well, well

For my Philosophical Approaches to Conservation class, we've been working on group presentations on historic buildings around York. My group got Jacob's Well, an amazing medieval building on the other side of town, across the river. The building has undergone many changes and building phases, and is today the parish room for the Church of Holy Trinity, Micklegate. Its rooms are rented out for different meetings and other functions. It's not always open to the public, but the caretaker opened up the building especially for us... oh the perks of being a graduate student!

Street view of Jacob's Well.


The building originally housed priests from the Church of Holy Trinity, Micklegate, which is just behind it.


Jacob's Well. The name dates to when the building became a pub in the eighteenth century. It references the Old Testament story of Jacob meeting Rachel and falling in love with her at the watering well for flocks of sheep. A fitting name for a watering hole that formerly housed priests!


The beautiful carved entrance of the building was originally located at the Wheatsheaf Inn in Davygate, the former town house of the Bishop of Durham.


Sadly, several of the figures were cut out of the entrance by thieves not too long ago. They have since been replaced with replicas.


I love the rose. I upped the contrast here to show where the original part of the entrance carving was stolen and replaced with a replica.


In the nineteenth century, the owner of the building added a third story for increased accommodation. This addition caused the timber frame second story to jut out into the street like it does today. The third story was later removed.


Downstairs main room.


This cool sun is actually proof of the building's insurance in the 1790s--the Sun Insurance company.


The ceiling from the main room upstairs is new, due to the removal of the third story of the building in the 1980s.


Gorgeous wood beam ceiling, medieval.


And on the staircase ceiling, there are beautiful wooden ceiling bosses. Not sure when they date to, but they are medieval in style, at least. I'd like to think they are medieval! Some selected few...


The gilding is gorgeous.


I love the design of this one.


Half of a rose.


A man!


I think his elf cap is rather festive.


And then we went around the corner to the Church of Holy Trinity, Micklegate. The church consists of the remains of a Benedictine priory founded in 1089.


I love this place.


The altar.


The west front.


Au revoir.
xx