A walk around the market town of Beverley (From Gazette & Herald)

A walk around the market town of Beverley

2:58pm Thursday 6th January 2011 in Country walks By Brian Beadle

THE market town of Beverley possesses a great glory in its two magnificent churches, the Minster church of St John and the smaller church of St Mary.

Few towns in England can boast of possessing two such magnificent churches as these, each of them considerable enough in size and perfect enough in architecture to rank with the finest ecclesiastical edifices in the country.

In the late ninth century, the Danes began ravaging lands north of the Humber. They came to Beverley where they burnt buildings including the church which would have been made of wood, and murdering some of the inmates, driving the others away into hiding in the local woods.

It took four years before they returned to set up a religious house again in Beverley. But about 300 years later, in 1188, their work was ravaged by fire once more, the Great Fire of Beverley. It reduced the church and town to ashes.

But several centuries later, a curious discovery was made. On the opening of a grave during rebuilding, they found a vault with bones, ashes and beads wrapped in lead accompanied by three large brass pins and four large iron nails.

An inscription accompanied the find which claimed it was the remains of St John which had been moved for safety after the fire to the entrance of the church where a mysterious occurrence took place.

When William the Conqueror was harrying the land, he made camp outside Beverley. Some of his men took it upon themselves to plunder the town and to murder anyone who tried to stop them. They met with little opposition as the inhabitants of the town had sought refuge in the church and its grounds.

The leader of the raiders, Toustain charged the church doors sword in hand. However, the power of St John of Beverley, whose remains were buried in the entrance, slew his horse and Toustain was made into a monster of a man, his limbs twisted and bent.

When William the Conqueror heard what had happened he feared the wrath and mighty power of the saint who performed miracles from the grave and gave protection to the town and church of Beverley.

So let us take a walk among the streets of Beverley where unbelievable things happened many years ago and see some fine buildings as we make our way to the Minster of St John to see where a miracle occurred.

Your route

I will start the walk from New Walk, near the police station outside the North Bar, the last of the old five gates of Beverley. Adjacent to the Police Station is Sessions House, which was used as the Beverley Crown Court.

Sessions House is a grand building with ionic columns and pediment. It was built in the early 19th century. The portico is surmounted by a gilded figure of justice without a blindfold.

Leave Sessions House behind now and head to the North Bar where you will find James Ellis’s House on the left of the entrance with its timbered walls and carvings above the door. The carvings would have been done by the owner whose occupation was a wood carver.

Pass through the bar and past St Mary’s Court which is a 15th century house on your right. The ground floor is now shops and an arcade.

Just a little further along is the Beverley Arms which was built in 1794. Opposite the Beverley Arms is the magnificent St Mary’s church, which, as an example of a religious building, even surpasses the grandeur of the Minster.

Inside the church are corbels of musicians in the choir vestry and the ingenuity of St Michael’s Chapel which has a white rabbit guarding the door. This particular rabbit was the inspiration for Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland.

Walk along the side of the church down Hengate past the White Horse Inn which is still as ancient inside as it is outside. At the end of Hengate, turn right, then right again along Sow Hill past the bus station and toilets. At the end of the street, go left past the market cross, then where the square widens, look left to see the old Corn Exchange building, now a department store.

The Corn Exchange was built of red brick in 1886 and was used as a combined meat, corn and butter market before becoming a cinema.

Head off towards the right hand corner of the square and continue along Toll Gavell where at number 44, which was once a chemists shop built in 1830, there are serpents entwined around the door pillars which represents the Greek god of medicine.

A little further along, bear right, then right again into Register Square to see the commanding entrance to the Guildhall at the end of the street. It was built in 1760 and the inside is still a Georgian courtroom. It has the Royal Coat of Arms on the ceiling with once again showing Justice without a blindfold. A fine building in an inconspicuous position.

Retrace your steps into Toll Gavel now, then keep right into Butchers Row which soon opens out into a small square called The Wednesday Market. Go through the square to the left hand corner, then keep straight ahead into Eastgate and soon you will see the Minster towering over you. Pass an old petrol pump on your right and note the old Dominican Gateway in the wall.

When you reach the Minster, turn left at the Friary sign along Friars Lane if you want to see the old Friary.

This was a house of the Dominicans, the Blackfriars who came to Beverley around the middle of the 13th century. The visible part was probably the dormitory and library, restored with help from Henry VI after a fire in 1449.

After viewing the Friary, return to the Minster. Go across the road and walk along Minster Yard with the Minster on your left passing the entrance door if you care to venture inside, other wise keep straight ahead into Minster Moorgate.

Take a good look at the Minster as a building with its many flying buttresses and ornate pinnacles. Keep on the long, straight road, then at the crossroads, go right along Lairgate, then at the next crossroads continue straight ahead keeping on Lairgate to eventually reach traffic lights. Straight ahead here to return to the North Bar.

The facts

Distance – 1½ miles (2.4km)

Time – Half a day if you explore St Mary’s and St John’s

Grading – Easy

Start/Grid Ref – Beverley North Bar, grid ref. 030398

Best map – Beverley Street Map

Parking – Beverley roadside or car park

Refreshments – Try a pint in the White Horse on Hengate

Public toilets – Bus Station near market square

View a map of the Beverley walk>>