Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, England. It runs along the southern, eastern and northeastern sides of York Minster, for which it is named.

History

The street may have originated as the courtyard of the headquarters building of Roman Eboracum. In the 8th-century text ''The Earliest Life of Gregory the Great'', a square between the royal palace and York Minster was mentioned, which has been tentatively identified with Minster Yard. However, in the 10th-century, the area was covered by a cemetery associated with the minster. In the late 11th century, York Minster was rebuilt on a new site, and Minster Yard, immediately south of the building, was paved. At the time, it provided a through route. It fell within the

Minster Close The Minster Close or Minster Precinct is the area surrounding York Minster. It first appeared in records from the late 13th century, when a wall was constructed around it.Lop Lane and

Minster Gates Minster Gates is a north–south running street in the city centre of York, England, connecting Minster Yard and High Petergate. All of its buildings are listed, many dating to the 18th century, although the street is significantly older. Hi ...

. The deanery of the Minster was built on the street, and the Peter Prison next to it. From 1828 to 1832, these were demolished, along with the gateways, opening up the area, and in 1903,

Deangate Deangate is a street in the city centre of York, England, connecting College Street (York), College Street and Goodramgate with Minster Yard. It was created in 1903. The street runs east from the middle of Minster Yard to the junction of Goo ...

was created, once again providing a route out of the street, to the south-east. A Roman column excavated from under the Minster in 1969, now stands in the street, in front of the Minster School, and in 1998, a

statue of Constantine the Great A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...

was erected.

Layout and architecture

File:Deangate, York - panoramio.jpg, left, Looking east along Minster Yard towards

The street runs south-east from its junction with High Petergate, Duncombe Place and Precentor's Court, past a junction with Minster Gates, to its junction with Deangate. It then becomes a footpath and turns north-east, until it meets

College Street College Street may refer to: *College Street (Kolkata) *College Street (Toronto) * College Street (Sydney) *College Street (York) College Green is an open space in the city centre of York, England. History The green lies within the historic pr ...

, at

College Green College Green or The College Green may refer to: * College Green, Adelaide outdoor venue at the University of Adelaide * College Green, Bristol, England * College Green (Dartmouth College), New Hampshire, primarily known as "the Green" * College ...

. Finally, it turns north-west, running past a junction with

Chapter House Street Chapter House Street is a street in the city centre of York, England, connecting Ogleforth and Minster Yard. History The street follows the route of the ''via decumana'' of Roman Eboracum. It is believed to have been the main route into York ...

, through a gate, to a dead end section running alongside Dean's Park. The north side of the street is taken up with the south and east fronts of York Minster. On the south side of the road lie

Minster Court Minster Court is a Grade II* listed group of buildings lying off Minster Yard, in the city centre of York in England. History The complex consists of four houses, on three sides of a courtyard: number 1 in the north-west wing, numbers 2 and 2A ...

; the early-17th-century Treasurer's House; the 18th-century

4 Minster Yard 4 Minster Yard is an historic building in the English city of York, North Yorkshire. A Grade II* listed building, located in Minster Yard Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of York, England. It runs along the southern, eastern ...

;

5 Minster Yard 5 Minster Yard is a grade II* listed building in the English city of York, North Yorkshire. The building is wholly timber-framed and is located with its south side facing Minster Yard. It originated as part of a two-storey row of tenements, ...

, with a core built about 1300; the mid-18th century Old Residence, and

7 Minster Yard 7 Minster Yard is an historic building in the English city of York, North Yorkshire. A Grade II listed building, located in Minster Yard Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of York, England. It runs along the southern, eastern a ...

. Passing the southern tip of Deangate, there stands, at 8 Minster Yard, The Minster School;

9 Minster Yard 10 Minster Yard is an historic building in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. A Grade II listed building, located at the corner of Minster Gates at Minster Yard Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of York, England. It r ...

and

9 Minster Gates 9 Minster Gates is an historic building in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. A Grade II listed building, located on Minster Gates at Minster Yard Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of York, England. It runs along the s ...

(10 Minster Yard), two buildings dating to the 1750s; the parish room for

St Michael le Belfrey St Michael le Belfrey is an Anglican church in York, England. It is situated at the junction of High Petergate and Minster Yard, directly opposite York Minster, in the centre of the city. History The present church building was built betwee ...

at 12 Minster Yard, and then the church itself.

References

{{Streets of York