Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

While England was Catholic this bridge had an interest for the faithful. The whole city had gone out to meet the archbishop on his return from Rome on the feast of the Ascension. The saint preceding the crowd had crossed over the old wooden bridge, and as the people were following in multitudes, the bridge gave way under the pressure, and the mass of the people, including many women and children, fell into the stream. St William made the sign of the Cross over them and prayed, and not a single life was lost. A chapel in honour of the saint was built upon the bridge, and the building was not taken down till very recent times. It had a beautiful Norman doorway and an early English window of three lancets, but its beauty and associations did not save it from desecration at the Reformation, at which time it became an exchange for merchants. It was utterly destroyed when the bridge was pulled down in 1809.

Ascension Day is on 9 May 2024.

Comment

Comment

Morris’ appears to improve on Drake, who he quotes:

Stone bridges coming soon after into use, ours seems to take its date from about the year 1235, for I find that Walter Gray, then Archbishop, granted a brief for the rebuilding of Ousebridge, most probably of stone, by charitable contributions. Anno 1268 I read an account of the origin of a chapel on Ousebridge in the Collectanea, when there was a peace and agreement made with John Comyn, a Scotch nobleman, and the citizens of York (mediantibus regibus Angliae et Scotiae) for a fray which had happened upon the bridge and wherein several of John Comyn’s servants had been slain. The said lord was to receive three hundred pound, and the citizens were obliged to build a chapel on the place where the slaughter was made, and to find two priests to celebrate for the souls of the slain for ever. How long they continued to pray for the souls of these Scots, or whether this is not the chapel which was dedicated to St. William, I know not (Drake 1736).

Physician, heal thyself – William died exactly a month later, allegedly poisoned.

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Original

The river Ouse divides the city of York into two parts, and until lately there was but one bridge over it, which taking its name from the river was called Ousebridge. While England was Catholic this bridge had an interest for the faithful from a grace that was attributed to the prayers of St. William. The whole city had gone out to meet the Archbishop on his return from Rome on the feast of the Ascension, May 8, 1154. The Saint preceding the crowd had crossed over the old wooden bridge, and as the people were following in multitudes, the bridge gave way under the pressure, and the mass of the people, including many women and children, fell into the stream. St. William made the sign of the Cross over them and prayed, and not a single life was lost. A chapel in honour of the Saint was built upon the bridge, and the building was not taken down till very recent times. It had a beautiful Norman doorway and an early English window of three lancets, but its beauty and associations did not save it from desecration at the Reformation, at which time it became an Exchange for merchants. It was utterly destroyed when the bridge was pulled down in 1809.

211 words.

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• Archbishop of York (18) ·
• Catholic Church (57) ·
• Drowning (22) ·
• English Reformation (12) ·
• Feast of the Ascension (3) ·
• Miracle (4) ·
• Mush alias Ratcliffe, John (1551/1552-1612/1613) (2), Yorkshire-born Catholic priest, hagiographer of Margaret Clitherow ·
• Ouse Bridge (6) ·
• Pope Anastasius IV (1) ·
• River Ouse, Yorkshire (19) ·
• Rome (3) ·
• Stephen, King of England (1) ·
• William of York (1) ·
• 📌York (164) ·

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