York, My Home Town
York, the county town of Yorkshire, Gods own county, although not part of any ridings. It is the birthplace of Guy Fawkes of 5th November and Bonfire Night fame, and if he had succeeded there would now be a Roman Catholic monarch instead of the head of the Church of England sitting on the English Throne. It is a city that crowned the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine who moved the Church in Rome east to found Constantinople, now called Istanbul. York goal is where that notorious highwayman Dick Turpin was hanged. It is the headquarters of the Rowntrees confectionary chain and that stalwart of Christmas in the UK (well in our house), the Terry’s Chocolate Orange (although they’re now made in Poland). It is home to the York racecourse, a prominent venue in the calendar of flat racing, and home to York Minster, the largest gothic Cathedral in northern Europe. And last but not least, York was awarded in 2007 the title of European City of Tourism, beating off 130 other rivals. I may be a little biased. After all, it is my home town.