Surprising Facts About York Minster
Heard about these 5 Surprising Facts about the York Minster Before?
The York Minster’s Gothic look dates back to the 13th century. Find out surprises it keeps inside its historic walls
The York Minster is one of England’s most famous cathedrals. It’s the tallest structure in the historic charming city of York.
The current minster is a Gothic structure dating back to the 13th century. In its long history it’s seen many tumultuous times. As you see this tall Minster today, it is dressed in a clock of serenity and tranquility. What are 5 surprises it hides? Find out:
Fancy Masons Marks
If you’ve got good observation skills, you’ll be able to spot some marks on York Minster’s walls. My observation isn’t as sharp as yours, so I haven’t seen them.
What are mason marks?
Masons constructing the minster would carve out their unique symbol on each piece of stone they’d add. This wasn’t some artist signing his work. In fact these marks helped the manager count how many stones each mason had worked on. He would then pay the masons their daily wage accordingly.
Similar marks have been found on other heritage sites as well. Meaning that the same masons travelled to various construction sites.
A Hidden Church
The beginnings of a church at this same spot go back to 627 AD. This early church was destroyed and a new Norman church was built between 1080 to 1100 AD. This Norman church too had pretty much vanished. All that archeologists could find was the 13th century parts of the York Minster we admire today.
In the 1960s, surveyors were shocked to discover their beloved Minster was sinking into its foundations because of its heavy central tower. To save it, they had to carefully dig into the foundations and see where the problem was.
I guess they wouldn’t have known the treasure they would uncover. A secret the Minster hid for centuries: its Norman church.
You can see the foundations of this old church in the Undercroft museum today. It’s an exciting museum indeed.
The Famed Stained Glass
Have you got a soft spot for Stained glass? I do because its fun to see the colourful patterns it makes on the floors.
If you are as fascinated with stained glass, York Minster has much to offer. Its collection is vast and exquisite.
The Rose Window has Tudor roses painted on it along with the Red rose representing the House of Lancaster. Tudors are perhaps, England’s most famous dynasty and they hailed from the house of Lancaster.
The 5 Sisters Window is also a beauty. It has 5 lancet windows originally made in the 1200s. Between the two World Wars, this window was rededicated to the women from the British Empire who laid down their lives in the First World War. This window received a grand inauguration by the Duchess of York, the current Queen’s mother.
And lastly the Great Western Window, with its tracery in a shape of a heart called the Heart of Yorkshire, captures everyones delight. It’s the size of a tennis court and the largest expanse of medieval (14th century) stained glass in the country!
A Stupid Man Set Fire to York Minster
Records say Jonathan Martin was a regular church goer. He loved the York Minster too. One day after sermons, he hid himself inside the Minster and waited for night to fall.
Martin then probably went berserk because he set fire to the quire! It was 1st February, 1829. The fire burned the roof down destroying the quire’s beautiful medieval paneling, stalls and the Grand Organ!
No one knows why Jonathan Martin set the fire but it surely destroyed a bit of the York Minster’s history.
That was not the last fire at the Minster but the only one deliberately set.
It’s Got its Own Police Force
After reading about the Fire, you’d know why they had to establish a police force. The police force was established in the same year, 1829.
To this day, the York Minster Police Force remains very unique to England. The only other church to have its own police force is the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
This police force has its own uniform. And if I got my math correct, is a team of 10.
PC: Police via Flickr
Do you any other surprising facts about York Minster? Comment them below, cause it’ll be fun to know what this Minster hides.
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Want to read more?
Here’s a Podcast on the York Minster itself!
Have you heard about Britain’s Salisbury Cathedral? Read about it here.
If you are interested in Churches, here’s an interesting church in Goa, India
St Cajetan Church
And the Viceroy’s arch besides it
Bibliography
Official website of York Minster
Cathedral Constables
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