Buildings and Beliefs

Medieval Social Structure and Spirituality

This exploration of a typical parish church - All Saints, York, England - shows how much can be learned about the social and religious beliefs of those who built it and extended it over the centuries. The starting point is the structure itself. The surviving fabric can tell us a great deal about the sequence of construction; a model is used to show the development and enlargement of the building and its division into different parts. All Saints was situated in the industrial part of the city - evidence of various trades and industries can be seen in the symbols on coffin lids. Further evidence comes from written records such as fourteenth-century wills, which contain a wealth of information about funeral arrangements and bequests for improvements to the church - these indicate the increasing prosperity of the local merchants and tradesmen. New glass windows were inserted, and the aisles were divided and widened to put in more side chapels so that masses could be said for the departed who had left money for the purpose. At one time there were five separate altars. Merchants also gave money for the establishment of a hospice for the poor and sick. Altogether the fabric of the building, together with its records, is a rich source of historical information.

This program is particularly suitable for teacher training.

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