YORK MINSTER What Happened in Tudor Times?
Changes under the Tudors: 1485 - 1603
Visitors often ask if the Minster was damaged in the reign of Henry VIII. The simple answer is Henry VII
Henry VIII
Edward VI
Mary
Elizabeth
no – the Minster was not a monastery and was therefore never “dissolved”. In fact, even if it had been monastic, the church itself would
Head of the Church in England
have continued to function as a cathedral, although any monastic buildings attached might have been demolished. Pope
from 1534
Monarch
Pope
(To see what happened to
Monarch
monasteries which were not cathedrals … visit the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey in the
Language of the Bible
Museum Gardens!)
Latin
English from 1538
English
English Bible retained
English
However, when Henry finally made himself
Language of Services
“Supreme Head” of the English Church in 1534, anything relating directly to the Pope was removed: for example, the papal tiara or triple crown was Latin
Latin
English
Latin
English
often chiselled away. If you look at the large red shield in the Central Tower showing St Peter’s keys, you can still see the outline of the missing tiara.
Robes Changes at the Minster in Henry’s reign had more to do with people than the building. Some of the Who was allowed to receive the wine at Holy Communion?
canons (priests) were very lax and rarely here. Even Archbishops failed to attend. Cardinal Wolsey, for example, had not visited at all! Henry’s reforms encouraged Minster clergy to perform their duties Priest only
Priest only
Priest & people
Priest only
Priest & people
Examples of small chalices (priest only) and large cups (priest & people) may be seen in the Treasury in the Undercroft: Admission charges apply.
more regularly, and his last archbishop, Robert Holgate, was much more conscientious. He founded a school in York which still exists.
Quire Screen
The Five Sisters Window - North Transept
N
Restored in the 1920s with lead, discovered at Rievaulx, which had been stripped from the Abbey roof and buried in 1539.
There was almost certainly a large rood (crucifix) over the Quire Screen: where the organ is now, and possibly as big!
Savage Chantry
Archbishop Thomas Savage died in 1507, two years before Henry became king. His tomb has a chantry chapel above; where mass was said for his soul. There were over 50 chantries in the Minster by Henry’s reign, but his son Edward VI abolished the custom. (This chapel was rebuilt c. 1950)
“Clock Jacks” c 1530 The striking clock has two oak figures called “quarterjacks” . The figures were made in Tudor times.
Chapter House
The Nave Was not furnished for worship in Tudor times. though there would have been small chantry altars (see “Savage Chantry”) in the aisles. This was a great public space, where even fairs and markets may have taken place but always in association with major church festivals and processions etc.
Nave
Quire
.
Lectern
English Bible from 1538; but daily services continued in Latin, until the reign of Edward VI.
Shop
Henry eventually abolished processions, but the Nave remained largely unfurnished until Victorian times!
The Rose Window - South Transept The present glass dates from about 1510 and records the dawn of the Tudor Dynasty by combining the red Lancastrian and white Yorkist roses.
Shrines Although Henry did not object to statues and stained glass, he did call for the destruction of saints’ shrines. The Minster had two shrines to St William of York; one (possibly containing his head) in the Nave, and the other (containing his body) in the Quire; both were destroyed, but exactly when, and in which order, is unclear.