Beverley Minster Medieval Limestone Pinnacle c.1300

A rare 13th Century limestone pinnacle from Beverley Minster, East Yorkshire - one of only 31 Minsters in the UK and on a par with York Minster as a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Beverley Minster is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in Europe. Containing the elements of three Gothic styles – Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular combined into a harmonious whole. 

Beverley Minster's history begins with Saint John of Beverley, a bishop and miracle worker who founded a monastery in the 8th century. Following a fire that destroyed the Norman stone church, the Minster was rebuilt in the Gothic style from the 13th to the 15th centuries, resulting in the harmonious design admired today, and the period from which this piece originates.

The three-piece pinnacle, crafted from Tadcaster limestone which is light in colour, giving the Minster a bright, luminous appearance not often found in Medieval buildings. Dating from the 1300s, it features traditional leaded joints and three distinctive winged grotesques. These grotesques, with their intricate detailing and mythical forms, exemplify the Gothic style's emphasis on dramatic and ornate decoration.The pinnacle's design reflects the era's architectural innovation and its fascination with blending beauty and the supernatural.

The Gothic reconstruction of Beverley Minster began approximately in 1190 and continued until 1420.

Indeed, the West front of the Minster, completed in the 14th century, features harmoniously beautiful and striking proportions that later inspired Nicholas Hawksmoor's design for the towers of Westminster Abbey.

King Athelstan granted Beverley the 'right of sanctuary' in gratitude for victory in battle, and Medieval kings, including Henry V, visited the Minster, highlighting its historical importance. Despite a 1522 report predicting its ruin, Elizabeth I’s intervention and continuous restorations have preserved this historical treasure. 

Last year in 2023 the Minster sold a small number of pieces from the 1300s which were removed during restorations, in order to raise funds for restoration and we were lucky to obtain this wonderful tangible piece of Beverley Minster's rich and storied past.