St Denys, York

St Denys is a Grade I parish church on Walmgate, York, in the Diocese of York, a medieval city-centre church known for its stained glass and a reset Norman doorway.

Overview

Historic England records a fourteenth-century north aisle, a fifteenth-century chancel and south aisle with a reset mid-twelfth-century door, and alterations of 1846–47 by Thomas Pickersgill, including rebuilding of the west end with a tower and of the north and south arcades. The fabric is magnesian limestone under tile and pantile roofs in three parallel spans. The plan is a two-bay continuous chancel and aisled nave with south door, west tower and vestry. The triple-gabled east end has a five-light east window with renewed panel tracery. The south doorway, reset, is round-arched of five orders with cushion capitals carved with volutes, grotesque masks and scallops; the orders include foliage, beakhead, chevrons and medallions.

The City of York Historic Environment Record and RCHME note fourteenth-century glass, a notable east window, a Jacobean pulpit, and that the church originally had a crossing tower. Anglo-Saxon grave covers of the late ninth to tenth century were found in the churchyard in 1852. The church is usually open for services and events; visitor access can be arranged with the parish.

Further Information

• Historic England list entry 1256313
• St Denys, York
• Wikipedia: St Denys's Church, York