practicalguideto00unse_0

14
In 867, the kingdom of Northumbria was overthrown
the by
Danes who now ruled in East Angha. Guthrum,
one ot the Danish kings, reigned at York from 822 to 896
but having •
been conquered by Alfred the Great, was baptized
at Jork Minster, King Alfred acting as his sponsor and
giving him the name of Athelstane. During one of the sieges
at the time of the Norman conquest, the Cathedral was again
burnt to the ground; it was, however, rebuilt about 1080 on
a larger scale in the Norman style by Archbishop Thomas,
who had been appointed to the see by the Conqueror. In the
reign of Stephen (1137), it was again seriously damaged by
hre, and for forty years little was done towards its restoration
however, about 1171, Archbishop Roger rebuilt the choir in
the Norman style to correspond with the rest of the building
The present erection dates from 1215, when Walter de
Grey ascended the archiepiscopal throne, who, being dissatished
with the Cathedral as it then stood, determined to build
one on a grander and more extensive scale. Accordingly he
commenced with the present south transept, which he lived to
see completed, about 1240. The north transept was built by
John le Eomayne, treasurer to the Cathedra], about 1250,
who also built a beU tower, now replaced by the great lantern
tower. Archbishop le Eomayne, son of the treasurer, pulled
down the old Norman nave, and laid the foundation-stone of
the present one on 6th April, 1291, which, with the magnihcent
west front, was completed by Archbishop Melton—
the stone-work in 1345 and the roof in 1355. The great
west window was fiUed with glass in 1338 at the expense of
Archbishop Melton, who gave one hundred marks for the
purpose. During the building of the nave, the present
chapter-house was erected ; but the name of its founder or
the exact dates are not known. From the florid or decorated
style of its architecture, it is not likely that it would be completed
before the middle of the fourteenth century ; and
from the bear, which was a device of Francis Fitzurse, the
treasurer, being used upon it as an ornament, it may be
mferred that he took a prominent part in its erection. The
Norman choir was next doomed; and in 1361, Archbishop
Thoresby laid the foundation-stone of the present choir,
beginning at the Lady chapel. This was finished prior to this
prelate's death in 1373 ; the remainder of the choir was not