Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate is one of the smallest streets in York, England, if not the smallest. It is between Colliergate and Fossgate and intersects Pavement and the Stonebow in York city centre. It is currently a length of raised pavement between St Crux church hall and a small road junction.

End of Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate
Remnants of iron fence bars in Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate. Such public property fences were sawed for the iron and recycled during the Second World War.

The start of Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

First recorded in 1505 as Whitnourwhatnourgate, literally "Neither whit nor what street" (with archaic English gate, meaning street), the name could mean either "Nothing at all" or "Neither one thing nor the other";[1][2] though a plaque at the site gives the meaning "What a street!" In 17th and 18th century documents the alternative name Salvey Rents or Salvegate is also found.[1]

1½ Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma is the title of a novel by York author Martyn Clayton.[3]

References
  1. "Houses: Swinegate—Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate". An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in City of York. British History Online.
  2. Butterfield, David. "British street names: short, simple and unpretentious". The Spectator.
  3. Clayton, Martyn (2011). Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma. Lulu. ISBN 978-1-4461-3426-9.


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