Hull has always been known as a tough town and deservedly so. It was built on fishing, and that’s a tough industry. It meant you’d have a fleet of trawlers that would go out and young men who would never return.
Lucy Beaumont, comedian
If you look at a map of England you will see that Hull, or Kingston upon Hull to give it its proper name, is rather out on a limb. Lying on the Humber Estuary its location so close to the sea has resulted in a history shaped by sea-going trade and shipping. It was founded as a trading port by King Edward I in the late 13th century and thrived as such for several hundred years. Later, in the 18th century, it became a centre for whaling and in the 19th century for fishing in the fish-rich North Sea.
The city was at its most prosperous early in the 20th century, before the First World War. However 1920s and 1930s saw major industrial decline, exacerbated by overproduction in the fishing industry. In WWII it was devastated by air raids, making it the heaviest bombed city outside London. The Hull People’s Memorial in Paragon Street commemorates all those who died in the raids.
Hull today
Rebuilding the city took decades and wasn’t helped by the collapse of the fishing industry. And as I said in an earlier post about the city, Hull has had something of a poor reputation in England in recent years, although that seems to be changing. Despite that however, I’d never taken a particular interest in it nor planned to visit. However when a small Virtual Tourist meeting was proposed by a friend, I was keen to sign up and discover more about a place once voted the ‘worst place to live in the UK’.
My opportunity came on my first morning in Hull when our host organised a walking tour with renowned local guide, Paul Schofield *. He gave us a thorough and entertaining introduction to the Old Town, which I’d like to share with you now for this week’s Monday Walk.
Victoria Square
It was rather a grey day, with a little drizzle, when we met our guide Paul by the statue of Queen Victoria in the square that bears her name.
Queen Victoria statue and Maritime Museum
The square is surrounded by some of the city’s grandest buildings. They include the Maritime Museum, which was closed for refurbishment at the time of our visit. The Grade Two listed building dates from 1871 and was formerly home to Hull’s Dock Offices.
On the south side of the square is the Ferens Art Gallery. It is named for T. R. Ferens, a local MP who in the early 1900s donated money to buy art and to build this gallery.
Today the collection ranges from late medieval painting to modern art, and there are also temporary exhibitions. We didn’t go inside the gallery during this walk, but I visited later in the week and found pieces I liked in several of the galleries. Here are just a couple of them.
In the Ferens Art Gallery (click for captions)
And on the west side of the square is Hull City Hall, a concert venue. The striking building is topped with a copper dome said to be based on that of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It is surrounded by four sculptures of female figures, each representing one of the arts.
Queen Victoria statue and City Hall
The old docks
Paul told us about all these buildings and more, before leading us in the direction of the old docks. These were closed to commercial use in the mid 20th century, although the much larger Queen Elizabeth Dock opened just east of the city in 1969 to handle container traffic and ferries. Since then two of the old docks, Railway and Humber Dock, have become marinas for use by smaller boats.
Meanwhile Princes Dock, nearest to Queen Victoria Square, has been partly filled in and a rather unattractive shopping centre built above it. However its quayside still has some attractive old warehouses (many now turned into bars and restaurants) and the elegant Hull Trinity House.
Beverley Gate
The photos of the docks area above were taken later that day when we went for dinner at one of the restaurants. But back to our tour. Having pointed out the docks and talked about their history, Paul stopped just by the northern end of Princes Dock. There he showed us the foundations of one of the city’s old gates, dating from its fortification in the 14th century. As the plaque explains, this is where in 1642, Sir John Hotham (the city’s governor) refused King Charles l entry to the city. Hull was a strategic port and site of an arsenal. Charles wanted access to the weapons stored with its walls as he was already preparing for armed conflict against Parliament. Sir John was determined to ensure he never got them. This act of defiance is widely regarded as the spark that started the English Civil War.
Beverley Gate remains and historical plaque
Although the hero of that incident, Hotham later changed sides to support the Royalist cause. This was to cost him his life. In December 1644 he was court-martialled and found guilty of treason, thus earning him the dubious distinction of being declared a traitor by both King and Parliament. He was beheaded for his crimes on Tower Hill on 2nd January 1645.
The Guildhall
From here we headed into the streets of the Old Town. Alfred Gelder Street led us to the impressive Guildhall, a grade II listed building. It dates from the beginning of the 20th century and was built in the Baroque Revival style. Above the main entrance is a sculpture of a male figure with a large book on his knee, representing Justice. At either end are sculptures representing maritime prowess and strength: one a figure in a chariot flanked by lions, thought to be Britannia, and the other probably Aphrodite, rising from the waves on a chariot pulled by two horses with fish-like tails. These three sculptures, by Scottish sculptor Albert Hodge, are considered to be among some of the most impressive works of sculptural art in the country.
