York Minster

York Minster Revealed

Published Wednesday 28th March 2007 by Alix Peacock

The Dean and Chapter of York today unveiled York Minster Revealed, a major new phase to the Minster’s continuing Development Campaign.  York Minster Revealed is a £19m five-year project that lies within the £30m Development Campaign launched two years ago.  This project focuses on preserving the Minster for future generations and a wider audience through four key areas of education, access, specialist craft skills training and conservation.

A main aim of the project is to recruit, enthuse and train future generations in the crafts of stone carving and stained glass conservation, which are so crucial to the Conservation of the East Front and continued development of the Minster.  A nationally recognised qualification in stained glass conservation and stone carving will be developed at the Minster to help increase the national skills base in these two vital specialist crafts.

York Minster Revealed aims to greatly enhance visitors’ experiences at the Minster by introducing an innovative scheme of interpretation.  This scheme will use a series of displays and LCD screens to educate all visitors on the history, purpose and evolving nature of York Minster.  The display boards and screens will be designed so as to be as versatile and flexible in use as possible.  They will not intrude upon the fabric of the Minster in anyway and will be able to be moved and stored away when necessary.

York Minster Revealed will focus on greatly improving access to the entrance to York Minster by re-designing the main visitor entrance at the South Transept to incorporate gently sloping ramps.   These plans also include a piazza entrance to the Minster that will include improved outdoor seating arrangements for visitors and the relocation of ticketing arrangements to an existing external building. Physical access to the Undercroft will also be greatly improved through the use of gently sloping glass and stone ramps and the installation of a lift to this area.  Improved access through the main entrance and to the Undercroft will mean that all of our visitors will be able to experience and enjoy as many of the Minster’s spaces as possible.

The Very Rev’d Keith Jones, Dean of York said: “A visit to York Minster should be an experience of so much more than a brilliant shell.  York Minster Revealed will help us reveal the beauty, the history, the treasures and the meaning of this world-famous building even better than before. It also allows us to give access for everyone to the workplaces for stone and glass, the secrets below the floors, and the details of the masterpiece that is the east window. “

Louise Hampson, Director of the York Minster Revealed Project said: “This project has the potential to transform the way people use and visit the Minster, but with the training provisions for specialist craft skills it also offers the chance to transform people’s lives. The national shortage of skilled crafts people endangers the long-term survival of our most cherished historic buildings and it is vital that projects like York Minster Revealed work to address that. It is an enormously exciting time for the Minster and we are looking forward to what the next few years will bring”

Stephen Anderson, Chapter Steward said: “We have applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £10m of funding.  We expect to hear in late summer whether we have a Stage 1 Pass, in which case we have a year to work out a fully-costed project in fine detail.  We should then get our Stage 2 Pass, which releases access to the HLF Grant, with work ready to start in January 2009, if successful”.

“We have secured commitments to £4.5m from other sources, most notably £3m from the York Minster Fund.  This leaves a further £4.5m to raise from events, trusts and individual donations”

If you are able to help York Minster achieve the exciting aims of this project, please contact The Development Office, Church House, Ogleforth, York YO1 7JN; telephone 01904 557245 or e-mail heidic@yorkminster.org.