The Minster Close or Minster Precinct is the area surrounding

York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archb ...

. It first appeared in records from the late 13th century, when a wall was constructed around it.Minster Close
–

York Civic Trust York Civic Trust is a membership organisation and a registered charity based in York, UK. Its primary function is to "preserve, protect and advise on the historic fabric of York". It is based in Fairfax House. Foundation York Civic Trust was f ...

Access to the Minster Close was through one of four gates, on Lop Lane,

Minster Gates Minster Gates is a north–south running street in the city centre of York, England, connecting Minster Yard and High Petergate. All of its buildings are listed, many dating to the 18th century, although the street is significantly older. Hi ...

, College Street and

Ogleforth Ogleforth is a street in the city centre of York, in England. History The street lies immediately inside the north-east section of the York city walls; this part of the walls' alignment is unchanged from the Roman Eboracum. Remains of a barrac ...

. In 1396, a bridge was constructed over

Goodramgate Goodramgate is a street in the city centre of York, in England. History The area now covered by Goodramgate lay within the walls of Roman Eboracum. The street runs diagonally across the line of former Roman buildings, from the Porta Decumana ( ...

, so that the vicars choral based in

Bedern Bedern is a street in the city centre of York, in England, which originated as a college for the vicars choral of York Minster. History The Bedern College was founded in 1252, to house 36 vicars choral associated with York Minster. The name "Be ...

could enter the Close without crossing the public street. Of these entrances, only the College Street one survives in part, as

30 and 32 Goodramgate and 11 and 12 College Street 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

. In a 1276 survey mentioning both houses and tenants, the street is called ''clausum cimiterii ecclesie Sancti Petri'' (St Peter's Close). Buildings around the Minster accumulated and eventually obscured the church, particularly on its southern side. When Augustus Duncombe became dean in 1858, he found that there were no open views of the Minster except from the north – specifically from the Deanery garden. He decided to remedy this by purchasing and demolishing houses between 1859 and 1864 to form Duncombe Place out of the narrow Lop Lane and top of Blake Street. With the demolition of the walls and the opening out of the close, the name has fallen out of use. The area it covered is now represented by College Green,

Deangate Deangate is a street in the city centre of York, England, connecting College Street and Goodramgate with Minster Yard. It was created in 1903. The street runs east from the middle of Minster Yard to the junction of Goodramgate and College S ...

Minster Yard Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of York, England. It runs along the southern, eastern and northeastern sides of York Minster, for which it is named. History The street may have originated as the courtyard of the headquarters build ...

Precentor's Court Precentor's Court is an historic street in the English city of York. Although certainly in existence by 1313,''York: The Making of a City 1068–1350'', Sarah Rees Jones (2013), p. 146 the street does not appear on a map until 1610, and it is n ...

, and

Dean's Park Dean's Park is an urban park in York, England. It was created in the 19th century. Formerly the site of the Archbishop's Palace, during the latter part of the Middle Ages, it is located adjacent to York Minster on its northern side. Other st ...

. A plaque memorialising Minster Close was placed on the Deangate pillars in 1995.

References

Streets in York 13th-century establishments in England 13th century in York {{UK-road-stub

Further reading

References