Minster Yard
Minster Yard is a street in the city centre of York, England. It runs along the southern, eastern and northeastern sides of York Minster, for which it is named. History. The street may have originated as the courtyard of the headquarters building of Roman Eboracum. In the 8th-century text "The Earliest Life of Gregory the Great", a square between the royal palace and York Minster was mentioned, which has been tentatively identified with Minster Yard. However, in the 10th-century, the area was covered by a cemetery associated with the minster. In the late 11th century, York  Minster was rebuilt on a new site, and Minster Yard, immediately south of the building, was paved. At the time, it provided a through route. It fell within the Minster Close, which was walled in 1283, and after the Minster was rebuilt and extended in 1365, it became a dead-end, accessed through one of two gates, by Lop Lane and Minster Gates. The deanery of the Minster was built on the street, and the Peter Prison next to it. From 1828 to 1832, these were demolished, along with the gateways, opening up the area, and in 1903, Deangate was  created, once again providing a route out of the street, to the south-east. A Roman column excavated from under the Minster in 1969, now stands in the street, in front of the Minster School, and in 1998, a statue of Constantine the Great was erected. Layout and architecture. The street runs south-east from its junction with High Petergate, Duncombe Place and Precentor's Court, past a junction with Minster Gates, to its junction with Deangate. It then becomes a footpath and turns north-east, until it meets College Street, at College Green. Finally, it turns north-west, running  for a short distance until it meets Chapter House Street and Minster Court. The north side of the street is taken up with the south and east fronts of York Minster. On the south side of the road lie the early-17th-century Treasurer's House; the 18th-century 4 Minster Yard; 5 Minster Yard, with a core built about 1300; the mid-18th century Old Residence, and 7 Minster Yard. Passing the southern tip of Deangate, there stands, at 8 Minster Yard, The Minster School; 9 Minster Yard and 9 Minster Gates (10 Minster Yard), two buildings dating to the 1750s ; the parish room for St Michael le Belfrey at 12 Minster Yard, and then the church itself.