York Minster

model of the roofing system

Beverley Minster-Roof Walk

One of the more unusual features of a visit to Beverley Minster is the Roof Tour. Sure you might have to pay for it and there're 114 (someodd) stairs but it takes you behind the scenes of the cathedral construction like nothing I've been before. You literally are walking above the vaulting (remember this is Late Gothic-these are tall vaults) getting to stare at medieval timbering and a peek at the various caretakers of the cathedral over the years.

 One of the roof windows

 When they were constructing the cathedral additions during the Victorian period, they were building on marshy ground-the sudden change of plans is visible from this half finished clerestory carving rising out of the unfinished roof

some of the lead pieces awaiting roof placement

 the last man-powered treadmill that literally lifts a boss (for transporting material from the church floor to the metal workers workshop)

 

the lifting of the boss

 a look down into the organ

 we're above the saint's burial place actually

 a joke etched on the roof window panes by a 1950s caretaker

 signatures of Beverley town elders and caretakers ranging from 1798 to modern times (in this photo)

medieval pristine timbering

Beverley Minster-Miseriachord

 exquisitely carved entrance

14th century stalls

Beverley Minster-Font

 the whole towering impression

 carved expertly in wood during the Victorian period-having such a cover for the font is just extraordinary

the font itself is very old-possibly Saxon but more probably Norman

Beverley Minster-Music (Organ take 1)

Beverley Minster-Sculpture

 One of the most distinctive things about Beverley Minster is the hundreds of medieval musicians carved along its walls. In fact we owe much of what we know to sculpture such as this.

 Victorian additions to the already impressive legacy of medieval sculpture

 the carving is not just at eye level along the blind arcades but also between each arch of the nave

the fiddler in the nave

Beverley Minster- Vaults

 That boss in the middle of this vault in the middle is very special

 even the ribs used to be brightly painted with blue

painted altar vault

Beverley Minster-Interiors

 nave elevation

 blind arcades along the ambulatories

 Victorian door with 3/4 lifesize figures (this is a huuuuuuge door)

Looking down the Nave

 North ambulatory (this is a pilgrimage church)

 Tomb

 Altar elevation

 I'm actually not sure how to call this: it's behind the altar facing the main window of the nave-an altar screen?

 Threadbare flags in the military chapel