Ley lines are simply alignments of natural and man-made landscape features. Although their existence is debated, it has been suggested that, from the Neolithic to the Roman occupation of Britain and beyond, early engineers marked out sighting points on high ground to plot routes across open country. These included natural features such as hills and trees. Later, earthworks such as barrows and henges were placed on these points, followed by hill forts and churches.
St Michael’s Ley is a famous example, running for 300 miles from St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall to Hopton on the East Anglian coast. It connects many significant prehistoric sites, churches and sacred places.
York’s own ley, identified by Brian Larkman, passes through the Minster Library, the Minster itself, St Samson’s Church, All Saints Pavement, St Mary Castlegate, Clifford’s Tower and the site of a Templar chapel (now demolished.) This alignment can be seen best from the top of York Minster’s crossing tower. The line terminates at the tip of the spur of land where the rivers Ouse and Foss join.
Interestingly, three of the four churches on the ley have an early (Anglo-Saxon) foundation. There is some evidence to suggest that a number of pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon sites and post-conversion Anglo-Saxon churches were deliberately placed on axial alignments, such as at Yeavering. Whether York’s alignment was intentional or not is a subject of ongoing debate…
To find out more, pick a marker from the map above, or an item below, or just browse the list.
- York MinsterYork Minster is one of the greatest cathedrals in northern Europe, and part of a ...
- St Sampson’s, Church StreetLocated in the heart of York, the building stands over part of the Roman city ...
- St Mary, CastlegateThe church dates back to roughly 1020. A dedication stone inside reads that the church ...
- St George’s Chapel, St George’s FieldThe Knights Templar owned a quantity of land in Yorkshire, including a preceptory at Copmanthorpe ...
- Minster LibraryThe building, once a private chapel for the Archbishop’s use, was built in 1230. It ...
- Clifford’s TowerClifford’s Tower is a keep within the larger complex of York Castle. It is situated ...
- All Saints, PavementA church has been located here since before the Norman Conquest. The minster church, according ...