| The York Dungeon | |
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 Location within North Yorkshire
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| Established | 2013 |
| Location | York, England |
| Coordinates | 53°57′24″N 1°04′56″W / 53.95680°N 1.08216°W |
| Public transit access | York railway station |
| Website | www.thedungeons.com/york/en/ |
York Dungeon is a tourist attraction in York, England. York Dungeon depicts history of the dungeon using actor led shows, special effects and displays of models and objects.
The York Dungeons reopened in March 2013 after a period of closure due to severe flooding. [1]
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History [edit]
York Dungeon was opened in 1986 at 12 Clifford Street, York, England. It was the second Dungeon attraction created, the first being the London Dungeon in 1974.
Exhibits and shows [edit]
The dungeon operates on the basis of tours which start every 7 minutes and last between 1 and 1.5 hours. In these tours visitors are led around a sequence of shows and exhibitions which are loosely based on historical events and practices.[2]
The Great Plague show is set in 1551 with a recreation of medieval York streets and culminates with a performance from an actor playing a plague doctor. There is also a recreation of a York pub the Golden Fleece Inn where visitors are told ghost stories. Other shows include the Judgement of Sinners where visitors are accused of various crimes and the Torture Chamber where visitors are shown demonstrations of torture devices. During the tour actors playing plague doctors, innkeepers, soothsayers, torturers, judges, executioners, Dick Turpin's hangman and witch-burners tell visitors gruesome stories.[3]
Criticism [edit]
The Christian community in York raised concerns in 2004 about a Christmas show at the dungeon called Satan's Grotto and asked the dungeon to stop the show. Reverend Roger Simpson of St Michael-le-Belfrey church said "There are real evil forces . . . We are concerned the attraction has the potential to do real pastoral harm."[4] A spokesman from York Dungeon's responded that "It is all tongue-in-cheek" and should not be taken seriously.[4]
York Dungeon offered free entry to people subject to anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) for the weekend of the 26 May and 27 May 2007. The dungeon was "widely condemned for a controversial decision"[5] with criticism coming from victims of crime, York Councillors and Hugh Bayley, the Member of Parliament for the City of York, who commented:
| “ | This is a publicity-seeking gimmick which goes too far. The public needs protection from anti-social behaviour and York Dungeon shouldn't be rewarding people who have been sentenced to an ASBO by the courts.[5] | ” |
The manager of York Dungeon said "I thought it might shock the ASBO offenders a little to see what would have happened to them a couple of hundred years ago",[6] but the Dungeon reported that no one took up their offer of free admission.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ [1], Airgates Attraction News, retrieved on 23 October 2012 "York Dungeon closed for the immediate future"
- ^ FAQ's, The Dungeons, retrieved on 6 December 2007
- ^ York Dungeon Guide, The Dungeons, retrieved on 6 December 2007
- ^ a b Church anger over 'devil' Santa, BBC News (7 December 2004), retrieved on 6 December 2007
- ^ a b Anger as attraction offers free entry to ASBO kids, The Press (25 May 2007), retrieved on 4 December 2007
- ^ Tough justice for Asbos at museum, BBC News (25 May 2007), retrieved on 6 December 2007
External links [edit]
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