The Beverley & District Group recently enjoyed a roof tour experience at the Beverley Minster. Our tour guide, Rosie, ably assisted by our own NWR group member Anne Kirby who is a minster tour guide, was very informative. A number of members who have lived in Beverley for many years were surprised by what they learnt.
The group were escorted up a medieval spiral staircase, with 113 steps, to the rafters of the roof where they were able to take in views to the North and South of Beverley. This could be seen through the beautiful `wheel` windows. The central boss was lifted to reveal a stunning view of the floor below a long, long way down..
Below is a picture of the tread wheel crane it was placed above the vault in the central tower and materials were hauled into the roof by someone walking within the wheel. The wheel was in working order until 2017 although it had been replaced with an electric hoist.
For over 1300 years there has been a Christian community on the site of Beverley Minster which was first built as a Roman Catholic Church being reduced to the status of a parish church, after ceasing to be a Roman Catholic Church, after 1548. Maintenance of the building was neglected but its collapse was prevented by restoration work which began in the 18th century and continues to the present day.