and of night wanderers committing homicides and other evil there: the said wall to be provided with competent gates and posterns, which are to be left open from dawn till night.”
These walls and three gateways have been destroyed. On the northern side of the close stood the Archbishop’s palace, of which a portion of the fine late Norman arcade exists. The Archbishop’s chapel was built in the early part of the thirteenth century, and has examples both of the round and pointed arch. The chapel and its undercroft are now used as the Minster Library. The prebendal house of Stillington occupied the site of the present Deanery. Eastward is the Treasurer’s house, which Mr. Frank Green has restored for use as his residence. The Prince and Princess of Wales (King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and Princess Victoria occupied the Treasurer’s house during their visit to York in 1897. Southwards stood other prebendal houses and the old Deanery. The house which the Prior of Hexham held in virtue of his prebend of Salton afterwards became the home of the chantry priests and was known as St. William’s College. The buildings surround a courtyard, the lower story is of stone, and the upper a projecting half-timbered one. When King Charles fled from London to his beloved city of York, he stayed in Sir Arthur Ingram’s house, formerly the palace, and the King’s son on his arrival was created Duke of York as a compliment to the city. On St. George’s Day, 1642, a meeting of the Knights of the Garter was held in the chapter house. The royal press was established in St. William’s College. The college has been restored, and is now used for the meetings of the Houses of Convocation of the Northern Province.
