On holey ground

A great hole was dug under York Minster when a reinforced concrete corset was built into its foundations to clamp the cathedral together and save the 210 ft high central tower from collapse. Now the hole is contributing money at the rate of £40,000 a year towards the massive cost of preserving this glorious Gothic building.

In the excavations were found parts of three earlier churches, a Roman legion headquarters and a Saxon burial ground. Using treasures found in the excavated rubble a museum was laid out trans forming an empty hole into 2,000 years of York history. This is known as the Undercroft.

Since it was opened nearly two years ago, about half a million people have made the circular tour. Among the things they see are a restored Roman painting and a 1,000 year-old Viking drinking horn.