique Peter Lane starts off as a short, narrow street, before splitting into two even narrower snickelways, Pope’s Head Alley and Le Kirk Lane, both of which run down to High Ousegate. Peter Lane is thought to have taken its name from the Church of St Peter the Little, a medieval church which was recorded as redundant in 1549. Rarely used by tourists and non-locals, Peter Lane remains a reliable cut-through for those wishing to traverse the area without having to bump into throngs of shoppers!
POPOUT: Calling all photographers! We’re still looking for local photographers willing to submit their snaps to be used for our HIDDEN YORK feature. To submit your pictures of York that will POP on a page, please email info@yourlocallink.co.uk.
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