Beverley - St Mary's Church

The town's origins date back to the 7th century. The first known building was a church founded by John of Beverley (+ 721), the later canonized Bishop of York. Around 850, the monastery was dissolved by the invasion of the "Great Heathen Army" of Vikings, and the town became part of the new Kingdom of Jorvik. However, the veneration of John of Beverley ensured that the region's population grew steadily until the 10th century.

The Archbishops of York encouraged the development of Beverley. The town, along with York, Ripon, and Southwell, became one of the most important Christian centers in England.

After the Norman conquest of England, many pilgrims flocked to Beverley after hearing of the miracles performed by John of Beverley. Many people in the north of England rejected Norman rule. The Normans then ravaged the towns of Yorkshire. Beverley, however, was spared due to the sanctity of the place.

In 1188, a fire destroyed parts of the town and also damaged the cathedral. Despite famines in the 14th century, Beverley grew to become the tenth largest town in England by 1377.


St. Mary's was founded in the first half of the 12th century as a daughter church of Beverley Minster. It is a 60-meter-long cruciform church with a nave and chancel, a south transept with an east aisle, a north transept with an east chapel and crypt below, a northeast chapel and a crossing tower.

Systematic rebuilding began in the late 13th century, when a large chapel was added on to the east side of the north transept. This was followed c. 1300 by the addition of a south aisle to the previously aisle-less chancel, in conjunction with a widening of east aisle of the south transept. The nave aisles were completely rebuilt in the early 14th century. Building work at St Mary's ceased in the mid-14th century, as in so many cases throughout England, because of the Black Death. It did not resume until c. 1400, when the west front was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style and a Perpendicular clerestory was added to the nave.

During Evensong on 29 April 1520, the central tower collapsed. Much of the work on the eastern end of the nave was undone, though the aisle walls were little damaged. The central tower and the nave arcades and clerestory were entirely rebuilt.