Christians have been in York since Roman times. Saxon burials found in Petergate show St Michael’s early date; ‘’le Belfrey ‘’refers to either the Minster bell- tower or an older church building
Lt was firstly a chapel for the Minster, then became a church for the people living nearby. During King Henry V l l l ’s reign lt was completely rebuilt (in Tudor gothic style) between 1525 and 1536 by John Foremen, the Minster’s master mason. The only building alterations since have been the addition of a bell-tower in 1848 and at the West front when adjoining Petergate houses were removed (1857).
The church is rectangular with a nave and tow aisles, and is the largest city parish church. Much original survives; part of the East window dates from 1330. The pillars show Henry’s crown and keys or crossed swords the symbols of St Peter and St Paul. The higher windows (the clerestory) and a false West front were added around 1600. The dark marble slab in the main aisle is probably an old Minster altar table brought here in 1617.
John Etty designed the large wooden screen (the reredos) behind the communion table and his son William completed it for £68 in 1712; the communion rails are contemporary with it. Queen Anne’s coat of arms was moved from the top of reredos to the gallery front in 1924. The Latin words mean ‘God so loved the World”: The Lord’s Prayer (left) and Apostles’ Creed (right) are foundation statements of Christianity. The picture is a copy of Zurbaran’s “Adoration of the Shepherds” (original in the National Gallery) replacing in 1924 a list of the Ten Commandments. Lathe-and-plaster ceilings probably painted blue with gold stars were added in 1766 at a cost of £24.