The new Undercroft at York Minster, which opens on Saturday 25 May, has been partly paid for by a £10.5m donation by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Spokesperson Fiona Spiers has been checking on progress as finishing touches are made and says the new space is much more inviting than what it replaces.
The Dean of York says she hopes that visitors to the new Undercroft at York Minster will learn something about themselves from it. The Very Rev Vivienne Faull, was only appointed last year, says the complicated nature of the below ground chambers echo the complex history of the building.
The new Undercroft at York Minster tells the story of the building's 2000 year history from the days of the Romans to the present. The contemporary chambers which now fill the below-ground area use the space which dug out during emergency excavations in the 1970s to shore up the susbiding tower.
The team behind the new exhibition describe it as an immersive and interactive journey featuring artefacts never before on public display that will allow visitors to see, touch and hear the building's history.
– The Very Rev Vivienne Faull, Dean of York.The land upon which the cathedral now stands has been a centre, military, political, social and theological [for centuries], influencing not only regional but national history. For the first time, 'Revealing York Minster' brings together the archaeological discoveries and the written archives, dating back to the 7th Century. It will provide visitors with an insight into the evolution of the city and York Minster's central role within that, right up to the present day with a glimpse at the people who work being the scenes, making use of the very latest technology.
A new exhibition will show off the 2000 year history of one of our region's most famous buildings for the first time.
Finishing touches are being made to a series of a chambers underneath York Minster.
The displays show the archaeological remnants of buildings that used to stand on the site and use the latest technology to show how they have transformed into the famous building that stands there today.
Troops who have just returned from Afghanistan have been attending a thanksgiving service at York Minster.
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and the Forces Minister Andrew Robathan MP joined hundreds of armed forces personnel who have recently returned home from service.
The 4th Mechanised Brigade lost nine soldiers during their six month tour of Helmand Province.
The Yorkshire Branch of the Richard III Society claim, naturally, that Yorkshire was his favourite county of all. And that it was in Yorkshire that he was happiest, where he and his wife, Anne Neville, daughter of Warwick the Kingmaker made their first - and favourite - home, at Middleham Castle .
It was also in Yorkshire that that their only son, Edward was born in 1473, and spent most of his tragically short life. Debate is already underway as to whether the last Yorkist monarch should be brought 'home' - with some calling for the burial place to be York Minster.
The last English King to die in battle - he lived for 12 years in the North of England.Some historians say that although entitled to be buried at Westmister Abbey alongside other Kings and Queens of England, he had announced his intention to be buried at York.
