St Andrew's Church, York facts for kids
St Andrew's Church is a very old and important building located on St Andrewgate in the city of York, England. It's so special that it's listed as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it has great historical value.
Contents
St Andrew's Church: A Look Back
Early History of St Andrew's
A church named St Andrew was first mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086. We know for sure there was a church on this exact spot by 1194. It was always a small church. For many years, from 1331 to 1443, it was connected to another church, St Martin, Coney Street.
The oldest part of the building you see today is the chancel, which was finished in 1392 by a person named Hugh Grantham. The main part of the church, called the nave, was built in the 1400s. The church closed its doors in 1559. Later, in 1586, its local area was combined with that of St Saviour, St Saviourgate.
How the Building Was Used Over Time
After it stopped being a church, the building was used for many different things over hundreds of years. At the start of the 1700s, some people even claimed it was being used as a stable for horses and other things.
Around 1730, it became St Peter's School. Then, from 1823, it was used for the youngest students of the school. By this time, the chancel part of the church was in ruins. But by 1850, it was rebuilt and used as a small house or cottage.
St Andrew's Returns to Being a Church
By 1956, the building had been changed back into a church. Since then, it has been used by a group of Christians called the Christian Brethren. Most of the original medieval walls are still standing today. They are made from a mix of different stones. These include magnesian limestone and old Roman gritstone blocks that were reused. There are also parts filled in with brick.
The chancel still has one of its original windows. The nave, which is the main part of the church, has two original windows. The arch that separated the chancel from the nave is still there, though it was blocked up. You can also see the very bottom part of a wooden tower where a bell would have been. This part is now inside the roof.
Images for kids
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The rear of the building
