 By the time of the Minster fire , the Corporation of York ( the body responsible for local government ) was already engaged in a debate about the future of the city 's defensive walls . The walls no longer served any practical purpose and were expensive to maintain , and with the population of the city rising rapidly the city was becoming cramped and dangerous . The city gates ( " Bars " ) had become a public health hazard given the number of locals using them as toilets , and theft of stone for other building works had left parts of the walls dangerously unstable . The Bars restricted stagecoaches , meaning York was unable to capitalise on its strategic position halfway along the lucrative London – Edinburgh route . Faced with the need to clear the city 's slums , in 1800 the Corporation sought permission from Parliament to demolish the Bars and much of the walls . Owing to opposition from York Minster the scheme was abandoned , but by 1826 the barbicans of four of the gates had been demolished . In the face of this a public campaign to save the walls was launched in 1824 , but attention on both sides of the debate was diverted by the Minster fire . In 1828 Etty had written to his mother expressing horror at the demolition proposals , but distracted by the need to complete Sleeping Nymph and Satyrs was unable to take any action himself . By 1831 the Corporation had decided to demolish the barbicans but to retain and restore the walls . 
