York Dungeon

The York Dungeon
Location within North Yorkshire
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]

History

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 1975. Like the London Dungeon, it was designed as a gory horror museum showcasing factual events throughout History. As part of a £3.5 million investment across both Dungeons, a new feature opened in 1997 showcasing tales of the 'Lost Roman legion' in York. Further additions and expansions continued with the Plague section which recreated a Port and Plague ridden Village before an encounter in the Plague doctor's surgery. 2002 saw the opening of 'Gorvik', a pun on 'Jorvik' that detailed the Viking history of the City and brutal attacks from Viking forces. Other attractions included the Torture Chamber, The Gunpowder Plot, Dick Turpin, and the Courtroom. 2003 saw the arrival of the Witch Trials that detailed the witch trials in York through the use of a detailed set and animatronics. This area subsequently became the 'Ghosts of York' show in 2007.

Like London, the Dungeon evolved from a museum to an actor led experience. The Dungeon remains the smallest of the dungeons chain and due to this does not have space for the addition of dark ride experiences.

The Dungeon has been subject to severe flooding numerous times, due to its close proximity to the River Ouse . This has occurred in 2001, 2004 and twice in 2012, leading to a complete refurbishment. Many exhibits were totally refurbished, particularly the torture chamber which has drastically reduced in size with most of the original exhibits removed, focusing on actor-guest interaction.

As with the entire Dungeons brand, the York Dungeon received a rebranding in 2013 to coincide with the relocation of the London Dungeon. This included a new set of scripts and less of an emphasis of ogre and horror, with advertising and branding focusing on comedy and authenticity. As a result, the new characters are much blander and reserved to previous incarnations.

Exhibits and shows

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. Whilst the Dungeon does not have the space to accommodate any rides like its sister incarnations, the Dick Turpin section features 'drop benches' that give sudden movement to simulate a 'hanging'.[3]

The Dungeon is set to debut a new show based on the Tudor dissolution of the Monasteries in Easter 2014. The shows construction has resulted in the entire upper floor of the Dungeon being closed to the public in order to accommodate the new show. This will likely result in the neighbouring shows being altered.

Criticism

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

References

  1. ↑ , Airgates Attraction News, retrieved on 23 October 2012 "York Dungeon closed for the immediate future"
  2. ↑ FAQ's, The Dungeons, retrieved on 6 December 2007
  3. ↑ York Dungeon Guide, The Dungeons, retrieved on 6 December 2007
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Church anger over 'devil' Santa, BBC News (7 December 2004), retrieved on 6 December 2007
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Anger as attraction offers free entry to ASBO kids, The Press (25 May 2007), retrieved on 4 December 2007
  6. ↑ Tough justice for Asbos at museum, BBC News (25 May 2007), retrieved on 6 December 2007

External links