An account of the Early English glass at York will be found on p. 57.
The Decorated glass in the cathedral is almost entirely confined to the
nave and the chapter-house (with the vestibule leading thereto).
Notwithstanding their early date, the nave windows are large and afford
more illumination than one would expect at that time. So much wall-space
is used for light apertures that of the entire height of ninety-nine
feet only thirteen feet of stone intervene between the bottom of the
clerestory windows and the top of the main arches. All this portion of
the edifice is dominated by the great west window, given by Archbishop
Melton in 1338, a splendid sheet (fifty-six feet by twenty-five feet) of
highly coloured glass, supported by curvilinear stonework. Its eight
lights retain their original glazing almost intact (as does also the
head of the door below). It is skilfully fitted to the elaborate pattern
of the supporting stone frame. First there is a row of archbishops, then
one of saints, and highest of all a line of smaller personages. The
[Illustration: MAP OF DECORATED TOUR]
windows in the west wall at the end of each aisle are of the same
period, and also display excellent workmanship, especially the
Crucifixion in the northern one. It should be remarked that all the
aisle embrasures but two, and all those of the clerestory but two,
retain their original glazing, and if to this we add the windows in the
west wall just described, it is clear that Winston was right in stating
that this nave contains the most perfect and extensive remains in
England of the early part of the fourteenth century. His studious
heraldic analysis of the first window from the east in the north aisle
yields him the conclusion that it was made in 1306 or 1307. He remarks
that the yellow stain there used to tint the hair of one of the
personages is the earliest instance he ever found of the use of that new
colour. Next this on the west is a very charming window given by Richard
Tunnoc, Lord Mayor of York, who died in 1330: above his effigy appears a
small reproduction of this gift window. This is perhaps the finest of
its type in England. It was in honour of the Bell-Founders' Guild, and
is appropriately ornamented by numerous bells in the borders as well as
other parts of the design. For the rest of the Decorated glass we must
go to the chapter-house and the vestibule which leads thereto. It would
be difficult to find a spot in which one becomes so thoroughly imbued
with the feeling of Decorated glazing as in this vestibule. Here we
have no distracting features from other periods. The tall, slender
lancets that light this L-shaped hallway are completely filled with
grisaille overrun with archaic figures and crude canopies, here
displayed to the greatest advantage. Passing through to the handsome
octagonal chapter-house, we are at first disappointed to notice that the
window facing us contains modern glass. Although this first glance is
unfortunate, one is soon consoled by observing that all the other six
have excellent Decorated glazing of the time of Edward II. and III.,
showing four bands of late medallions in colour drawn across a grisaille
background livened with occasional touches of red and blue. The
grisaille here leans to grey rather than to the usual greenish hue, and
moreover, the quarries are cut into irregular shapes, thus relieving the
monotony of the commoner diamond-shaped panes.
[Illustration: _F. Valentine, photo._
CHAPTER-HOUSE, YORK MINSTER
Note the grouping together, in each embrasure, of five narrow
lights below gracefully elaborated tracery openings. Later on,
in the Perpendicular period, these traceries lose their
individuality, become stiffly regular, and part of the window
below]
Even if the vast Minster were not one of the world's greatest
treasure-houses of glass, the many smaller churches of York would
provide ample grounds for its being included in this book of tours. So
numerous are these churches that, in several instances, there are found
to be more than one dedicated to the same saint, and therefore the
pilgrim will do well to note carefully the name of street or gate placed
after that of the saint's to indicate which one is intended. The most
interesting of these modest shrines is All Saints' (or, as it is
sometimes called, All Hallows'), in North Street. It alone is well worth
a visit to York. Not only is its Decorated glass in excellent repair and
in satisfactory quantity, but it evidences such careful attention to the
little touches which make a window successful that one concludes the
best artists must have been employed in its manufacture. For example,
the canopies in the eastern embrasure of the north aisle have pedestals
beneath them, a most unusual feature at that early date. Furthermore,
the scenes from the life of the Virgin are depicted in a very careful
manner, not only appearing in the three lancets below, but in the three
major lights of the traceries above, although not there surrounded by
canopies as below. Older than this window, but also typically Decorated,
is that at the east end of the south aisle. The brassy tint is more
noticeable in the canopies which run in two bands across its three
lancets, and the canopies themselves are cruder in drawing than those
just described, but are excellently illustrative of their period. These
two windows are assisted in their service of beauty by the fact that the
embrasures about them are not burdened with modern mistakes, but were
glazed during the Perpendicular period. Reference will be made to this
later glass further on (_see_ p. 188); although much more famous than
its earlier neighbours, it is not a whit more satisfactory. These two
sets contrive to set each other off in admirable fashion, and together
they effect a delightful illumination for this interesting church.
St. Dennis (Walmgate) has already been mentioned for its two Early
English panels (p. 63), but its chief interest lies in the really fine
Decorated remains. On entering you will not long be detained by the
fragments of Perpendicular canopies that are gathered into parts of the
central eastern window and two other embrasures, but will pass on to the
north aisle. The three most easterly windows in the north wall taken
with the eastern one of that aisle provide an excellent exposition of
the glazier's art during the epoch we are now considering. The eastern
one has a fairly well preserved Tree of Jesse, filling all of its five
lancets, except just along the lower sill. Note the green vine and the
use of many green leaves. Turning to the three lights in the north
wall we find the usual brassy canopies against a quarry background,
surrounded by a coloured border. The traceries, too, show the most
approved treatment of leaves, green vines, &c., as well as some small
heads. The diminutive kneeling donors on the quarry-panes below are very
interesting; note the pendent sleeves, and especially the tiny gift
window held up by one of these little people. It is upon the central
lancet of one of these windows that we find the two Early English
panels.
St. Martin-cum-Gregory boasts of ten windows of Decorated work, mostly
small brassy canopies enclosing coloured figures, all placed upon a
background of quarries. The best is that at the east end of the south
aisle; across its three lancets is carried a row of canopies larger than
then generally drawn--in fact, the space usually occupied by quarries at
the upper parts of the lights is here pre-empted by the lofty pinnacles
of the canopies; the quarries appear below, as usual, and upon them in
the two outer lancets are the small kneeling donors. Under the centre
canopy is St. Martin dividing his cloak with a beggar, and above in the
flowing tracery lights are kneeling angels. This window is rendered
especially brilliant by the generous use of red in the backgrounds.
There is also some unimportant Perpendicular glass in this church (_see_
p. 185).