Sotheran's York Guide (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1803. Excerpt: ... years; in which time several additions and reparations must have been made to it, but what or how, history is silent in, except the library bestowed on it by archbishop Egbert: this extraordinary donation became the rich fur niture of our church about the year 740. During the Danish invasions, which were carried on with fire and sword quite through the kingdom, our city, and consequently the cathedral, must have shared the same fate, tho' no account appears of the misfortunes of the latter till the year 1069; when the Northumbrians, aided by the Danes, seeking to throw osf the conqueror's tyrannical yoke, the garrisons in the castles, fearing lest the houses in the suburbs should serve the enemy to fill up the motes and ditches, set fire to them; which spreading, by an accidental wind, farther than it was intended, burnt down great part of the city, and with it the cathedral fell in almost one common ruin. The ancient fabric thus destroyed and laid in ashes, the canons of the church were expelled from their stalls, and the revenues of it seized into the conqueror's hands; but, after some time, having made Thomas, his chaplain and treasurer, archbishop of the province, he restored the temporalities to him; and this prelate took possession of his church and diocese in the year 1070, at a time when both were made desolate and 'near totally destroyed. Thomas, however, set himself heartily to work to restore them to their former splendour. The church he rebuilt much larger and nobler than it was before, recalled the banished ecclesiastics, filled the vacancies, and in short established, in every particular, the fabric in as good, or better condition than ever. Once more raised to grandeur, the church continued in great prosperity, till the year 113 7, when a ...