York Minster

The East Front

The Minster's far East End contains St Stephen’s Chapel, the great Lady Chapel and All Saints’ Chapel.  The current East End was begun in 1361 under the eye of Archbishop John de Thoresby.  It is thought to have been constructed around and beyond the existing east end and quire, built by Archbishop Roger Pont L’Eveque, causing roof lines not always to meet smoothly.  It is in the typical English perpendicular style, being square-ended, not the semi-circular apsidal ends as favoured on the continent.  All Saints’ Chapel is now the chapel of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.

The Lady Chapel was started first, with Chapter declaring as its reason for undertaking the work that there was nowhere suitable for the Mass of the Virgin to be performed.  This was completed in 1373, and Archbishop Thoresby was buried there in the same year. 

The Great East Window forms the crowning glory of the East End and the Lady Chapel.  It is the largest single expanse of medieval glass to have survived anywhere in England and is the earliest known work of English art by a named artist.  The window is an Apocalypse window, which follows the theme of “I am the beginning and the end”.  In its apex is God the Father holding a book stating “Ego sum alpha et omega” (“I am the alpha and omega”, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which was the language of the New Testament). 

The top panels in the window depict episodes from the beginnings of the world as described in the Old Testament books of Genesis through to Samuel.  The rest of the window shows the end of the world in graphic detail, as described in the Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse.  The bottom nine panels illustrate historical and legendary figures, including kings and saints, as well as donor figures who gave money for the work.  The foremost English stained glass artist of his time, John Thornton of Coventry, created the window with his workshop between 1405 and 1408.  Copies of his contract survive, which detail the total payment of £56 for the work, which included bonuses for completion on time and to the Dean and Chapter’s satisfaction.