Alcuin of York : $b Lectures delivered in the cathedral church of Bristol in 1907 and 1908Browne, G. F. (George Forrest)
Religion
Alcuin of York : $b Lectures delivered in the cathedral church of Bristol in 1907 and 1908
Browne, G. F. (George Forrest)
Alcuin, 735-804
Alcuin makes several statements about church-building in York. In lines
195-198, he tells us that King Edwin caused a small building to be
hurriedly erected, in which he and his could receive the sacred water of
baptism. We should naturally suppose that it was by the side of water.
In lines 219-222 he tells us that Paulinus built ample churches in his
cities. Among them he names that of York, supported on solid columns; it
remains, he says, noble and beautiful, on the spot where Edwin was laved
in the sacred wave. In lines 1221-1228 he tells us first that Wilfrith
II greatly adorned “the church”, evidently meaning his cathedral church,
and then that he adorned with great gifts other churches in the city of
York. In lines 1487-1505 he tells us that Albert took great care in the
ornamentation of churches, and especially that at the spot of Edwin’s
baptism he made a grand altar, which he covered with silver and gems
and gold, and dedicated it under the name of Saint Paul whom he greatly
loved. He made also, still it would seem at the same spot, another altar,
covered with pure silver and precious stones, and dedicated it to the
Martyrs and the Cross. As we have seen, there was no altar dedicated to
St. Paul in the mediaeval Minster of York; but there was not an altar
only but a small church—which remained as a parish church till very
recent years—dedicated to Saint Crux. The parish of St. Crux is now
absorbed in All Saints. Lastly, in lines 1506-1519 he describes the
building of the great new basilica which Eanbald and himself built under
the orders of Archbishop Albert. The conclusion appears to be that the
new basilica—which probably became the cathedral church—did not stand on
the site of Paulinus’s church, but was erected close by that specially
sacred spot; and that both Paulinus’s stone oratory, beautified by
Wilfrith II, with its added altars to St. Paul and St. Crux, and also the
new and great basilica of Albert, are now absorbed in the vast area of
the Minster of York.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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