Ouse Bridge, the only bridge that crossed the river in
medieval times

To give as much space as possible for spectators, stations were often at street junctions. They were marked by banners with the city’s coat of arms, and some had tiered seating specially erected. The Council rented out the station to the highest bidder who would then charge for seating and refreshments during the performances. Having successfully struggled to keep control of their wagons down the Micklegate slope, the wagon pushers were next faced with the hump of the arched Ouse Bridge. It was much narrower and steeper than the bridge we see today. The streets were mostly unpaved, with ruts and potholes, and they were often full of rubbish.