- Selby Abbey
Parish church
name=Selby Abbey
caption=The West End and Central tower from SW
dedication=St Mary the Virgin andSt Germain
denomination=Church of England
tradition=Broad Church
parish=Selby
deanery=Selby
archdeaconry=York
diocese=York
province=York
prebendary=
priest=Rev Canon Keith Richards
asspriest=Rev Robb Wainwright
canon=Rev Roy Matthews (retired)
curate=Rev Gareth Wardell
organistdom=Dr Roger Tebbet
website= [http://www.selbyabbey.com www.selbyabbey.com/] Anglican PortalSelby Abbey is an
Anglican parish church in the town ofSelby ,North Yorkshire . It is one of the relatively few survivingabbey churches of the medieval period, and, although not acathedral , is one of the biggest. It was founded by Benedict in 1069 and subsequently built by thede Lacy family.Architecture
Like
York Minster , the church rests on a base of sand and has suffered from subsidence. Many sections collapsed entirely during the 17th century, and further serious damage was done by a fire of 1906 which melted the bells in the central tower. Nevertheless, extensive rebuilding and refurbishment has made the church one of the most impressive in the country. The tower is Norman, but the eastern end is inDecorated Gothic style, and the west front a mixture of Norman, Gothic and Victorian.The interior bears some similarity to that of
Durham Cathedral , on which the design was modelled. Richly-carved and moulded capitals are found throughout the church. A major feature is the east window, which contains original medieval glass and depicts theTree of Jesse , a popular subject of that period. The chancel stonework is thought to have been designed byHenry Yevele .A notable feature of the abbey is the 14th century Washington Window, featuring the heraldic arms of the ancestors of George Washington, the first president of the United States. The design featuring three red stars above two red bands on a white shield is said to have been the model for the US flag, and is the model for the flag of the
District of Columbia .Current Restoration
The Abbey is currently undergoing an extensive restoration, costing several million pounds. Stage 6, the restoration of the
Scriptorium is underway at a cost of £795,000. The £400,000 cost of restoring the South Choir Aisle and the 'Washington Window' was met in full byBritish American Tobacco . [ [http://www.selbyabbey.org.uk/progress_so_far.htm Restoration - Progress so far] , Selby Abbey. Retrieved on2007-11-13 .]Organ
The church contains an organ by William Hill dating from 1909, with restorations by Hill, Norman and Beard in 1950 and John T Jackson in 1975. A specification of the organ can be found on the [http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N07165 National Pipe Organ Register] .
Organists
*Edward Johnson Bellerby 1878 - 1881
*Frederick W Sykes ca. 1906
*Henry Oswald Hodgson ???? - 1928
*David Gedge 1962 - 1966
*Roger TebbetBishop of Selby
The
Bishop of Selby is a Suffragan Bishop to theArchbishop of York and is head of the Archdeaconry of York.Selby Abbey is one of nineteen members of the
Greater Churches Group .References
External links
* [http://www.photoboxgallery.com/thislandwalesphotography/8159728 Selby Abbey Online Gallery]
* [http://www.selbyabbey.org.uk Official website of Selby Abbey.]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/selbyabbey/index.htm Views of Selby Abbey.]
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