A SHRINE dedicated to a 12th century Archbishop of York and smashed during the Reformation is being recreated in the city.
St William's shrine stood in York Minster until the 1500s, where it was a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people.
It is now being recreated in the Yorkshire Museum for the 850th anniversary of St William's death as part of a new exhibition, Dust Off The Dodo - Fabulous Finds That Time Forgot. The exhibition will open on May 15.
Three pieces of the shrine have been mounted on a frame for the exhibition and the rest is being recreated in paint by York artist Flora Stoneman to give visitors an idea of its original appearance.
Mary Kershaw, director of collections for York Museums Trust, said: "St William's shrine was reckoned to be the most magnificent medieval shrine in England. We're trying to give people an idea of how big and beautiful it was."
St William was Archbishop from 1141 until he was deposed by the Pope in 1147.
He was reinstated in 1153 and when he returned to York, in 1154, the crowds crammed on to Ouse Bridge to welcome him were so great that the structure gave way under their weight and many people plunged into the river.
William prayed that no one should be harmed and all escaped uninjured.
Updated: 10:42 Thursday, April 08, 2004
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