England: North Yorkshire : York: York Minster
York Minster is one of the most historic, and important, sightss in Britain and is a "must see" York attraction. It is the largest gothic building in the United Kingdom and seat of the archbishop of York. The spectacular building took 250 years to complete and features a wealth of unique features. If you are visiting the Minster it is well worth grabbing one of the excellent information leaflets and, if you have the time, you should take one of the free guided tours (given by volunteers) to get maximum enjoyment.
York Minster Stained Glass Windows
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One of the most striking things you will notice once inside York Minster is the amount of stained glass, there is simply loads of it. If fact it is estimated that half of the medieval stained glass in England and the west window, part of which is pictured below, is the largest medieval stained glass window in the world.
A Short History Of York Minster
It is generally accepted that the very first incarnation of the building appeared in the form of a wooden chapel at the beginning of the 7th Century. We know that it was used for the baptism of King Edwin of Northumbria in 627. This was replaced by a stone building which was destroyed by the Danes in 1075.
The construction of the first substantial stone building began in 1080 by Thomas of Bayeux, the first Norman archbishop. The Norman church was extended by Archbishop Roger (1154-81) and in 1220 Archbishop Walter de Grey began yhe construction of A South Transept, part of the fabric of which is the oldest surviving part of the Minster, and in 1260 he started on the North Transept.
Further additions and alterations were made over the next couple of hundred years but in 1407 disaster struck when the 13th Century central tower collapsed. Rebuilding work began in 1420 and following the completion of the western towers (1433 & 1472) it was declared complete and was duly consecrated.
During the English Reformation the cathedral suffered some damage but, thankfully, survived but was striped of all evidence of Roman Catholicism. Ensuring that all traces were removed resulted in the loss of some of the windows and alters but even tombs were destroyed in the cleasning process. Worse damage could have been caused during the English Civil War (York fell to Cromwell in 1644) but for the efforts of Thomas fairfax who helped ensure damage was kept to a minimum.
Restoration work on York Minster has been an ongoing process since it began in 1730 when the marble flooring was relaid. Alarmingly, in the 1960s, it was discovered that the central tower was again in danger of collapse and some £2 million was spent on repairing and strengthening the building's foundation. In 1984, following a fire, £2.5 million was spent repairing the roof of the South Transept and in 2007 a massive £23 million project was begun to renovate the east front and the Great East Window.
CONTACT
York Minster Visitors Department
St Williams College
4-5 College Street
York
YO1 7JF
Website: www.yorkminster.org
Email: info@yorkminster.org
Tel: 01904 557216
Fax: 01904 557201
Opening Hours
Opens: 7am
Closes: June-Sept 8.30pm Oct-May 6pm
Hotels Near York Minster
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Guy Fawkes Inn Rooms from: £90.00*
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The Music House by York Minster Serviced Apartments from: £155.00*
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Best Western Dean Court Hotel Rooms from: £85.00*
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Lamb and Lion Inn Rooms from: £89.00*
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Georgian House Rooms from: £70.00*
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