The magnificent York Minster in York, England, is a wonderful place to visit on a trip to England, and very accessible for travellers with disabilities or special needs. Established as a missionary church, or minster, in 627 A.D., according to York Minster's website, it was a modest wooden building. Through fire, war and rebuilding, it became a leading English historic site. As the Mother Church to the Diocese of York, York Minster is a cathedral - home church of the Archibishop of York..
The History of the York Minster Building
The small wooden church built for the baptism of the Anglo-Saxon king Edwin expanded and by 1069, was a "quite large stone church". The history given on the York Minster website then says, "This church was badly damaged when York was captured by the Normans in 1069."
The famous Norman conquest of England is well-connected in popular history to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the Conqueror from Normandy in France defeated King Harold II of England near England's south coast. In the following years, the Normans advanced to the north of England, where many bloody and brutal events in the history of England unfolded.
Peaceful York Minster today gives little indication of the northern uprisings and revolts against the Normans, but the architecture tells some of the tale. Today's building is mainly thought of as Gothic in style, the product of years of additions and alterations, on a grand scale from 1220 to 1472. The modern York Minster gradually replaced the Norman church of 1080 - now a mere relic.
What to See at York Minster
In York Minster, heavy, solid stone appears weightless. The light filtering through the magnificent stained glass windows - some dating back to the 1200s - evokes spirituality. Every nook and cranny has some carving, some detail, something ancient and lasting.
This tangible history is rarely found in North America, which is one reason it's so popular to visit great churches in Europe, even for travellers who never go to church at home.
The Great East Window
The "largest single expanse of medieval [stained] glass in England" is also a notable piece of English art history. As the York Minster website's detailed history of the building explains, John Thornton of Coventry was paid 56 pounds for creating this window. The work went on from 1405 to 1408 - and the contract included bonuses for delivering satisfactory work, on time. The Great East Window is "the earliest known work of English art by a named artist", says the York Minster website.
Accessible Visits to York Minster
York Minster strives to make all visitors welcome and comfortable. There is access for persons with wheelchairs or reduced mobility, for persons with perceptual impairments, and for those with learning difficulties. Beyond the physical layout of the place, the interpretive material and signage is meant to be inclusive.
A Less Stressful Alternative to London
York and York Minster are likely to be less crowded than the better-known Westminster Abbey in London. While perhaps less famous, for those who want to visit historic sites in England without the sometimes hectic pace of a London trip, York Minster is a very good choice.
A Spiritual Place
York Minster is a living, active Anglican (Church of England) church with regular services. Tourists do not have to participate, but are welcome to worship if they wish.
All on-line references were current at the time this article was originally published on Suite101.com.
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