Inspiration to the paintings

 

The impressive, gothic building was designed to be full of light and colour on the inside.

The intended culture was to be of Remembrance, Celebration and Prayer, which is still evident today.

 

The path from the Great West Doors  through to the East echoes the story of Salvation.

It is a vast, high space in which the visitor is enticed to look upwards, thus lifting the eyes in hope and wonderment and the expectation of better things to come.

 

The exterior of the building is designed to impress and also to raise heads of any passer-by. Close up, there are numerous gargoyles and statues to gaze at. Further away,  travellers can see vast amounts of intricate spires.

 

It is difficult to travel to York and walk along the delightful, cobbled streets without ones attention being swayed towards York Minster. Try it!

 

 

Brief History of York Minster:

 

A 'Minster' is the Anglo Saxon name for a missionary church. The official name for York Minster is the 'Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York'.

It is an Anglican Cathedral and the largest medieval, Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.

It's origins as a place of worship can be traced back to Roman Times:

• 71 AD The Roman City of Eboracum was founded

• 306 AD Emperor Constantine built the Basilica which can still be seen in the Undercroft

• 1080 AD Archbishop Thomas of Bayeux starts to build a stone cathedral  on the site of the Roman Basilica

• 1472 AD York Minster was consecrated

• today a huge stone and glass window restoration project is underway