St William's College

Named after St William of York, Archbishop in 1153, whose tomb lies inside the Minster, the College was built between 1465 and 1467 to house the Chantry priests and is the only surviving building of its kind in the country. St William's has a fascinating history of aristocratic connections and haunting tales and behind its timber-framed facade lies a world of medieval raftered halls and chambers. The rarely seen "painted chamber" is a reconstruction of a chantry priest's living quarters and is occasionally open to the public. The Chantry Priests had a hard life and were certainly no angels. Step back in time through the stone archway to the enchanting cobbled courtyard and beyond to find out more.