York is a great city to visit. Vibrant, with many ancient and modern attractions, it is easy to while away a week within the city walls, as well as walking on top of them too. The Romans spent some time here after CE 71, naming the town Eboracum. Then the Vikings, who invaded in CE 866, left a strong impression: they named the place Yorvik and left a street plan that still survives today.¹ The Christians left their beautiful small churches and a notable cathedral, the York Minster, which dominates the townscape, its ethereal steeples, like medieval skyscrapers, are markers for the lost.
The interior of the Minster is vast and requires a few return visits. Fortunately, the entrance ticket lasts for one year. You may need binoculars to look at the detail in the stained glass windows, most of which have stories to tell, such as the famous Rose Window, with its combination of red and white roses alluding to the union of the Houses of Lancaster and York by the marriage of Henry VII to Elizabeth of York. ²
Attending Evensong at the Minster, which is held most evenings at 5.15, makes this vast space more meaningful. During August and school holidays, visiting choirs take the place of the regular choir to sing at Evensong. The ritual during Evensong is quite formal and follows the Anglo-Catholic service. During our visit, while trying to stay unaffected by the religious elements that were stark reminders of a discarded childhood indoctrination, I was, nevertheless, anticipating a musical thrill, that quintessential shiver when a piece of performed music enters the soul. During the performance of ‘And I Saw a New Heaven’ ³, just as the conductor, a black caped Harry Potter figure with a shock of grey hair, swayed ecstatically as the choir and pipe organ consummated in heavenly sound, I briefly went to that new heaven. This piece of music is not your typical earworm for a fun holiday abroad, but nevertheless, it’s a moving one and will now always be associated with York. The piece is included below.
¹ http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/timeline
²https://yorkminster.org/geisha/assets/files/fact-sheet-the-principal-windows.pdf
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bainton
And I Saw a New Heaven, by Edgar Bainton
ALMOST ITALIAN 
Such beautiful photos of the Minster Francesca. 🙂
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Thanks, it’s not a an easy church to photograph as everything is so far away. Should have taken my zoom lens in.
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Looks good regardless. 😊
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Absolutely stunning images and story allowing us to be caught up in the moment. Choirs, pipe organs and Cathedrals are just awe-inspiring, provocative and can be very soothing for the soul. What a treat! Loved the vid. Watched it as I was enjoying my SSB sundowner.
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A strange but fitting thing, a boys church choir, a hymn and a sundowner in the Australian tropics.
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Just like a traditional collapsed catholic!
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I’d go back to York in a heartbeat. Magnificent place, kind people. Not sure if they still have guided tours from the city tourist bureau, but the one I took in ’97 was a fantastic and very enlightening experience.
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It is a great place indeed.
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It is quite expensive though, I was shocked, taking in my family was something like 50 pound i recall. Fabulous city though, thoroughly enjoyed the church, the shambles and the walk around the city walls. Lovely photos and Roman history tidbits!
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yes, it would have been expensive for a family. I think it was around 10 pound a ticket. But then, some things are quite costly in Britain, from an Australian perspective, except for food, and fresh vegetables.
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A grand post .. a grand building! I think the binoculars is a brilliant idea. Wonderful photos Francesca …
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Thanks my dear friend.
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So beautiful, I got a shiver myself looking at your photos with the song playing. York is on my ‘to visit’ list next time we are in the U.K.
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Thanks Lisa. York is a great city and has become a popular UK destination. Nice to have a walking city too. Glad you heard that song too Lisa- it’s a weird one to add, I know.
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Another thing we have in common, an atheists love of historical church building, the ritual and the music.
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So many of us atheists love that ritual side of churches- the music the architecture, the showiness of it all. It’s as if being removed from the darker side of it, you can step back and appreciate all that wonder.
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One of my favourite places! Did you go to the subterranean level to see the remains of the Roman fort where Constantine was proclaimed Emperor? I always enjoy the history and the rituals from an atheist point of view. I love the acoustics in cathedrals.
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Yes, went to that part of the wall,
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Chiming in belatedly Francesca to say what an amazing building and piece of music! I can only imaging how sublime it was hearing it live in that space!
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Nice to hear from you Beck and hope all is fine and sunny down under. Yes, it was quite moving, I think you get more attuned to music and how it matches a place or setting when travelling.
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yes all good, ridiculously warm for September of course, so I think Jan won’t be so pleasant…
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