School visit packages
The Minster is a fantastic setting for educational visits, and we welcome school groups from EYFS through to Key Stage 4. We can provide
bespoke visits, guided Minster tours, educational learning programmes
We also welcome pre-booked self-conducted visits.
In our short film we have reconstructed what happened when a person arrived in Beverley seeking sanctuary.
John Wright tells his story.
WHAT IS THE SANCTUARY PROJECT?
Our Sanctuary Project is all about caring for our heritage by restoring part of the medieval roof and also by telling the story of Beverley’s right of sanctuary.
St John of Beverley died in 721. His reputation for healing the sick soon attracted huge numbers of pilgrims to his tomb, and later to an elaborate shrine.
He was recognised as a saint in 1037 and gradually a town began to develop to meet the needs of the pilgrims. By the fourteenth century Beverley was one of the top 10 largest towns in England.
Tradition has it that King Athelstan visited John’s tomb in 934 while leading his army north to fight against the Scots. Athelstan reputedly credited his victory to Bishop John and granted ‘the right of sanctuary’ extending two miles from his tomb.
Our Sanctuary Project is all about telling Beverley’s story afresh to the present generation who continue to seek sanctuary today.