The Guildhall
The Land of Green Ginger
We doubled back to walk along the bizarrely named narrow street, The Land of Green Ginger. There has been a lot of speculation about this name, as you can imagine, but no conclusive reason given. It could relate to the sale of ginger here in the Middle Ages, or be derived from someone’s name.
The street is famous not only for its name but also for what claims to be the country’s (possibly the world’s) smallest window. This is a slit which was used by the gatekeeper of the George Hotel to look out for stagecoaches and customers. It may look like simply a loose joint between two stones. But peering through we could all see the gatekeeper’s small room beyond.
The Land of Green Ginger and England’s smallest window – can you spot it?!
And if you’d like to see our guide Paul discussing this quirky street, he’s on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUuLYiKGmA4&t=4s
At the far end of the Land of Green Ginger we crossed Silver Street to enter the elegant Hepworth’s Arcade. This opened in 1897 and is Grade II listed. It has an arched glass roof and ornate ironwork. There is quite an unusual selection of quirky shops inside including a joke shop, vintage clothing stores and an appealing bookshop.
Hepworth Arcade and bookshop
Hull Minster
We passed Hull’s imposing Minster. I only took one photo as we did so but returned for more later when skies were brighter.
The Minster
Unfortunately the Minster was closed throughout my time in Hull, as it was being used for filming. So I only ever got to see the outside. It is the city’s parish church and was called Holy Trinity Church until it was renamed nine years ago. Being designated a minster reflects its historical and religious importance. It was built between the early 14th and early 16th centuries. It is the largest parish church in England by floor area and is a Grade I listed building.
We were zigzagging around the old town and Paul led us next to picturesque Prince Street.
Prince Street
High Street
Prince Street marked the furthest point of our walk in that direction, and we doubled back to reach High Street. As I mentioned in my virtual postcard from the city, this was being dressed for a film about Jack the Ripper. Modern features were being hidden and replaced by Victorian ones. There were market stalls being created, props such as crates and dummy food being added, and the cobbled street dirtied with grit and straw. Fortunately, unlike the Minster, the street wasn’t closed to pedestrians at least and we could stroll along taking photos.
The High Street dressed for filming
The Museums Quarter
Our tour with Paul ended in the Museums Quarter. He pointed out the huge toad sculpture in the gardens here. This is a leftover from a city trail dedicated to one of Hull’s most famous former residents, Philip Larkin.
Why a toad, you ask?
Why should I let the toad work
Squat on my life?
Can’t I use my wit as a pitchfork
And drive the brute off?
Six days of the week it soils
With its sickening poison –
Just for paying a few bills!
That’s out of proportion.
Toads, by Philip Larkin
We didn’t have time to visit any of the museums with Paul but he did take us just inside two of them (all are free to enter, by the way). The Streetlife Museum displays all forms of transport and has a replica of a 1940s street that I would have liked to have explored further. The Archaeology Museum does exactly what it says and has Roman mosaics, Viking treasures and much more besides.
Wilberforce House Museum
Our tour with Paul ended near the museums and we broke into small groups to seek lunch in local cafés. Afterwards I decided to explore a bit further on my own and returned to the Museums Quarter to visit the third of them, the Wilberforce House Museum. With time for only one I chose this as it seemed the most unique to Hull.
Wilberforce House was the birthplace of William Wilberforce, Hull’s famous anti-slavery campaigner. Today it is a museum telling the story of his life but also focusing on the realities of the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies. In addition it has a small but excellent collection of artefacts from the west African countries from which the slaves were captured, showing their rich cultural heritage. It touches briefly too on the history of slavery more widely, from ancient times to the present day.
Wilberforce House Museum
(please click on the images of the paintings in particular to see captions)
A few more sights
On my way back to the hotel I detoured to visit St Mary’s Lowgate, which I had seen in the distance during our walk, but found it closed (despite a sign saying it was always open and welcoming!) Unusually its tower was pierced to accommodate a pedestrian footpath in the 1800s. The 14th century church is one of the oldest in the city but was extensively restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century.
St Mary’s Church Lowgate
I visited Hull in May 2026
* While I can definitely recommend Paul as a guide I should mention that I’m getting no payment or reward for doing so
54 Comments
Lisa | Handmade in Israel
I thoroughly enjoyed your post! I was born in Hull and lived there until I was 18. I now live abroad, but still go back regularly to visit my family there.
