Beverley Minster
The Beverley Minster in Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire is a former monastery church and, since 1550, the church of the Anglican Parish of St. John and St. Martin .
history
John of Beverley , Bishop of York , founded a monastery on the site of today's cathedral. When he died in Beverley in 721, he was buried in a chapel in what was then the Saxon church. His worship and miraculous healings attributed to him led to canonization in 1037 . The Saxon church was followed by a Norman one. When the crowds of pilgrims required a larger church, a new church, the present day church, began to be built around the tomb of St. John in the 13th century. There are three Gothic construction phases:
- From 1220 to 1260, the eastern part of the church was built in the Early Gothic (Early English Style), i.e. the choir and transept, and north of the choir and east of the north transept that was built during the Reformation under Edward VI. Octagonal construction, demolished in 1550 (the stone staircase to the former chapter house is still in the church).
- From 1309 to 1349 the three-aisled nave was added in the High Gothic (Decorated Style), the
- in the late Gothic 1380 to 1425 in the Perpendicular style and completed with a west facade.
The main entrance of the 102 m long church, the "Highgate Gate", is located approximately in the middle of the north side of the nave.
Furnishing
- The gate of the western entrance dates from the 18th century and shows the four evangelists carved in wood . Nicholaus Hawksmoor provided the design for this.
- In the western area of the south side of the nave there is a baptismal font that was created around 1170 from Frosterley marble and comes from the Romanesque predecessor church. The wooden canopy over the basin was carved in the 18th century.
- Two statues cast from lead, which originally stood at the entrance to the choir, are now placed as wooden replicas in the south aisle opposite the Highgate gate. They represent the church patron St. John and the Saxon king Athelstan , who after a victory over the Danes in 937 is said to have given the church of St. John rich in gratitude with privileges.
- The grave of St. John, covered by a stone slab with gold inscription, is in the middle of the central nave at its eastern end. To the left of this is an 18th century pulpit; a lectern is opposite by the south aisle.
- The church houses a total of 70 mediaeval musicians made of stone and wood with 20 different instruments, some of which were damaged during the Reformation and later restored.
- The main or communion altar in the crossing dates from 1970.
- The three chapels of the south transept are regimental chapels of the East Yorkshire Regiment, which commemorate the dead of the two world wars.
- The minster's souvenir and book shop is located in the north transept.
- The choir stalls consist of 68 choir stalls from the early 16th century; they are decorated with carvings. Each seat has its own carved misericord. The canopies were added in the 18th century and the statues in the early 20th century. To the left of the altar is the Anglo-Saxon "Frith Stool" (8th century; bishop's chair?).
- An organ by John Snetzler was placed in front of the choir stalls in the west in 1769 ; the organ prospectus was carved out of oak by James Elwell in 1880 according to a design by Gilbert Scott .
- In the northern area of the choir you can find the Percy Chapel, built in 1490, with the stone, figure-adorned Percy grave canopy, built between 1340 and 1349, a masterpiece of the High Gothic. A lady from the noble family of Percy was probably buried here.
- In the middle ages the relics of St. John could be venerated in the back choir . New windows were installed here in 2004 and newer works of art were installed. Only the east window still contains remains of medieval stained glass.
literature
- Beverley Minster - a testimony of faith - yesterday, today and tomorrow. [Info sheet], 4 pages DIN A4
Web links
Coordinates: 53 ° 50 ′ 21.5 " N , 0 ° 25 ′ 28.3" W.