Examination reveals the unique design and significance of St Mary Bishophill Junior, suggesting its role as a private chapel adjacent to a major monastery.
The late 11th-century tower-nave church of St Mary Bishophill Junior stands within the city walls of York, adjacent to the important early monastery of Holy Trinity (formerly Christ Church). Its unusual architectural form and apparent location within a small enclosure indicate that it was a private, lordly chapel rather than a congregational church. This is supported by the break-up of the old monastery of Christ Church at the hands of secular power, and by the integration of St Mary Bishophill Junior into the regional landscape of Anglo-Saxon civil defence.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Michael Shapland (2012) studied this question.