Selby Abbey is one of the few remaining Abbey churches of the medieval period and is rated as one of the best twenty churches in the Uk. Like York Minister it is built on Sand and has had problems with subsidence. Certain parts collapsed during the 17th century and it was severely damaged by fire in 1906, which melted the bells in the central tower. However rebuilding and restoration has made it one of the most impressive in the country.
The Tower is Norman but the eastern end is Decorated Gothic. The west front is a mixture of Norman, Gothic and Victorian.
The interior is similar to Durham Cathedral on which the design was modelled.
The workmanship of the interior is fantastic with rich carvings and mouldings throughout. There are pagan symbols including pentagrams, green men and march hares situated on the columns and ceilings, left by the workmen who built this fantastic building.
The Abbey was founded by Benedict of Auxerre in 1069 and built by the De Lacy family.
A major feature is the East Window which contains medieval glass and depicts The Tree of Jesse a popular subject of that period.
A notable feature, that may interest my American friends, is the 14th century Washington Window, featuring the heraldic arms of the ancestors of George Washington. The design features three red stars above two red bands on a white shield is said to be the inspiration for the US flag and the model for the flag of the District of Columbia.
Selby Town itself is a small market town some 12 miles south of York. What is not known is why this small town has such a large auspicious church at it's centre. It's a bit of a mystery.
8 comments:
I've been to York Minster but not to Selby. I didn't realise the two places were so near each other. The Abbey is a spectacular building and I particularly liked the shot of it beyond the frame of trees. Thank you for giving it's history.
Gorgeous architecture, and very nice photos. Interesting post.
Fascinating! Great photos and historic background.
Such a nice group of photos of a very historic structure. Thanks for the history lesson, very important to pics.
Like the clocks in first two shots, PM I gather.
Beautiful photos! It is always interesting to see a building with such a long history. With this Abbey you are talking 1,000 years, while in Alaska we are talking 100 years. Very little of the earliest buildings from the gold rush era in the early 1900s are still around. Of course, they didn't build with an idea of permanence, rather just a means of protection from the brutal cold of winter
I enlarged each one and the detail on this building is incredible. the gargoyle sticking his tongue out is cute but ugly. i like the second photo with the church peaking our from between the trees. it pleases me to look at it and that is what i like about photography. great shots all of them
Great Gothic architecture, thanks for showing this wonder
I tried your fake HDR method using Photoshop Elements 8. I wasn't able to do some of the adjustments you used in PS, but managed to merge 3 layers to improve the photo. I posted the two versions on my blog today. Thanks for your instructions.
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