York
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation works to speed up the transition to a future free from poverty.
Key words
- Namesake: a person or thing having the same name as another person or thing
How much did President George Bush influence his son and namesake George W. Bush?
- Confectionery: sweets or chocolate
The children are not allowed to bring confectionery or chips into school, only fruit.
- Pub crawl: a visit to several pubs, one after the other, having a drink or drinks at each one
We went on a pub crawl on Saturday night.
- Quaker: a member of a Christian group, called the Society of Friends, that does not have formal ceremonies or a formal system of beliefs, and is strongly opposed to violence and war
This morning she took me to her Quaker meeting.
- Staple: basic or main; standard or regular
His latest movie is the staple offering of action and comedy that we have come to expect.
Read the article to find the answers
- When was York founded?
- What does York mean?
- What famous food comes from York?
- Who became Emperor while in York?
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins in North Yorkshire, England, and is the namesake of New York City. The city was founded in 71 AD and became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the Kingdom of Northumbria. When the Danish army conquered the city in 866, it was renamed JĂłrvĂk. The name York is derived from words meaning "place of the yew trees".
Food and drink
As well as being the home of Yorkshire Pudding, one of England's favorite foods, York is also famous for its confectionery and beer. York is home to 328 unique real ales served in over 200 pubs, making it one of the UK's top beer destinations. The Assize of Ale is an annual event in the city where people in medieval costume take part in a pub crawl to raise money for local charities. It dates back to the 13th century.
Rowntree's was founded in York in 1862 by Quaker Henry Isaac Rowntree. They developed the Kit Kat, Aero, Yorkie and Lion bars. Rowntree's also pioneered the Quality Street festive selection box, which has been a staple Christmas gift in the UK for over a century. The company was one of the top three confectionery manufacturers in the UK, along with Cadbury and Fry, both of which were also founded by Quakers.
Famous people
Joseph Rowntree was best known for his time as a chocolatier and as the founder of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a charity that conducts and funds research aimed at solving poverty in the UK. Their report in 2024 said that 14.4 million people in the UK were in poverty and six million people were in very deep poverty.
Guy Fawkes, was the most infamous member of a group of English Catholics who unsuccessfully attempted to blow up the House of Lords in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The failed conspiracy aimed to assassinate King James I of England along with the Protestant government leaders, and restore Catholicism.
Constantine the Great shaped the world we live in today, changing the calendar we use, setting the dates for Easter and Christmas, formulating the Nicene Creed, and much more. He was proclaimed emperor by the Roman troops while stationed in York after the death of his father.
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- Do you like Yorkshire Pudding?
- What's your favorite kind of chocolate?
- What do you know about the Nicene Creed?
Book a Lesson
Improve your English language communication skills by practicing with a qualified and experienced native speaker.