The stories of four York residents, the part they played in the religious and political upheavals in Yorkshire and the influence they had on Europe and the World.

EBORACUM was the Roman name for York. In the first millennium AD, York was influential in the creation of a Christian Culture in Europe, through Alcuin’s pen and the sword of Constantine.

Alcuin was a scholar, clergyman, poet, and teacher from York. He was born around 735AD and became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert at York. At the invitation of Charlemagne, he became a leading scholar and teacher at the Carolingian Court. Alcuin was considered to be one of the most important intellectual architects of the Carolingian Renaissance.

Constantine was a Roman emperor who took the throne while in York in AD 306. He later converted to Christianity and effectively established the Roman Catholic Church. The cover of 'Eborockem’ features a statue of Constantine situated in front of York Minster.

A few hundred years after the Romans left and as Christianity gained a foothold, York suffered a setback when the pagan Eric Bloodaxe invaded. Bloodaxe became King of Norway on the death of his father; he was also made King of Northumbria and he lived in a palace in York. From this point on, York and Northumbria were part of a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom. Before Bloodaxe’s reign, the Vikings had attacked The Holy Island of Lindisfarne. News of the attack reached Alcuin, who was aghast at the atrocity.

However, once Christianity was established, its different factions were soon at war. Another of York’s famous sons, Guido Fawkes, became involved in a plot to assassinate King James I, so that a Catholic monarch could take the throne. He was subsequently executed. On Guy Fawkes Night, 5 November, his old school, St Peters, refrains from burning a 'guy' on their bonfire as per English tradition, as Fawkes was an ‘Old Peterite’ (alumnus).


EBOROCKEM tells the story of four famous residents of this great city.

This selection features a new song, 'Alcuin' plus 3 tracks, remastered and remixed, with additional instrumentation and vocals, from 2 of Tim’s earlier albums. Two from 'Yorkshire Through the Ages': ‘Guido’ and Bloodaxe’ plus 'Constantine' from 'Yorkshire through the Ages' volume 2'.