York Minster Looking East from the Nave

Visited 18-20 March, 2006

The west view of the Nave is dominated by the great West Window; Looking east, its the Choir Screen with the Organ rising off-center above it, and finally the great East Window several hundred feet away.  The Nave took seventy years to build and its bright windows were a significant improvement over the dark Norman cathedral it replaced.  By design, the new nave is twice the size as the Norman building.  Besides being the widest Gothic nave in England, it is also the second tallest.  

Excuse the chairs; they're removed in January each year for pictures.  The aisled nave took over 70 years to build, partly because some of the leading craftsmen died in the Black Death plague.  Note above and below (at 11 o'clock position) the Dragon's head used, probably, as a pulley to lift the baptismal font cover.  The crests above the aisle arches represent the coats of arms of the nobles who assisted Edward I in his Scottish incursions.  

See More Minster Pictures: Previous: Nave Looking West | Next: Cuthbert Chapel | York Minster Picture Index
Created on 19 September 2006
For more narrative on York, see our summary web page by clicking here.

 


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