The New Student's Reference Work/York

York, a city of England, situated at the junction of Ouse and Foss Rivers, nearly equidistant from London and Edinburgh. York is the most ancient of British cities. Before the Roman invasion it was Caer Ebroc, one of the chief towns of the Brigantes, the most numerous and powerful of the British tribes; and during the Roman dominion it was Eboracum, a city of the first importance. Here Hadrian lived and Severus died. Here, too, died Constantine Chlorus. Many mistakenly suppose that Constantine the Great was born here. When the Roman emperors visited Britain, Eboracum was their chosen residence, as it was the residence of the imperial legates when the emperors were absent. Alcuin, tutor of Charlemagne's children; Etty the painter; and Flaxman the sculptor were natives of York. The first English parliament was held at York in 1160 by Henry II and in the immediate neighborhood of the city Fairfax conquered Prince Rupert on Marston Moor during the Civil War. The city and castle, already besieged, surrendered to the parliamentary forces a few weeks after. The educational institutions are both numerous and useful. Notable among them are St. Peter's School, founded in 1557; Archbishop Holgate's free school, dating from Henry VIII; the Blue Coat School for boys and the Gray Coat School for girls; and Yorkshire School for the Blind, conducted in a palace originally built for the lord president of the council of the north. The cathedral of York Minster is one of the glories of architecture. Population 84,730.