Birdsong's Trip to the UK

Yorkminster

Sunday, Oct. 23 - Train to York

Bill Birdsong's birthday. Train to York. The train we had reservations on was late. The station supervisor, Ken Fraser, was very friendly. He asked where we are from.

He was a sports buff, and named several baseball and football teams in California and asked if we were fans. (Sorry, no.) He advised us to get on a better, faster train that was about to pull in. With our BritRail pass, it doesn't matter what train you take.

He hopped aboard, and put us in seats reserved for a station AFTER York bound for London. Then he pulled our bags on, gave us a form to send in for commendation, and told us to send him a postcard sometime. We sent in the commendation, and need to send him a postcard.

The York train station is right outside the old walled town. Took a taxi to our B&B, Amber House, 36 Bootham Way, about eight blocks from old town.

The house is in a row of Georgians, remodeled by the owners to be very modern inside. Roger Butler is a cabinet maker, and his wife Fiona ("Fi") used to sell antiques. One daughter is an artist who specializes in the mannequins used in the Jorvic museum. She employs her dad!

The house is beautifully decorated with antique art and antique furniture painted white and distressed.

In York, streets are "gates" (Stoneygate, Marketgate) and the gates in the walls are "bars" (Bootham Bar) from the Vikings. We left our bags at the B&B and immediately walked to town.

Had lunch of steak and stout ale pie at York Arms. Then to Yorkminster. It has the oldest stained glass window of any church in England.

During the war, they took down all the stained glass, and people kept it in their homes until it could be safely reinstalled.

We took the walking tour that goes UNDER the cathedral. A few years ago, they discovered the cathedral was in danger of collapse and needed new foundations. When they dug under it, they found the older Viking era church and a Roman basilica!

We learned that the cross design of Christian churches is modeled after the Roman basilica, which was also a cross-shaped building. The basilica was a public building and also a place of worship.

Emperor Constantine was visiting York when he learned his father had died and he became emperor. I had learned in school that he was the first Christian emperor, but they said, no, he was just tolerant of all religions and didn't persecute the Christians.

York in Roman times was a very large city. After the Romans left in 200 AD, it was Christian. There aren't many Roman remains, because the stones were used to build newer buildings and walls.

The Vikings began raiding around 300, and soon controlled all Eastern counties in England and Scotland. They soon assimilated, but there were continuing, new Viking invasions.

Under the cathedral, we saw the lowest Roman layer, then the Anglo-Saxon layer at about head height, then the old, simple Viking minster, built 800-1200. The present gothic building was built around the older structure. This is the most elaborate Gothic church outside continental Europe.

As we left the cathedral, the chimes began to ring, and rang for a solid hour! Just beautiful! They rang again on Tuesday afternoon, again for an hour. WE LOVE YORK! People are very friendly, and seem to love to hear us say so.

Dinner at Viceroy of India, recommended in Rick Steve's Travel Guide.