The Spurriergate Centre was opened in 1989 as a Christian Centre offering refreshment and a listening ear to the many people who live, work in or visit York.
It is named after the original church building it now occupies - St Michael’s Spurriergate. The name Spurriergate refers to the tradesmen who occupied this street in the 15th Century - the spurmakers.
There has been a church on this site since the time of the Norman Conquest, and the building has seen many changes in its long history. The oldest parts of the building are the slender pillars holding up the roof dating from the 12th Century.
The building has also seen a number of structural changes including the foreshortening of the building when the East wall was rebuilt in 1821. This work was done to widen the street and resulted in the half arch that can be seen near the main entrance to the Centre.
The tower was lowered in the 1960’s and the Centre still houses a full set of bells which are rung frequently.
The Centre has an excellent collection of 15th Century Stained glass which was restored after its safe storage through the 2nd World War by Dean of the Minster, Revd Dr Eric Milner-White.
The Centre is one of the only cafes in York with its own clock. The clock was installed in 1896 by Neweys of York and still keeps great time over 100 years later.
The clock is powered by a weight which is winched up to the top of the building and takes a week to fall.
Parish church, now pastoral centre. Late C12 arcades, heightened in C15; C14 north wall, partly rebuilt 1868; mid C15 tower; church size reduced in 1821, when east end and south aisle were rebuilt; tower lowered 1966-67; refurbished 1989. Alterations of 1821 by JB and W Atkinson.
MATERIALS: coursed magnesian limestone and tooled gritstone; tiled roofs to church, pyramidal roof of slate to tower. Aisled nave and sanctuary, with embraced west tower.
EXTERIOR: east end and south side on double chamfered plinth, with embattled parapet over moulded eaves string. Both sides have three windows of four cinquefoiled lights with panel traceried heads and hoodmoulds, over moulded sill string. Sillstring stepped up at north end of east wall to form hoodmould over shallow-arched doorway containing plank door with attached 'Gothick' tracery. At west end of south wall is a painted clock face. North side partly obscured by No.24 Spurriergate (qv) has chamfered plinth; to the west are two 4-light windows as above. 2-stage embattled tower has recessed doorway approached by steps between offset buttresses on cut-back moulded plinths. Doorway is 4-centred, of two hollow chamfered orders beneath hoodmould on head stops and contains original double doors with blind Perpendicular tracery to upper part, lower part remade with C18 fielded panels and panelled wicket door. Above is arched window of four cinquefoiled lights with panel tracery, and hoodmould. To north of tower, beneath gabled roof, 4-light window with renewed mullions and blocked traceried head in chamfered opening. To south, similar window to those in south wall. On each side of tower are quadrant-shaped rainwater heads, dated 1821 and 1834 respectively.
INTERIOR: panelled reredos against east wall in form of Palladian arch with fluted Corinthian pilasters, frieze with shell and palm mouldings carved in relief, and enriched cornice: incorporates round-headed Commandment, Creed and Paternoster boards. Other carvings include dove in glory in head of central panel, winged cherub heads over flanking panels, and St Michael slaying a dragon above, between urns. Communion rails are richly carved turned balusters between panelled standards, with heavy moulded handrail, carved with foliage. North and south arcades of three and half bays of 2-centred arches of two chamfered orders, on piers of four clustered columns with waterleaf capitals and hollow chamfered abaci, and with moulded bases below present floor level. Tower arches of three hollow chamfered orders on piers and responds of eight clustered columns and shafts with C15 replica waterleaf capitals and moulded bases. East arch closed by fine pedimented doorcase with double doors of raised and fielded panels in eared and fasciated architrave. Doorcase frieze carved with acanthus beneath enriched cornice and segmental pediment enclosing a mask and foliage trails. Above is a George IV hatchment.
STAINED GLASS: includes: early C15 glass, reset in south aisle windows, includes: John the Baptist, at east end; The Nine Orders of Angels to east; The Tree of Jesse in centre; panels depicting Noah building the Arc and St Margaret slaying the Dragon to west. Other glass, including north aisle east end, by J Barnett, c1821.
FITTINGS: include: clock mechanism in south-west corner inscribed: "Reconstructed by G J F Newey 1896"; two painted Mayoral boards with the City of York arms and royal ciphers for George II and George III respectively.
MONUMENTS: include: north aisle - white marble tablet on grey marble backing, to William Harrison, d.1799, and others; moulded stone monument to Elizabeth Bath, d.1730. South aisle - white and grey marble tablet with Coppinger arms, to Katherine Coppinger, d.1763; white marble monument backed by grey veined marble obelisk, to William Hutchinson, d.1772, signed by the Fishers; pedimented tablet with cartouche, in coloured marble, to John Wood, d.1704, and other members of his family.