Howden Minster
Encyclopedia
Howden Minster is a large Grade I listed Church of England
church in the Diocese of York
. It is located in Howden
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
. It is one of the largest and most magnificent churches in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul
and it is therefore properly known as 'the Minster Church of St Peter and St Paul'. Its Grade I listed status also includes the Chapter House.
church in the Early English style seems to have been begun in 1228. It became a Collegiate Church
in 1267. Rebuilding work was completed in the Decorated style around 1340. A small octagonal Chapter House
was built after 1388, the last of its kind to be built in England. The church survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries
as it was not a monastery, but fell victim to the Dissolution of Collegiate Churches and Chantries in 1548.
Although the minster was not destroyed in the Dissolution, the choir or chancel
was allowed to fall into ruin, and only the nave
was used for services. The roof eventually collapsed in 1696, and the chapter house roof collapsed in 1750. The ruins
are now in the guardianship of English Heritage
, preserved by the Department of the Environment, and are in the condition of a 'safe ruin'. The chapter house received a new roof in 1984. The ruins can only be seen from the outside, as they are still part of the current minster church.
in the choir. The tomb survived until the 16th century. His feast day is the 2nd May.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church in the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
. It is located in Howden
Howden
Howden is a small market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies north of the M62, on the A614 road about north of Goole and south-west of York. William the Conqueror gave the town to the Bishops of Durham in 1080...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is one of the largest and most magnificent churches in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
and it is therefore properly known as 'the Minster Church of St Peter and St Paul'. Its Grade I listed status also includes the Chapter House.
History
Howden Minster was owned by monks from Peterborough Abbey in Saxon times, but in 1080 it was gifted to William of Calais (Bishop of Durham). Although dependent on Durham, the minster was in the Diocese of York. Rebuilding the NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church in the Early English style seems to have been begun in 1228. It became a Collegiate Church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
in 1267. Rebuilding work was completed in the Decorated style around 1340. A small octagonal Chapter House
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
was built after 1388, the last of its kind to be built in England. The church survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
as it was not a monastery, but fell victim to the Dissolution of Collegiate Churches and Chantries in 1548.
Although the minster was not destroyed in the Dissolution, the choir or chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was allowed to fall into ruin, and only the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
was used for services. The roof eventually collapsed in 1696, and the chapter house roof collapsed in 1750. The ruins
Ruins
Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction...
are now in the guardianship of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, preserved by the Department of the Environment, and are in the condition of a 'safe ruin'. The chapter house received a new roof in 1984. The ruins can only be seen from the outside, as they are still part of the current minster church.
St John of Howden
John was one of the earliest Canons of Howden, and was a man of outstanding holiness and humility. He was responsible for the rebuilding of the choir of the minster. He died in 1275 and was buried in a shrineShrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
in the choir. The tomb survived until the 16th century. His feast day is the 2nd May.