The Chapter House roof was constructed in approximately 1285.  This model of the roof shows the elaborate construction that is involved:

Above your head is the central boss with the lamb and flag.  It is fixed at the bottom of the king post which rises to the apex of the roof.  Now look for this boss and the king post in the model.

The king post is constructed from three huge oak trees spliced together.  Its weight is held by the whole structure, primarily supported on four horizontal beams crossing in the centre (where the human figure is standing in the model).  Eight queen posts and eight pendant posts terminate at the base with the ring of sixteen bosses visible above your head.  Almost every timbre is numbered, which indicates that the roof was pre-made at ground level, then dismantled and reassembled in situ. *

Glass in the Chapter House

Chapter Hous Roof

*From an information board a York Minster.

14 Comments CherryPie on Dec 15th 2011

14 Responses to “The Chapter House Roof”

  1. hat stained glass is beautiful

  2. beautiful stained glass!

  3. Ginnie says:

    To think they had this all down pat way back then!! It blows my mind.

  4. Mickie Brown says:

    I’m a little slow getting around to people’s blogs–just too much going on at Christmas. Your churches are beautiful–love the arches and lovely windows in the last few posts. I still find it so hard to believe that these magnificent structures were build so long ago. Have a lovely weekend. Mickie :)

  5. Claude says:

    I bet they could teach us a few things. If only time, patience and desire to build endurable beauty. It doesn’t happen in one day….

  6. Do they still charge you for the entrance to York Minster?
    It was so when I was there two years ago.

    Bath Abbey was free a couple of years ago.
    But it’s now admission charge. :(

    Isn’t it sad to know that you have to pay to get a step closer to God?
    But you know what, religion is, indeed, a good business!

    • CherryPie says:

      They do charge to enter York Minster, but the monies received only cover heating and lighting and day to day costs of running the minster. The entry fee is for a whole year, so locals can visit as many times as they like. As a member of English Heritage I got in for half price.

      It is sad that you have to pay, but I would rather pay to allow the places to remain open than not pay and they would be shut.

      Your other separate point about religion being a good business… don’t get me started on that one!!! ;-)

  7. J_on_tour says:

    I can’t ever re-call visiting the Chapter House in the Minster and come to think of it the last three times I have been to York (in digital), I have only taken photographs from the outside. When I was with my ex girlfriend for a few years, she refused for us to pay the entrance fee… It looks like a visit inside the next time is long overdue.