Lantern Tower

Behind the red brick is the lantern tower of All Saints' Church on Pavement. One of 8 churches noted in Doomesday, a local story has St Cuthbert consecrated Bishop of Lindisfarne in this church in 685AD. The tower was built in the early 15th century and the lantern is still lit from dusk to dawn

Tiles and Textures

Terracotta can be used to make many things from plant pots to warriors. Often it is used to make roof tiles, always surprises me how many shades of terracotta you can find if you look closely.

Bell Ringer

This fine wooden memorial to Ron Dove hangs in a local church. Between 1950 and 1994 he made it his business to visit and ring bells in almost all the ringable towers left. A ringing outing to a new church is known as a 'Tower Grab'. Apps now exist to help you locate and log places where you may ring bells away from your home tower.

Blue Sky

The church tower of St Martin on Coney street, with that rarest of sights this summer a deep blue sky in the background.
Taking part in Skywatch Friday

Vespers by candle light

Here are the subjects of the last two posts shown together. These colours are for real as the church was specially lit one evening by a group specialising in eclesiastical light shows. It was almost death by incense for the photographer however as the cleric swinging the thurible was very enthusiastic. That is clouds of incense making everything look slightly fuzzy not smoke!
I should add that the singing was beautiful and very atmospheric in this mediaeval church.

St William

This is the statue supported by the wall waif in yesterdays post. It is a 15th century wood carving thought to be of St William of York. It looks to have been laid face down for some time judging by the damage to the front of the carving. Wherever it was hidden it was kept  safe from the religious turmoils of the time and allowed it's survival into the present day.

Wall Waif

This tiny figure, of which only the hands arms and head are visible, seems to be pushing himself out of the stone pillar. Above him and supported by his head is a shelf containing a 15th century wooden carving believed to be of St William of York. The candles were lit for evening vespers in this very 'high' Anglican church, and although the nave and choir were  beautifully illuminated with coloured lights for festival week this small scene was what caught my eye. Come back tomorrow to see the statue supported by this wall waif.

To see other monchrome images visit Weekend in Black and White

Windows and Doors

I took this picture as I was leaving the church. The shape of the glass in the door mirrored the window, and I liked the contrast between the stained glass figures in the window and the real figures on the busy street. 
I later discovered the glass in this window is the oldest in the church dating from the  fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centurys. Three of the main figures are thought to be St William, the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and St Helen. Opinion is divided on the identity of the kingly figure on the right, some suggest Edward the Confessor, others that it is Helen's son, the Emperor Constantine.

York Chinese Church

This is the interior of St Helen's church at the corner of Stonegate. It is a Church of England parish church founded around 1000 years ago. The fabric of the church is basically14th & 15th century but the present layout of the nave dates from 1858. This was the parish church of the glass painters and contains mediaeval as well as more modern stained glass. The Sunday service is in Mandarin and English and led by York Chinese Church.

Family Tragedy

Situated in the grounds of St Lawrence's Church is this once impressive tomb covered in symbolic carvings. The inscription had faded to be unreadable and I was moved to find out a little more about it. It is a monument to 6 children of the Rigg family drowned in a boating accident on the River Ouse on August 19th 1830. Their rowing boat met a another boat in full sail near Acomb landing and collided with it. The whole party was thrown into the water and in an age when few people were taught to swim only two - Thomas Sellers and 9 year old Jessie - survived. Ann (19), Eliza (17), Thomas (18),  John (16), James (7) and Charles (6) all drowned. 
The citizens of York, stunned by the scale of the tragedy to hit one family subscribed to the monument, a picture of which taken around 1900 when was still in good repair, can be seen here.
After finding out about the tomb I understood why the churchyard here had seemed such a very sad place.

St Lawrence Victorian Church

This is the Victorian replacement of the original 14^th century St Lawrence's church in the previous posts. The tower featured earlier this week is now in the grounds of this church.  This large church is also now disused, and although I usually enjoy a wander around old churchyards I found this one to have a rather brooding melancholic feel as I walked amongst the trees and gravestones.

Sagittarius Rising

A worn capital on St Lawrence's Church tower has been replace by a newly carved relief showing the astrological sign of Sagittarius the Archer on the right, and three further figures. I have included the unrestored capital next to it in the picture as a contrast to the repair. There is no indication who is responsible for this skillfully carved new addition, although a notice on the other side of the tower indicates it is maintained by the Redundant Churches Fund.

Impressive Doorway

This is a closer look at the impressive doorway to yesterday's church tower. Originally this was the entrance to the Nave. According to Pevsner it is a reset Norman doorway with a middle order of arch decoration showing Sagittarius on one capital, and on the others the Angus Dei and a monster. One of the stone columns and it's capital on the right hand side have been replaced fairly recently. A closer look at this tomorrow.

St Lawrence's church tower

Surrounded by the trees on Lawrence Street all that remains of St Lawrence’s medaeval church is the Norman tower. Late 12^th century lower storeys, 13^th century windows above and 15^th century battlement on top. Sir Thomas Fairfax was married in this church as was St John Vanbrugh.

Longevity genes

In an age when the average lifespan was 40 years or less these two ladies must have been remarkable indeed. Their memorial can still be seen in St Helen’s Church.

Their affectionate nephew was an apothecary who practiced in Blake Street and was Lord Mayor of York in 1796.

Insect House

Insects will make use of any little nook or cranny to lay eggs in or to hibernate through the winter. We are encouraged to provide refuges for useful insects such as bees and ladybirds now that many modern buildings resemble hermetically sealed plastic boxes. I was delighted to find this fine example of an insect house in a churchyard in the centre of York recently. I do worry about where those bones came from though…………………..

Guy Fawkes & Bonfire Night

The church is St Michael-le-Belfrey, it is wholly Tudor and was built between 1525 and 1536 although the west front has a Victorian facade.

Guy Fawkes was baptised here on April 15^th 1570, he probably lived just around the corner in Stonegate, and he attended St Peter’s School in York. In 1604 he became involved in a plot to assassinate the Protestant King, James I. Fawkes along with a small group of English Catholics led by Robert Catesby, planned to blow up James as he attended the state opening of the Houses of Parliament on November 5^th.

The plot was foiled, and Fawkes who was discovered with 36 barrels of gunpowder in the House of Lords cellar, was tortured and then executed for treason. On November 5^th 1605 Londoners were encouraged to celebrate the King's escape from assassination by lighting bonfires. A tradition which continues throughout the UK today with fireworks and effigies of a "Guy" burnt on a bonfire.

The pupils of St Peter's school also enjoy fireworks on Nov 5th but never ever burn a guy. "We do not burn Old Boys" as one Headteacher memorably stated. The school has also recently named their virtual learning environment iFawkes.

Knocking on Heaven's Door

This is the door knocker of All Saints’ church on Pavement. It is thought to date from the 12 century and is known as a Doom. It shows a man being swallowed whole by a beast. Anyone being pursued by the authorities could claim sanctuary by holding on to the ring of the door knocker….. it does look well-used!