York

Probably York's most famous building is the Minster, England's second most important (active) cathedral.  (Canterbury is the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican community.)  Construction of the York Minster was begun in the 14th century.

The building is the second largest Cathedral in northern Europe.  

More than 500 feet in length.

196 feet high.

More than 200 feet wide.

The nave is 99 feet high.

We toured an excellent exhibit of the Roman fortress that lies beneath the Minster in its Undercroft (I don't know that I will ever use the word undercroft again in a sentence).  We took a self-guided tour to look at Gothic spires, creepy gargoyles and the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world.

We attended Evensong, the Anglican choir-led service and stood up and sat down when everyone else did.

 



Outside in York we walked the ancient city walls.

Sue walking the city walls.

The moat around the walls.

We froze.

We spent half a day in the York Castle Museum, checked out the shell of St. Mary's Abbey,

Thirteenth Century St. Mary's Abbey (also on top of Roman ruins.)

and the remains of the York Castle keep.  In 1190, Crusade-driven Christians, enraged at Muslims (did Fox News call them Radical Islamic Terrorists in those days, too?) and Jews, chased all of the Jews of York to the castle keep.  Some committed suicide rather than face the mob and those that did not were burned or murdered.

The Castle Keep where trapped Jews committed suicide as seen through the window of the York Castle Museum.

We toured the country's largest train museum and watched grown men fondle brass pipes and lick locomotives while their generally less interested wives corralled children.

 

Grown men wetting themselves as a turntable spins a locomotive.

And of course we ate.  The Beech House has won awards for its breakfast.  We ate the fresh fruit, the homemade yogurt, toast with Lemon Cheese and other jams

before we were asked if we were ready for the Full English Breakfast.

Outside we also had fish and chips (covered in mushy peas), fancy desserts dolloped with clotted cream, and High Tea.

Part of the setting for high tea.  Adjacent were three tiers of sandwiches, scones, and cakes.