Hull is a wonderful city with so much to see and do, and you’ve highlighted many of its attractions, although there’s still plenty more to discover! Hull was the UK City of Culture in 2017, and I went back for a two-week visit that year. Despite a friend from London asking me what on earth I planned to do in Hull for two whole weeks, we ended up being busy every single day! It really is a city with so much to offer.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Lisa, it’s great to get such positive feedback from a local 😊 I had two days to explore Hull and I know I only scratched the surface. I’d have liked to have visited the other museums and the Deep, spent more time in the art gallery, and of course seen inside the Minster!
equinoxio21
An ever so English tour. 😉 (Thank you for that.)
Looking at the map, it is “way up North” though not as much as Newcastle. Why was it bombed so much? A military harbour? Did I miss something?
Sarah Wilkie
Not a military harbour but an important port for the import of food etc. Also lots of engineering and industry which was significant for the war effort. Plus if you look at the map you can see how easy it would have been for the Germans to get to, and to find.
equinoxio21
I had another look at the map. (I often regret my scant Brit geography, but in fact I never studied it. I know continental Europe geography much better… Tsss…) You’re right, bombers from Holland could easily make it.
And I wouldn’t have thought about food. Of course, starve the enemy.
Ah! War. (Stupid humans…)
Sarah Wilkie
Exactly – the same reason they bombed the Atlantic convoys of ships sending supplies from the US
equinoxio21
Absolutely. Those convoys were manned by very brave people.
Annie Berger
Sarah, It’s very hard for me to understand why people would have disparaged Hull, as I thought it appeared perfectly delightful from your photos and accompanying text. I’d visit the city in a heartbeat, as I was captivated by Prince St, the central square, the renovated port area, etc. As you likely remember, I grew up in Ottawa and the city across the river in the province of Quebec was also called Hull – I wonder from ‘your’ Hull? Sadly, I remember nothing positive about the Canadian Hull , as it was home to several pulp and paper factories, which stunk up the capital area!
Sarah Wilkie
I’ve just shown you the historic Old Town Annie, which survived much of the WWII bombing and has been sympathetically restored and then spruced up for the City of Culture in 2017 which really did, as I understand it, transform the city centre. If you saw the rest of the city, outside the centre, you would maybe understand the disparagement better. Much of the development in the 1960 was pretty ugly, and also being a bit isolated from transport links etc. it hasn’t had as much investment as other cities.
Annie Berger
Thanks for providing the bigger picture or putting it all in context, Sarah.
grandmisadventures
seems like Hull has a great wealth of beautiful architecture and interesting museums
Sarah Wilkie
The city makes the most of what it has but it’s not as historically interesting as many others in the UK. However it does do museums well and what’s more, doesn’t charge for them!
leightontravels
I was drawn to this article because of my one visit to Hull many moons ago. It was for a QPR away day and everything was absolutely grim: the bits of the town centre I saw, the stadium, the people I encountered. And the less said about the result that day, the better. I also thought: well, it was a long time ago and if anyone can find Hull’s nice bits and give me a different impression, it’s Sarah. Victoria Square looks quite handsome, while I am almost comforted to see that it started out as a proper grey day, ha ha. The art gallery would be a must for me and the docks also look pleasant, especially with the sky opening up a bit. Love all the history you provided and the smallest window curiosity. Elsewhere, Prince Street is genuinely gorgeous and Hull seems to have an engaging museum scene. Hooray for William Wilberforce!
Sarah Wilkie
A good friend of mine is a Hull supporter so I had better not comment on that football result 😀 As for Hull itself, it was brushed up nicely for its role as the City of Culture in 2017 which explains the much-improved appeal of its central area and strong museum scene. And yes, hooray for William Wilberforce indeed!
the eternal traveller
It must have been very interesting to see all these sites and hear their stories with Paul. A passionate guide makes such a difference. Hull sounds like a good place to spend a couple of days.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, yes, it was an interesting tour made all the more so by Paul’s enthusiasm for his city 🙂
Josephine Hill
Sarah , I thoroughly enjoyed your article .
Hull does have a lot to offer and glad you got to see it .
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Josie 😘 Good to have endorsement from a near local!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
I had one very fleeting visit to Hull about 20 years ago and found there was more to it than I had thought. Your post shows me there is even more, but as you say it is out on a limb and the old town is probably not going to draw me back.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it’s not really in a convenient area where you might stop off on your way somewhere else – you’d have to make a specific journey which Hull may not justify. But in a future post I’ll show you nearby Beverley and that definitely is worth a detour!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
We stayed in Beverly last year – for the 70th birthday of a friend – but didn’t go down to Hull.
Sarah Wilkie
Well if you visit Beverley again you might consider Hull as a day out – it’s only 15 minutes by train. I think you’d like the gallery and museums as well as the old town streets and minster 🙂
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
No doubt! The friend whose birthday it was actually lives there and it was his 50th that we went to Hull last time. If there was a 60th we weren’t invited! We’ve known him since student days but don’t see him very often since he left Scotland.
