Unlocking St William’s Story: Meet The York Glaziers Trust

As part of our celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the canonisation of St William of York, we explore the legacy of craft that he inspired at York Minster. We took a closer look at the magnificent stained glass inside the cathedral and the remarkable conservation work that takes place behind the scenes.

In the final instalment of this three-part video series with The History Magpie, which explores the life and legacy of St William of York, we step inside the studio of the York Glaziers Trust – the oldest and largest stained‑glass conservation studio in Britain – for a rare behind‑the‑scenes look at their incredible work.

Having completed the restoration of the spectacular 95 panel St William Window, which takes pride of place along the Minster’s North Quire Aisle, the team were more than happy to show Charlie from The History Magpie, their current conservation project on the St Cuthbert Window and give him a glimpse into how they care for all 128 stained glass windows at York Minster.

Watch the final instalment below and discover more about the life and legacy of St William of York at York Minster throughout 2026.

Catch up with the first video in this series and find out more about York’s patron saint.

Unlocking St William’s Story: Inside the Stonemason’s Workshop

Eight centuries after the canonisation of St William of York, history returns to the heart of the Minster. For the first time in 500 years, fragments of St William’s shrine, once dismantled and hidden during the English Reformation, have come home.

We teamed up with social media influencer ‪The History Magpie‬ to explore the remarkable legacy of craft inspired by St William of York.

In the second video, Charlie was invited to York Minster’s Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management, to meet Stonemason Freya. She explains how this centuries‑old trade continues to thrive, using the skills and methods that would have been familiar to St William himself, while embracing modern techniques.

Discover how these centuries-old heritage crafts continue to thrive while embracing modern techniques, and how St William’s story still inspires the work of York Minster’s Stonemason team today.

Watch the next instalment for a sneak peak behind the scenes of the York Glaziers Trust.

Unlocking St William’s Story: Behind the Scenes with The History Magpie

How do you share the story of a 12th-century saint with a 21st-century audience? You bring in The History Magpie!

2026 marks the 800th anniversary of the canonisation of St William of York, a figure who inspired devotion both in life and in death, though not without a little turbulence along the way…

As part of our celebrations, we invited social media influencer Charlie Eve, also known as The History Magpie, to York Minster to help unlock the story of St William for a whole new audience. This collaboration helps us to amplify the presence of St William by sharing our patron saint’s story with a combined Instagram audience of more than 173,000 people – and that’s just on one platform!

In the first of this three‑part video series, Charlie, alongside Dr Jennie England Research Coordinator at York Minster, not only introduces us to St William of York, but also highlights the significance of the return of his shrine fragments, on loan from York Museums Trust. He also sheds light on the incredible legacy that this saint inspired.

Watch the next instalment of this video series here: Unlocking St William’s Story: Inside the Stonemason’s Workshop.