york

from last Spring, moving to Drupal blog

Continuing with York sightseeing...
 

St. Helen's Church
 

Walking through the streets of York, on the way to the Minster.
 

Memorial to Yorkshire soldiers in the Army who gave their lives in South Africa, 1899-1902

St. Michael le Belfry, located directly across the street from York Minster

The Dean's Park, behind York Minster
 

A neat old Citroen parked just outside the Minster grounds

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The Shambles, a narrow, winding street that reminds me of "Diagon Alley" in Rowling's Potter novels

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Saturday Market

Chocolate Heaven! 

A street musician entertains the crowd in a small square near The Shambles.

At the Sign of the Prancing Mouse

Merchants Hall, with the huge arms sculpted and painted over the front door.

(from April, 2009)

Having completed my first week of teaching in Manchester, UK, I decided to get away from that city over the weekend and explore a place I've wanted to explore for years: York. 

York was originally a Roman city, constructed at the confluence of the Ouse and Foss rivers.  It became a "walled city" in medieval times and was almost made the capital of England.  It's also the seat of the Archbishop of York, who, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury, are the two "Primates" of the Church of England.  The most significant building in York (and the largest tourist attraction) is the cathedral, York Minster.  York Minster rates a YatTravel post all its own, so these are about the city proper.

I took the train to York, departing from Altrincham, taking Northern Rail from there to the Manchester Picadilly station, and changing trains to the cross-country train whose ultimate destination was Newcastle. My hotel was a Premier Inn just two blocks from the train station.

The Windmill, where I had dinner Friday and Saturday nights. The Premier Inn's main entrance is just to the left of the yellow pub. The hotel wraps around behind The Windmill.

After dinner and relaxation on Friday evening, I woke up Saturday morning ready to explore York. I entered the city through the MickelBar, one of the remaining gates in the medieval city wall:

Those crosses at the top of the gate aren't there for religious reasons, they're slits in the tower where an archer can aim a bow out and cut down would-be attackers.

The shield right above the archway is that of the Archbishop of York. The arms in the center at the top of the tower are those of Richard II. Below Richard's helm and shield are two shields bearing the arms of the City of York: St. George's Cross with the five lions of England superimposed on the cross.

View of MickelBar from the inside of the wall. The arms on the shield are those of the Kings and Queens of England from Henry IV to Elizabeth I.

MonkBar, the second of three remaining gates in the medieval wall.  The arms are those of the Kings of England including James I, Charles I, Charles II, and James II, with two shields bearing the York arms below.

Visitors are able to climb up into the two towers and walk along the wall from MonkBar to MickelBar.

Looking out over the wall. The sign on the building across the street is for "Bile Beans," a laxative product popular from the turn of the 19th Century until the 1930s. The sign has been on the wall since the 1930s, and is now properly preserved.

The River Ouse, on the western side of the city.

(from my trip to the UK last spring)

Continued from York Minster, Part 1

Wooden model of the Minster.  The floor plan shows the cross-shape of the church, with the octagonal chapter house off to the left.

The ceiling of the Chapter House, an octagonal chamber off to the side of the main church. The Chapter traditionally is the "management" of a cathedral or abbey.

The Celestial Clock that is the main feature of the Royal Air Force Memorial.

Colours of laid-up RAF units.

Chapel of the 33rd Regiment of Foot, later the Duke of Wellington's Regiment

A colour of the 33rd Foot, dating to the 1840s.

Other colours of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment

York Minster, looking from the west

I've already written about my weekend in York, but York Minster was my main motivation for going to the old city.

These two photos are of the western side of the Minster. A "Minster"
is a church attached to a monastery or monastic community. York Minster
is also a cathedral, being the seat of the Archbishop of York, who is
Primate of England. (The official name of the church is Cathedral and
Metropolitan Church of St Peter.)

One enters the Minster from
the south side, where there is a lobby and then ticket booths where one
pays admission. I gladly paid the full admission for all attractions,
but now I'm wondering if you just want to go worship, would they
charge, don't know.

The church's interior. York Minster is a classic, cruciform, Gothic cathedral, one of the largest of its kind.

One
of the many lovely stained-glass windows inside. This one is near the
Western entrance. The close-up is St. Christopher carrying the Infant
Jesus.

Like Manchester Cathedral,
York Minster has several side chapels dedicated to Regiments of the
British Army. This one, the chapel of St. John The Evangelist, is
dedicated to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
The KOYLI was formed from the amalgamation of the 51st and 105th
Infantry Regiments. In 1968, they were merged into The Light Infantry.
In 2007, the LI merged with The Royal Green Jackets to form The Rifles.

KOYLI colours "laid up" in the chapel. The Union Jack is the "King's Colour" and the green flag is the "Regimental Colour."

Lovely St. Michael statue dedicated to fallen officers of the KOYLI

Stained glass window in the chapel, featuring the badge of the KOYLI (close-up).

(continued in Part 2)

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