History and culture guide to Beverley

Beverley means beaver stream and that is exactly what the town started as until in 705 the first structure, a monastery, was built. Since then, Beverley has grown enormously and has built up a lot of important historical and cultural roots.

Beverley Minster

In the 8th century, the Bishop of York decided to set up a monastary near a stream, and this is what founded the community of Beverley that would continue to grow into a huge market town of 31,000 people! This bishop is now known as St John of Beverley and he is buried in the church, which made Beverley a prestigious pilgrimage destination.

One of the roles of the church was the right to give sanctuary, which was given by King Athelstan in 934 after praying to St John for victory in battle. This role is best seen in the sanctuary stool, which is also known as the Saxon Fridstool or Chair of Peace. It is one of the only two stools to survive and it is a perfect symbol of how Beverley’s role is and always has been about sanctuary. You can see the original Beverley Sanctuary Book here, which lists the fugitives claiming sanctuary in the years 1478-1540.

St Mary’s Church

St Mary’s began modestly in the 12th century but it has grown rapidly since then and it now can be seen from almost every part of Beverley. It is a central landmark in the town and is currently going through another restoration project in order to keep it thriving for future generations.

One of the most stunning elements of St Mary’s has to be its ceilings. In 1445, the ceiling was made in order to show some lavish portraits of the historical kings all the way to King Henry VI (who was on the throne at this time) and even records the dates of their reigns and where they were buried, in Latin! This ceiling of 40 kings is truly unique to St Mary’s and cannot be seen anywhere else.

There are many intricate carvings and sculptures throughout the church but one of the most captivating ones has to be The Pilgrim Hare. It was made sometime in 1330-40 but its fame has only been since the 19th century. It is believed that Lewis Carroll was inspired by The Pilgrim Hare in his creation of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, and the illustrator John Tenniel was sent to Beverley to use the sculpture to draw the character.

St Mary’s also has a very poignant monument that is dedicated to 35 men from the parish who died in World War II. The Memorial Door was built by Robert Thompson who was nicknamed Mouseman because of his signature mice carvings, which can be seen under the name ‘R.P. Fisher’.

Another remnant from WWII can be found in the bullet hole that was left by a German plane in 1940, which you can still go and see today.

The Guildhall

The Guildhall has been at the heart of Bevelrey’s civic governance ever since the building was bought in 1501 by the Beverley Town Keepers. It is an abseloutley beautiful building with classical inspirations added in 1832 by Hull architect Charles Mountain the Younger.

As well as having civic and ceremonial responsibilities, the Guildhall is also used as a community museum where it holds an archive of over 3000 photographs of Beverley’s history, and it displays some of the most interesting objects that have been donated throughout its history. It is a really significant part in Beverley’s history and also in keeping its history safe. You can see the current exhibitions on their website.

North Bar

Beverley’s North Bar is especially important because it is the only surviving brick town gate in the country! Built in 1409, it has acted as a collection point for taxes but it has also witnessed some of East Yorkshire’s major events in history. In 1536, the Pilgrimage of Grace came through the Bar to carry on their rebellion against Henry VIII, and again in 1642 Sir John Hotham (governor of Hull) refused to open the North Bar for King Charles and the Royalists in the Civil War.

Westwoods and the Black Mill

The Westwoods have always been hugely significant in Beverley as it is has been common land ever since it was given to the people by the Lord of the Manor in 1380. The Black Mill (although it was originally white) was built in 1803 and has been really important in the miller’s social activities throughout the 19th century. However, nobody has lived there since 1934 as it now a monument.

The common land of Beverley, including the Westwoods, is still managed by the Freemen and Pasture managers. One interesting tradition that has survived through history is that in order to be a Freeman, you have to be born in Beverley!

A Few Historical Buildings

There are so many fascinating structures and buildings that have lived in Beverley for a really long time! For example, Beverley Racecourse has existed ever since 1767. They also have a Friary that was once a Dominican friary but has been reconstructed and used for various purposes ever since the Reformation and dissolution of the monastaries in 1539. It is now used as a youth hostel. There is also the Sessions House that was used in the early 19th century as a ‘house of corrections’ (a prison) but it is now a spa! You can also go to 11 Ladygate to see a medieval shop from the 14th century.

As you can see, the historical roots of Beverley are still very present in the modern culture and day to day life of the town which you can go and see for yourself!

If you want to find out more about the history of Beverley, then have a look here.