Location York

The towers and spires of the churches add much to the charm of the city. Though the churches are small, they are full of interesting objects. The earliest work is the tower of St. Mary, Bishophill Junior, which exhibits all the features of pre-Conquest architecture. St. Mary's, Castlegate, possesses an extremely in­teresting stone of the eleventh century, recording that, "This Minster was set up by Eferaud and Grim and Ǽse in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and St. Mary and St. Martin and St. Cuthbert and All Saints and was consecrated in the year -"

The old church of St. Lawrence, with the exception of the tower, has been taken down and a new church erected on an adjoining site. Sir John Vanbrugh, the dramatist and architect of Blenheim and Castle Howard, was married in the old church. The door­way to the nave has been preserved and rebuilt as the tower doorway. This beautiful example of Norman work forms the subject of one of the pic­tures. The tower is now the only relic of the eight churches that formerly stood within the area of the present parish. During the siege of York in the seventeenth century, this churchyard formed the base of the Parliamentarian attack on Walmgate Bar, three thousand men being engaged. As a consequence, the church was demolished, but subsequently rebuilt. The quaint parish stocks are within the churchyard gates. 

The three Norman doorways of York are all curiously enough in the Walmgate district. The nave of St. Denis was taken down in 1798; the aisled choir and a modern tower now form the church. The old Norman doorway to the nave was rebuilt with square pilasters instead of shafts and forms the new entrance. In the north aisle was buried Henry, Earl of Northumberland, who fell at Towton. Percy's Inn, an old palace of the Earls of Northumberland, stood opposite the church. 

The finest Norman door­way is that at St. Margaret's Church. The arch is of four orders, adorned with the signs of the Zodiac. The piers have a double chevron and carved imposts, whilst the shafts have carved caps. The gable is surmounted with a crucifix. 

Most of the churches were rebuilt or extended during the fifteenth century. Many are famous for mediaeval painted glass. All Saints, North Street, has some early fourteenth-century glass. Amongst later work is a window illustrating the poem The Prick of Conscience by Richard Rolle of Hampole. It depicts the last fifteen days of the world, and under each panel are two lines of the poem. Another window depicts the "Corporal Acts of Mercy". At St. John's are portrayed events in the life of the Baptist, while at St. Michael's, Spurriergate, the "Nine Choirs of Angels" are represented. 

In St. Martin's, Coney Street, the west window, painted in 1447, illus­trates the life of St. Martin. The clerestory con­tains fine figures of the four Doctors of the church, the four Evangelists, and Saints Barbara, Catherine, Wilfrid, and Denis. The east window at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, is dated 1470. The five lights contain figures of St. George, the Baptist, the Holy Trinity which is represented as Our Father in Pity, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Christopher, with subject panels below. In another window is depicted St. Olaf.

Of the monastic churches, the nave of the alien Benedictine Priory of the Holy Trinity in Micklegate is still in use, it having been converted into a parish church. Adjoining the Rectory is a half-timbered house, still bearing the inn sign "Jacob's Well"; it is now the Parish Room. It was in the year 1472 the residence of two of the chantry priests of the Priory Church. After the Dissolution it was pur­chased by Isabel Ward, the last prioress of the Benedictine Nunnery of Clementhorpe, who lived in it until her death in 1569. 

York from the beginning of the fourteenth century to the end of the eighteenth was famous for its church-bell founding. The later founders were Old-field, Smith, Seller, and Daiton, and many of their bells hang in the turrets and towers throughout the northern counties. St. Mary, Bishophill Junior, pos­sesses two fourteenth-century bells, one is inscribed in Gothic capitals and bears a stamp with a figure of the Baptist. The other inscription is in bold black letter and bears a beautiful stamp of the Annun­ciation. 

York was also renowned for the work of its gold-and silver-smiths. Much of the church plate is York made, and is principally of the sixteenth and seven­teenth centuries. It bears the York mark-half fleur de lys and half leopard head. Amongst the makers of church plate were George Mangy, William Busfield, and Marmaduke Best who made the gold loving-cup.