A bit of tourism

Today, a formal guided tour of York Minster.  For a guide we had an a retired fellow, as interested and knowledgeable  in what he called the quirks of the Minster as he was in the history.  A little sketchy on the dates, especially of the glass, but charming nonetheless.  It's interesting to do the same tour with different guides who have fun bringing out different details.  This fellow showed us a Victorian memorial plaque which actually states that, if you want more information on the character and accomplishments of the deceased, you should have a look at a certain issue of Gentleman's Magazine!

The tour was somewhat compromised by the presence of a full brass band playing for a high profile military service in commemoration of the battle of Kohima (against the Japanese in India in 1944), in which 10,000 soldiers were killed.  But it served to remind us that the Minster is a working building.  On 24 January, 1328, (when there would have been no question about the dating of the windows just installed in the nave) King Edward III was married to Philippa of Hainault in the Minster.  Edward was in the neighborhood fighting the Scots.  His father, Edward II, had been defeated by the Scots at Bannockburn 14 years earlier in a battle in which perhaps 20,000 soldiers were killed.

Hamline atop the South Transept of York Minster

After the tour we all climbed the 275 narrow spiraling steps to the top of the Minster's central tower.  The climb involves a somewhat precarious walk along the roof gutter of the Early English south transept, built in 1230 or so.

Tomorrow we have another Royal Wedding, and most of the Hamline students left this afternoon to be in London to celebrate.  People are stringing up hundreds of little plastic Union Jacks around town.  Students who stayed in York to take exams from their spring term courses will have to content themselves with the champagne parties in the college common rooms.  It's a national holiday, so we can't hold class.