ST MARY'S CHURCH

BEVERLEY

PLAN & BRIEF NOTES

Unlike the Minster, St. Mary's church owes its great architectural interest to having been developed through 400 years of almost continual building, from about 1120 to 1530. The church contains architectural treasure, and the following brief notes are intended to help the visitors to see a few of the interesting features.

1 FONT, given by William Leryffax, a Beverley draper, in 1530. Made of Derbyshire marble and richly ornamented.

2 WAR MEMORIAL DOOR, commemorating casualties in the second world war. Carved by Robert Thompson of Kilburn (the mouse-man), whose 'signature' is to be seen on the door.

3 THE MINSTRELS PILLAR, the most important of some 34 musical carvings in St Mary's: evidence of the prominence of music in medieval life in Beverley. Around the capital are 5 stone figures representing the Guild of Musicians, who gave this pier when the nave was reconstructed in 1520 - 1524.

4 4-manual ORGAN, built 1869 by Forster & Andrews. rebuilt 1907 by Lewis of London, and completely restored in 195 7-8 by Hall & Broadfield of Hull.

5 ARCHES with zigzag mouldings, dating from the end of the 12th century, i.e. earlier than the piers which support them. 6 Through a 16th century doorway, steps lead up to a large chapel (now Vestry) built between 1280 and 1300. The painted timber ceiling features the constellations, with the sun portrayed in a panel in the north-east corner. Below is a CRYPT with a central pier and interesting early vaulting: now furnished as a quiet room.

6 Through a 16th century doorway, steps lead up to a large chapel (now Vestry) built between 1280 and 1300. The painted timber ceiling features the constellations, with the sun portrayed in a panel in the north-east corner. Below is a CRYPT with a central pier and interesting early vaulting: now furnished as a quiet room.

7 On the right of the door to the Sacristy is a stone figure of a rabbit with a pilgrim's scrip, carved about 1330. This carving - remarkably like Tenniel's drawing - is said to have inspired Lewis Carroll's White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.

8 ST. MICHAEL'S CHAPEL, built between 1325 and 1340. The beauty of detail, the ingenuity of the vaulting and the flowing window tracery, make this chapel an unrivalled example, in miniature, of the full flowering period of English medieval architecture. That this chapel is exactly contemporary with the exquisite Percy tomb in the Minster is evidence of' the outstanding quality of the stone carving in Beverley at that time.

9 MEMORIAL SCREEN to Canon T. H. Tardrew, vicar of the church from 1933 to 1954. Formed from fragments of a 16th century screen.

10 The doorway, surmounted by the Beverley Imp, leads via a fine vaulted staircase to rooms over the St. Michael's chapel and Sacristy. Application to the verger will enable visitors to see these rooms, which house a museum of historical items relating to church and town.

12 At the base of the piers can be seen the only remains in situ of the external wall of the earlier 12th century church. Limited as these are, they are sufficient to enable archaeologists to form a plan of the earlier church.

13 CHANCEL, dating from 1280 but with successive alterations. The timber ceiling, dating from 1445, has representations of English kings from the 7th century to Henry VI, with George VI added when the ceiling was restored in 1939

14 CHOIR STALLS, also dating from 1445: 28 stalls with richly carved misericords or 'indulgence seats'. A fine early example of work by the Ripon Carvers.

15 SCREEN, restored and re-erected in the late 19th century, but containing much of the original (15th century) Rood Screen. 16 The TOWER fell in 1520, during a service, causing serious loss of life and extensive damage to the nave. The present tower is the reconstruction dating from immediately after the collapse.

17 Record of the VICARS of St. Mary's from 1269 to the present time, including an interesting record at the time of the Reformation. To the right of this is a reference plan of the church, prepared by Dr. John Bilson who made a profound study of the church.

18 SOUTH TRANSEPT, built in various stages from 1280 to 1400. Contains display of interesting books, etc.

19 TRIPTYCH recording the name of casualties in the First World War. Designed by John Bilson, and carved by a local craftsman.

20 NAVE, largely rebuilt after the fall of the tower in 1520. Fine arcades with interesting carvings. Splendidly proportioned tower arch to the east, and great 15th century window to the west.

21 DOORWAY belonging to the former 12th century church, but moved twice as the aisle was first added and subsequently widened.

22 SOUTH PORCH - early 15th century. The vaulting is a later addition, probably part of the extensive reconstruction work of the second quarter of the 16th century.

23 MEMORIAL TABLET to two Danish soldiers who quarrelled in 1689, one executed for killing the other. Names in parish register.

24 The great WEST FRONT (mostly early 15th century): one of the finest in England, and may well have inspired King's College Chapel in Cambridge which was erected some 80 years after St. Mary's west front. Seen on a bright day, especially, it has incomparable beauty.