You Are Here – Yorkshire

Starbucks You Are Here Yorkshire is a mug for the County of York, which is the largest historic county in the United Kingdom. For administrative purposes, it is now divided into four ceremonial counties: the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire. You can see all four of them outlined on the back of the mug. Because of the pale color that was chosen for the East Riding of Yorkshire, my initial reaction was that designers somehow missed it. But it’s there, just hardly visible.
On a similar note, it is probably common knowledge for locals, but for me, it was fascinating to learn that the name “York” comes from the Viking name for the City of York, Jórvík, while “shire” is a traditional term for an administrative division of land in Great Britain.
Here are some symbols and points of interest that I was able to identify:
– The emblem of Yorkshire is the White Rose of the English royal House of York. It is very often depicted on a blue background. You can see the white rose on the left side of the front of the mug.
– The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter or simply York Minster is one of the largest cathedrals in Northern Europe. Devoted to Saint Peter, it was completed in 1472 after many years of building. The Central Tower is 235 feet tall, while the Western Towers (you can see them just below the title of the mug) are 196 feet tall.
– Whitby Abbey (the biggest element on the front of the mug) was a 7th-century Christian monastery and Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was located on the cliff overlooking the North Sea and was used as a landmark by sailors at some point in time. The abbey was unfortunately abandoned in the 16th century, but still remains a historic point of interest in the region.
– The flat cap (on the right to the title) originates from Northern England. Traditionally made from tweed or wool it appeared somewhere in the 14th century and was called a bonnet at that time. There is an interesting piece of history related to flat caps in England. In 1571 an Act of Parliament decreed that all men six years old and over (except nobility and the wealthy) had to wear wool caps or hats on Sundays and holidays. The act was meant to increase the woolen trade in Great Britain and encourage domestic use. This law was abolished in 1597, but the flat cap had already become associated as the accessory of a working-class man.
– I cannot but mention the element on the back of the mug: Yorkshire Tea is the most popular traditional black tea brand sold in the UK. It is produced by the Bettys & Taylors Group since 1977.