Jim Earlam
I love an old bookshop and would certainly have to visit that one as it’s my initials!
Sarah Wilkie
So it does! It did look very appealing, I’d have enjoyed a rummage there if I’d had time 🙂
ThingsHelenLoves
A fantastic tour of Hull, definitely a place I’d like to see more of. It’s a place I’ve passed through a few times, but never fully explored. We are forecast to move back up north next summer- maybe then! The Land of Green Ginger is a fascinating name, there’s something similarly named in Tynemouth, I always wondered where the name hailed from.
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Helen 😊 If you’re going to be based in the area then Hull would definitely be worth a visit. I’d forgotten about that place in Tynemouth although I’ve passed it many times and been in on occasion – it’s in an old church isn’t it?
ThingsHelenLoves
That’s the one!
Image Earth Travel
So much to see in Hull and thank you for taking me there…
I think I mentioned before that we have a town named Wilberforce near where I grew up (near Sydney) and that I never knew he was an anti-slavery campaigner.
Sarah Wilkie
I’m pleased you enjoyed the visit Nilla 🙂 Wilberforce is a famous figure in English history but I hadn’t known he was born in Hull. The city is rightly proud of him.
Sue
Thanks for my virtual tour, Sarah, a very interesting city, plenty of history.The old docks look worth a wander, and i like that roof o f the Hepworth Arcade.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed the tour Sue, and thank you 🙂 I liked that arcade roof too, especially seeing the church tower through it, nicely framed!
Sue
Yes, indeed- the church looks somewhat ethereal!
margaret21
We’ll definitely try to get hold of Paul on a return to Hull. He seems to have brought the city’s history to life for you – and us.
Sarah Wilkie
Oh yes, do check out his website, he was excellent 🙂 We had a private tour for our group but I think he does public ones too.
margaret21
👍
Tanja
Beautiful tour around Hull
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Tanja 🙂
Egídio
Sarah, thanks for taking us along this wonderful walk. Those buildings exude so much history. On a related note, if you have ever been to Bryce Canyon NP (Utah), you might have heard about a rock that supposedly resembles Queen Victoria’s profile. In my post (https://throughbrazilianeyes.com/tea-time-at-queens-garden/), I have a walk to that rock.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the walk Egidio 😊 I just had a look at your Bryce Canyon post and loved all the views of the hoodoos, but as I commented there I’m not convinced by the resemblance to Queen Victoria!
Monkey's Tale
Well, I have no preconceived notions of Hull, only knowing of Canada’s Hull on the other side of the river from Ottawa. You showed me Hull that looks very charming with a rich history and many streets and buildings to match.
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Maggie 😊 As I said to Brian, it’s only the old centre of Hull that has this level of charm, the rest is rather dull and ordinary. But this Old Town and the museums are reason enough to visit!
Christie
What a lovely tour Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Christie 🙂
Teresa
What a wonderful walk through your home country. Glad to see another part of it
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you Teresa 🙂
Alli Templeton
A fascinating post, Sarah! I’ve never actually been to Hull, and I hadn’t realised it had such an awful reputation as a place to live! However, by the looks of your tour it has quite a lot to redeem it, not least that it was founded by Edward I! I love The Land of Green Ginger (I’m a sucker for quirky street and place names). In fact, with the city’s history, impressive architecture, museums and quirky shops, as well as the minster and St Mary’s church it seems well worth a visit! And what a thought that the spark for the English Civil War was lit in Hull – that alone is enough to put any place on the map! 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Alli 😊 Hull is definitely worth a visit, although probably not a long stay (I was there four nights / three days but only spent one and a bit days exploring Hull itself, the rest of the time was devoted to day trips out of the city). You’d enjoy the old streets and the history associated with them for sure!
bushboy
A wonderful historical town. I like the buildings, the shops and down by the docks. Don’t you love places that are always open….except today
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, loads of history here in Hull’s centre but the rest of the city is less appealing or attractive, partly because of that bombing and partly the decline in traditional industries. I’m glad you enjoyed those aspects Brian, thank you 🙂
restlessjo
When you started out I could see a similarity with my former home town, Hartlepool, and its docklands. Hull’s on a bigger and grander scale, Sarah, and there looks to be plenty to see. I love The Dancer (and its shadow) and arcades always appeal to me. Always good to see a northern town making a comeback. Many thanks, hon. Job well done xx
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, I think several places along that North Sea coast share certain characteristics and challenges. I’d assumed you must have been to Hull at some time. I’m glad you liked the Dancer, I thought she was lovely! Thank you Jo 😊
Anne Sandler
Sarah, thanks for another amazing tour!
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed it – thank you Anne 🙂