Exhibition marks 40 years since York Minster fire

The blaze at York Minster was described as one of the worst cathedral fires in modern times

The 40th anniversary of a devastating fire at York Minster is to be marked by a special exhbition to be held near where the blaze broke out.

On 9 July 1984, the minster's south transept was gutted by flames after lightning struck the roof, resulting in one of the worst cathedral fires in modern times.

A programme of events called Out of the Ashes is due to get under way on Saturday 29 June in the north transept, opposite where the fire took hold.

Curator Kirsty Mitchell said the blaze was "a pivotal moment in York Minster's history".

The fire in July 1984 ultimately caused £2.25m of damage

The exhibition will showcase photographs taken by witnesses at the time of the fire as well as allowing visitors to take part in a digital-visual trail called On This Spot.

Visitors will also be able to look at the clean-up operation following the fire and the four years of restoration that took place afterwards to take the landmark minster back to its former glory.

Alongside this, some of the furniture damaged in the fire will be on display, as well as the original drawings for six designs for new "bosses" in the minster's vaulted ceiling which were designed by Blue Peter competition winners.

The blaze started in the historic building's roof after a lightning strike

Master Mason Emeritus John David, who has worked at the cathedral for more than 40 years, said he remembered how seeing the fire was both “shocking and memorable”.

“But, by the next morning, when we could see that the rest of the minster had been saved, despair turned into an eagerness to get on with the restoration,” he added.

The exhibition and digital trail at York Minster will run until June 2025.

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