The Loos of York: 1

When we were in France in 2003, our daughter's English teacher remarked to her class that in England there were a lot of public toilets because they drink so much tea there and therefore they were always in need.  This may or may not be true, but what is true is that there are a lot of excellent public facilities in English towns, and York has its share. They even give out awards for distinguished loos, the loo of the year award was awarded to the men's loo at Ely cathedral.  So from time to time I'll introduce the readership to a loo in York.

Bootham Bar with Minster behind. Loo under steps to right.

The first one has to be the Bootham Bar loo, which occupies the ground floor of Bootham Bar, the western gate to the city.  Bootham Bar is now a medieval gate with an excellent barbican upstairs, but it was built on the roman gate that has been there since the first century CE.  It isn't known if there were always facilities in the gatehouse.