York Minster Gothic Cathedral in York

Situated in the heart of the city, York Minster is the largest Gothic Cathedral in northern Europe. As is the way with many christian buildings, it was built in the shape of a cross, and faces East, towards Jerusalem. The name "Minster" is derived from the Latin Monastarium, which means "Place of Learning".

Other buildings that graced this location

The first building to grace the site on which the present Minster now stands were military headquarters during Roman occupation. A building of that type during those times is known as a Principia. Constantine the Great was proclaimed as Emperor in 306AD. This happened close to where his bronze statue stands, outside the South Transept. He introduced Christianity to the Roman Empire and was baptised on his deathbed in 337. At least two more stone buildings were here before the present Minster was first commissioned in 1220.

Other churches before the minster

Before the Minster the first church here was a wooden structure, built in 627 for the baptism of the King Edwin of Northumbria, following his marriage to a Christian. This was replaced after his death by a stone Minster, in 633, and was dedicated to St Peter. St Peter was a disciple of Christ and was entrusted with the job of keeper of the keys (to heaven). This is why the Cross Keys are very often to be seen incorporated into decorative work around the City and in the Minster.

Huge and detailed stained glass windows

The stained glass windows of the Minster are huge, it would be a good idea to take binoculars if you want to see the finer detail, the stonework and tracery; and to examine the historical events and biblical stories contained and preserved in this building for hundreds of years. If you are visiting with children a pen and notepad might also help to make it more interesting for them especially when in the East End.

Enter through the South Transept

As you enter the building through the door of the South Transept, you will be facing the North Transept, the East end is to your right, the West to your left. A ramp is in place outside the door to allow wheelchair access. Most of the Minster is accessable to all. As you go in you will be given a map to help you find your way around.

The North and South Transepts are separated by the Lantern Tower where you can look up, or use the mirror, to see the incredible workmanship of the interior of the central tower.

South Transept

The South Transept is home to the Rose window, the circular window above the South Door. The centre of this window depicts a sunflower, surrounded by 24 panels containing alternate red and white roses. This signifies the end of the 'War of the Roses' with the marriage of Elizabeth of York to the Lancastrian King Henry V11 in 1486. This transept was badly damaged in the fire of 1984, the cause being a lightening strike. The fire destroyed the roof of the transept, but fortunately the Rose window could be carefully restored and strengthened. The roof and vaulting had to be replaced, within the bosses of the new roof are six designs by children who won a competition run by the BBC's Blue Peter programme.

Here are the entrances to the undercroft, and the steps up to the tower. The top of the central tower is open to the public and gives a magnificent view of York, for miles on a clear day. Unfortunately it is not advisable for anyone who is claustrophobic or unfit to tackle the 279 spiral steps to get there. Alternatively you can go down to the undercroft to see the supports of the central tower and Roman remains, Norman remains and many artefacts relating to periods pre-dating the present Cathedral.

North Transept

The North Transept is dominated by the Five Sisters window, together the five slender lancet windows form the largest lancet window in the world, it dates at c.1260 when the Transept was built. It is filled with Grisaille glass, a French term used to describe the Grey/silver colour, and is decorated with leaves of the Geum plant which was a plant often used in the middle ages as it was believed to have healing qualities. The window features in the Charles Dickens novel 'Nicholas Nickleby' and there are a few translations of the story about a vision of five sisters sewing being the origin of the name for this window. It became the memorial to the women of the Great war who lost their lives, and later to the women who died in the second World war.

Also in the North Transept is the Hindley Clock, made by a local clockmaker in 1749. The two oak carved figures, called 'quarter jacks' (because they strike the quarter hour), are called Gog and Magog and are estimated to be more than 400 years old.

West End

The Minster's West End is divided into a south and north aisle with the Nave in the middle. The West Window is also known as the Heart of Yorkshire because the tracery in the upper part of the window forms the shape of a heart. Worth seeing in the west wing, especially for those who have been searching for animals, is the monkeys funeral. Situated in the North aisle, three windows back from the North Transept, it is formally known as the Pilgrimage window. Bottom left in the border can be seen the procession of monkeys carrying a coffin, also in the border is a fox stealing a chicken, a dog chasing a stag, a cockerel reading a lesson and various other animals. I have only scrapped the surface of the history and contents of the Minster of York, but I hope I have given you enough of interest to get you started! York Minster is a joy to see, inside and out, in summer with the sun on the windows, or illuminated on a winters evening.

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