Fishergate Postern Tower

A Tower at the Edge of the Walls

Fishergate Postern Tower marks the eastern terminus of York’s medieval city walls, where the stone ramparts once met the flooded River Foss. Built around 1504–1507, it replaced an earlier 14th-century tower known as Talkan Tower, itself named after Robert Talkan, a prominent citizen and mayor in 1399. The new postern was part of a deliberate effort to strengthen the city’s defences, described at the time as creating ‘a substanciall posterne at Fyschergate’. Unlike the main gatehouses or bars, this was a smaller, secondary entrance – a postern – designed for controlled access rather than grand ceremonial use.

From Defence to Dovecote

The tower was originally built as a watchtower with a flat roof and battlements, similar in style to Monk Bar. Over the centuries, its military role faded, and by 1636 it had been converted into a dovecote, a use that required the upper floors and confirms the presence of its distinctive pitched roof by that date. The current roof, with queen posts, clasped purlins and high collars, is a 17th-century addition, later restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. Despite these changes, the core structure remains largely as it was completed in the early 1500s: a four-storey tower with a pointed arch postern gate, portcullis slot, and garderobe projecting from one corner.

Water, Walls and York Castle

One of the most striking aspects of Fishergate Postern’s location is its relationship with water. The walls end here because they were deliberately terminated at the flooded River Foss, which formed a natural moat around York Castle. This stretch of water, known historically as the King’s Fishpond, created a formidable barrier, making a continuous land wall unnecessary. The gap between the postern and the castle was once spanned only by water, turning the tower into a sentinel at the city’s edge. This strategic siting highlights how York’s defences were shaped not just by stone and mortar, but by the landscape and hydrology of the Foss and Ouse.

A Living Piece of York’s Heritage

Today, Fishergate Postern Tower is maintained by the Friends of York Walls, who use it as a base for displays and information about the city’s ancient defences. The interior is accessible during open days and events, revealing the tower’s spiral staircase and the layers of its history. Archaeological work around the site has uncovered finds ranging from Roman pottery to post-medieval personal items, underscoring the long human presence in this corner of York. The tower is no longer a military structure, but it remains a powerful symbol of the city’s medieval past, standing quietly at the point where the walls meet the river.