Wagon Pushers

Pavement was once the commercial centre of York with markets, fairs, proclamations and executions. All Saints’ Church has a remarkable west window in which are shown scenes of Christ’s death and resurrection; the same scenes as form the themes of no fewer than eight of the Mystery Plays. Our trail is now complete as it was here that the actors completed the last of their twelve performances.

It was not possible for the wagons to return to their starting point on the same day, since only one wagon could go over the very narrow Ouse Bridge at a time, and as the first wagons finished some would only just have begun. Instead the wagons were parked along Ousegate or Coppergate and the actors celebrated their success. As the city returned to normal over the next few days the wagons were returned to their housings until the Corpus Christi holiday came round again the next year.