The Foundation of York Minster

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The Cathedral of York is said to have been originally founded on the site of a primitive and temporary church or oratory by Paulinus, afterwards the first archbishop of the see, as early as the year 627.

After being at subsequent intervals completed, repaired, rebuilt, and adorned, it was destroyed by fire in 741, and was rebuilt by Egbert, the seventh archbishop. It was, however, afterwards destroyed by the Danes.

Thomas, chaplain to William the Conqueror, and twenty-fifth Archbishop of York, acquired the title of the fifth founder of the cathedral, by rebuilding on a grander scale than had perviously been attempted. But again the edifice was destroyed by fire in 1137.

The building that was destined to be permanent was commenced in 1171 by Arch bishop Roger, who rebuilt and completed the choir and crypt on the site of similar erections of an earlier time. This crypt is the earliest portion of the existing cathedral.

The southern transept was commenced by Archbishop Walter Grey in 1227; the northern transept was completed by John le Romain in 1260, and the tower of the cathedral was at the same time commenced; the foundation of the nave was laid in 1291; the foundation of the present choir was laid in 1361; the lantern tower was rebuilt at about the same time; and other parts of the building were finished under Archbishop Bowett, in the reign of Henry the Fourth.

The elegant Chapter House, often ascribed to Archbishop Grey (John and Henry III.), is probably of a more recent date, as many of the details of this part of the structure closely resemble those of portions of the cathedral founded at the close of the thirteenth century. On one of the Chapter House pillars the following Latin sentence is inscribed in golden letters "Ut Rosa Flos Florum, sic est Domus Ista Domorum."

Next page: The Fire of 1829

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