As one would expect, a city as old and prestigious as York has its fair share of churches. Ironically, York’s first places of worship were probably Romano-British pagan temples. Sites dedicated to Mithras, Serapis and Hercules have been identified, while a carved stone altar in the Yorkshire Museum, found in York, depicts the Deae Matres – the triad of Celtic mother goddesses. Christian worship could also have taken place before Constantine’s edict in 312 made it permissible under Roman law (previously, Christian worship was outlawed.)
From a construction perspective at least, the boundaries between pagan and Christian in York were somewhat porous. The best example of this is St Martin cum Gregory church on Micklegate, which contains stonework from what was once the Temple of Mithras. One of York’s oldest churches, the Anglian tower at St Mary Bishophill Junior contains Roman stone and roof tiles.
York’s first Minster, a small wooden affair located close to the current building, was built in 627AD under the reign of Edwin of Deira, himself a pagan until the missionary bishop Paulanus converted the royal court. This place of ancient sanctity was founded just 30 years after Canterbury Cathedral.
Later, the Minster was rebuilt in stone, expanded and rebuilt again by successive generations to the point where, as we can see today, the massive edifice is as much a testament to human ingenuity and political power as Christian virtue.
While the Minster stands proud in the centre of the city, visible from miles away across the Vale of York, other churches were not so lucky. A good number were demolished, either as a result of their decrepitude or over-zealous town planning. And one great church in particular – the Alma Sophia – has baffled scholars. Despite its ‘wondrous design’ and 30 altars, no-one knows exactly where it stood.
To find out more, pick a marker from the map above, or an item below, or just browse the list.
- York’s first MinsterYork’s first minster church was a small wooden affair, built during the reign of King ...
- York MinsterYork Minster is one of the greatest cathedrals in northern Europe, and part of a ...
- St Saviour, St SaviourgateA church has stood on this site since the 11th century, although the present building ...
- St Sampson’s, Church StreetLocated in the heart of York, the building stands over part of the Roman city ...
- St Olave’s, MarygateWithin the walls of St Mary’s Abbey, this church is thought to have been founded ...
- St Michael, SpurriergateNow a café, the church was founded after the Norman Conquest. Its oldest features are ...
- St Michael-Le-BelfreyThe building dates from 1525, so its origins are not strictly medieval. However, a church ...
- St Maurice, MonkgateThis wedge of grass marks the spot of the church of St Maurice. The original ...
- St Mary’s AbbeyOriginally dedicated to St Olave in 1055, this Benedictine abbey was re-established shortly after William ...
- St Mary, CastlegateThe church dates back to roughly 1020. A dedication stone inside reads that the church ...
- St Mary, Bishophill SeniorAll that remains of this church, demolished in the 1960s, is a community garden, which ...
- St Mary, Bishophill JuniorYork’s oldest church, it is situated within what was the colonia or civilian quarter of ...
- St Martin Le Grande, Coney StThe earliest masonry is from 1080, though the church is thought to be older. The ...
- St Martin cum Gregory, MicklegateThe base of the tower is built from Roman masonry from the Temple of Mithras ...
- St Margaret, WalmgateSix medieval churches were located in the Walmgate area, but now only two remain. The ...
- St Lawrence, Lawrence StThe ruined tower standing apart from the Victorian church is at least 12th century, with ...
- St John, MicklegateThe simple rectangular building dates from the 12th century. In additional to its role as ...
- St Helens, StonegateSituated on the site of the main entrance to the Roman legionary headquarters, it includes ...
- St George’s Chapel, St George’s FieldThe Knights Templar owned a quantity of land in Yorkshire, including a preceptory at Copmanthorpe ...
- St Denys, WalmgateSet on a raised knoll above the current road level, the present building was founded in ...
- St Cuthbert, Peasholme GreenThe site of this church is one of the oldest foundations in York. A place ...
- St Crux, PavementOriginally the largest medieval parish church in York after its rebuilding in 1424, it was demolished ...
- St Andrew, St AndrewgateThis simple church is located in what is now an affluent part of York, but ...
- Holy Trinity, MicklegateOn the site of a pre-conquest building, it includes remnants of a Benedictine priory church. ...
- Holy Trinity, King’s SquareKnown as Konungsgarthr or King’s Garth in the 10th century, some have suggested this small ...
- Holy Trinity, GoodramgateThis lovely, small church, hidden away in a secluded churchyard, dates from the 11th century, ...
- Alma Sophia, Minster YardThe Anglo-Saxon scholar Alcuin describes how he and the then Archbishop of York – Eanbald ...
- All Saints, PavementA church has been located here since before the Norman Conquest. The minster church, according ...
- All Saints, North StFounded in 1089, the church grew over subsequent centuries to include up to five altars ...