Walking Tour of Norman (Romanesque) Church Architecture in York

Are you a fan of Norman church architecture? Fancy seeing some hidden gems of the English Romanesque in York? I am leading a special walking tour of Romanesque church architecture in the city of York in October 2025 and you are invited!

Saturday 18 October (14:00 - 16:00)

During this walking tour we will visit several medieval churches in the city centre. These include but are not limited to others, including Holy Trinity Goodramgate, St Denys on Walmgate, St Margaret's on Walmgate (the National Centre for Early Music) and St Lawrence's churchyard on Lawrence St beyond the city walls.

This tour will take us to some of the best surviving examples of 12th century church architecture in York with special access to churches not normally open to the public. Two substantial reset Norman doorways will be our main talking points. Along the way we will learn all about their extraordinary sculpture and how these fascinating buildings have been adapted and evolved over time.

The tour will last 2 hours. The distance from start to finish from is no more than 2 miles, following an almost direct straight line down Walmgate from the north of the city centre, where we will start our walk by meeting outside Exhibition Square outside the York Art Gallery at 14:00. The tour will end at St Lawrence's church on Lawrence Street (outside the city walls beyond Walmgate Bar) at approx 16:00, after which we will go for a pint at a nearby pub within walking distance.

Accessibility

St Denys church does not have step free access to the north doorway, but can be observed from the pavement. Access to the standing remains of the medieval tower at St Lawrence's will require walking several feet across an uneven churchyard. The National Centre for Early Music has step free access. If you have any other access requirements or needs, I will always try my very best to help.

Please wear sensibile footwear and bring a snack and a drink with you.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

King's Manor - University of York, Exhibition Square, York, United Kingdom