Lost shrine returns to York Minster

Shrine of St William of York WIki Image

Fragments of a medieval shrine dedicated to York's patron saint returned to York Minster yesterday, for the first time in almost 500 years in a landmark exhibition and cinematic experience.

William of York's early career in the church was very successful. As a young man in 1130, he was appointed treasurer of York and chaplain to King Steven. He was known as a kind and good-natured person. When the Archbishop of York died, the authorities chose William as his successor. From that time on things went badly wrong, as he became the innocent victim of malicious gossip. Bernard and the Yorkshire Cistercians accused him of a number of wicked deeds shortly before he was to be installed as Archbishop of York. This set off a wrangle that was to last for years.

William retired to Winchester and lived devoutly as a monk until 1153, when his name was cleared. Enormous crowds greeted him when he returned to York. But he died suddenly, possibly of poisoning, just a month later. He is now a patron saint of victims of injustice.

Many miracles were attributed to William's influence and intervention as people sought help, hope and healing at his tomb. In 1226, in recognition of these miracles and this devotion, Pope Honorius III proclaimed William a saint. Over the years at least four known structures or shrines were dedicated to him, and his resting place became one of the most significant sites for pilgrimage in the country, together with Canterbury, Walsingham, Holywell, Our Lady of Willesden and others. During the Reformation they were systematically destroyed. The huge two-storey stone shrine erected over St William's tomb was dismantled and buried underneath the streets of York. The care taken to hide the pieces suggests a hope that one day the shrine would be found and restored.

Visitors now have the rare opportunity to see pieces from St William's medieval Nave shrine inside York Minster for the first time in five centuries. These fragments, which were rediscovered in excavations and cared for in the Yorkshire Museum, have been kindly lent to the cathedral by York Museums Trust for the duration of the exhibition.

The shrine fragments are being displayed alongside other treasures selected by York Minster's Collections Team which reveal the life of a man who devoted himself to his city and cathedral. The miracles, murder, and mystery of York's patron saint are brought to life in a delicately decorated ivory casket made in Sicily with Arabian design influences, a reproduction of the only surviving seal of Archbishop William, and the stone that fell on the head of an unsuspecting man who was miraculously saved from harm.

Visitors will be able to experience the imposing shrine as never before, thanks to years of research, the latest in 3D-modelling, and expert knowledge drawn from across the city of York. Fragments of the shrine have been 3D scanned using technology employed by the cathedral's Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management. Viridian FX, a York-based visual effects studio whose work has featured in major TV and film releases, including HBO's House of the Dragon, Netflix's Kaos, and the blockbuster Now You See Me 3, have used the scans and research to bring the medieval structure to life in Unreal Engine, a powerful 3D creation tool used in games and films.

The digital reconstruction of the shrine is the centrepiece of a new film created by York-based studio Hewitt & Walker. The film, which will be shown on a huge screen in a purpose-built cinema beneath the cathedral, introduces this often-overlooked patron saint and celebrates the city's long history at the cutting edge of artistry, craft, and technology.

York Minster's Research Coordinator Dr Jennie England, who features in the film and curated the new exhibition, explains: "2026 marks 800 years since St William's canonisation. This anniversary presents the opportunity to reflect on what St William means to York Minster, its community, and its visitors today, and the impact of his legacy on the history and fabric of the cathedral.

"The return of these fragments of St William's shrine to York Minster after nearly 500 years is hugely significant. Although our methods would be unimaginable to the craftspeople who created this medieval masterpiece, our commitment to ensuring that as many people as possible can connect with this holy and historic individual is much the same as theirs.

"We invite everybody to come and discover the film and exhibition and encounter a patron saint whose influence still resonates 800 years after his canonisation."

The exhibition and cinematic experience opened to the public on Saturday 31 January and will run during sightseeing times throughout 2026. Both activities are included in a sightseeing ticket.

For more information see: https://yorkminster.org/whats-on/event/st-william-of-york-life-and-legacy/