EVER wondered why Marygate Landing is called Marygate Landing? Well, this brilliant photograph from the Explore York archive makes it pretty obvious. It’s because it was, of course, a landing point for goods transported up the River Ouse by barge.

In this photograph, taken before 1895, two heavily-laden coal barges are being unloaded - presumably to deliver coal to Hattees Coal Merchant, which is next to the Bay Horse Inn just below and to the left of the tower of St Olave’s Church. Look carefully, and you can spot a pair of wheelbarrows on the left-hand barge, which were presumably used in loading and unloading.

The buildings on the far right of the photograph belong to York’s purpose built swimming bath. Owned by the Yorkshire Philosophical

Society, which also owned Museum Gardens, the swimming bath was open air and accessible to the public.

The Bay Horse Inn visible in this photograph (with the John Smiths Ales sign in front) was demolished by 1895 (which is why we know the photo must date from before then) and a new pub was built on the other side of the road, where the white buildings are in this photo.

Stephen Lewis