How accurate is Sansom’s portrayal of York in this period?
A. Sansom’s characterisation of sixteenth-century York as an impoverished city is spot on. The success (or failure) of York’s economy depended on several converging factors: firstly, the city was an ecclesiastical and administrative centre. It was the seat of the Archbishop of York, possessed a large and wealthy cathedral, and on various occasions throughout the later medieval and early modern periods, hosted institutions of royal government. These church and royal institutions attracted visiting legal officers, church and government dignitaries, and litigants to its courts, all of whom would have required food and lodging provided by armies of traders and merchants. Second, York was well-positioned for internal and external trade, being located on the intersection of two rivers. It acted as a local distributive centre for goods coming from London to its surrounding areas, and as a market town for local trade and agriculture. Lastly, its position close to the Anglo-Scottish borders mea
