St Andrew's Church, York facts for kids
St Andrew's Church is a very old and special building in the city of York, England. It's listed as a Grade II* building, which means it's super important for its history and architecture. You can find it on a street called St Andrewgate.
Contents
A Look Back at St Andrew's Church History
This church has a long story! People first mentioned a church named St Andrew in the Domesday Book. This was a big survey of England made way back in 1086. We know for sure there was a church on this exact spot by 1194.
Early Days and Building
St Andrew's was always a small church. For many years, from at least 1331 to 1443, it was connected to a bigger church called St Martin, Coney Street.
The oldest part of the building you see today is the chancel. This is the part of the church where the altar is. It was finished in 1392 by a person named Hugh Grantham. The main part of the church, called the nave, was built later in the 1400s.
Church Closure and New Uses
In 1559, the church was closed. By 1586, its local area, called a parish, was joined with another church's area. This was the parish of St Saviour, St Saviourgate.
After closing as a church, the building was used for many different things over hundreds of years. In the early 1700s, some people even said it was being used as a stable for animals!
Around 1730, it became a school called St Peter's School. Later, in 1823, it was used for the youngest children at the school. By this time, the chancel part of the church was falling apart. But by 1850, it was rebuilt and used as a small house or cottage.
St Andrew's Church Today
By 1956, the building was changed back into a church. Since then, it has been used by a group of Christians called the Christian Brethren.
What the Church is Made Of
Most of the old medieval walls are still standing. They are made from a mix of different stones. You can see magnesian limestone, and also old Roman gritstone blocks that were used again. There's also brick filling in some parts.
The chancel still has one of its original windows. The nave, which is the main part of the church, has two original windows. There's also an arch that used to connect the chancel and the nave, but it's now blocked up. You can also see the lowest part of a wooden bell tower, which is now inside the roof.
Images for kids
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Location of the church in York city centre
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The rear of the building
