Recently Viewed
York Stained Glass: Historic Shambles Tour
5.0
10 Ratings
York
Explore York’s stained glass artistry on a guided tour, uncovering centuries-old stories and craftsmanship. Perfect for history and art lovers.
Explore York’s stained glass artistry on a guided tour, uncovering centuries-old stories and craftsmanship. Perfect for history and art lovers.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- All Saints Church - Delve into the 15th-century glass within the church, its conservation journey, and the Pricke of Conscience window.
- St. Olave’s Church - As one of York’s oldest sites, this stop will cover its history, memorial glass, modern glass, and the East Window of uncertain origin.
- Museum Gardens - Pause at the ruins of St….
- All Saints Church - Delve into the 15th-century glass within the church, its conservation journey, and the Pricke of Conscience window.
- St. Olave’s Church - As one of York’s oldest sites, this stop will cover its history, memorial glass, modern glass, and the East Window of uncertain origin.
- Museum Gardens - Pause at the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey to explore the Medieval church complex and its ties to faith and parish churches.
- St. Helen’s Church - Depending on availability, visit either St. Helen’s Church or St. Martins le Grand to discuss the city’s post-war glass reconstruction efforts.
- York Minster - A quick stop at the back to talk about EPG (Environmental Protective Glazing) and the ongoing conservation work at York Minster, focusing on the East Window.
- Holy Trinity Church - This hidden gem offers a chance to discuss the medieval glass and the church’s significance in York’s center.
- Parish of All Saints’ Pavement - Visit All Saints Pavement either alongside or instead of Holy Trinity Goodramgate, considering its limited winter hours.
What's Included
- Tour and Building Access
- Tour and Building Access
What's Not Included
- Snacks
- Snacks
Additional Information
Explore the fascinating history of York with the Shambles & Shards walking tour, which highlights the art and importance of stained glass. This tour, led by an expert, takes participants inside churches to uncover the detailed stories behind the creation and preservation of stained glass. Enjoy a leisurely walk through historic streets, observing the…
Explore the fascinating history of York with the Shambles & Shards walking tour, which highlights the art and importance of stained glass. This tour, led by an expert, takes participants inside churches to uncover the detailed stories behind the creation and preservation of stained glass. Enjoy a leisurely walk through historic streets, observing the craftsmanship that has stood the test of time. Ideal for both history enthusiasts and art lovers, this tour provides a unique insight into York’s cultural heritage.
- Insightful commentary from a professional stained glass conservator
- Access to historic sites with entry included when necessary
- Small group settings for a personalized experience
- Suitable for all knowledge levels with captivating storytelling
- There will be uneven, slippery, and uncertain surfaces in some of the churches.
- We will be walking over a mile throughout the tour.
Location
North Street Gardens
North Street
We’ll meet near the John Snow Memorial (the water pump sticking out of the ground) in the park, but if it’s closed due to river flooding, we’ll meet at the front of All Saint’s North Street.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(10 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
637rachk
Mar 7, 2026
Stained Glass Tour Photography Captures! - I am a local photographer & local lady who decided to join Maddie's wonderful tour and I was not disappointed! I Found It Very Interesting Because I Love Learning About Conservation & Having Studied It Myself It Was Great To Really Learn More About The Stained Glass Side Of It! She was very friendly, knowledgeable, passionate about stained glass conservation & highly trained in her profession! I Would Definitely Recommend Her Walking Tour If Your Visiting York! :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mobile617916
Mar 7, 2026
A wonderful tour - A wonderful tour. Madeline is so knowledgeable and great fun. We thoroughly enjoyed it and came away with a great appreciation of stained glass and the York churches.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I9207ypemilyc
Feb 14, 2026
A Valentines Morning with Shards and Spires - I had the best time this morning on the History of Yorks Stained Glass tour - Madeline was a great tour guide and took the effort to ask our personal interests before hand to tailor the tour to our interests. Although we learned about the stained glass of York and the methods across the centuries, we also gained great context and insight into the people and communities behind the beautiful glass inside yorks parish churches. It may be tempting to go straight to the minster for your stained glass fix, I’d suggest spending a similar amount of money and embarking on this tour instead! Thanks for an amazing day
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A807crkarenr
Feb 1, 2026
Great time in York - Who knew that the stained glass in central York could illustrate the history of the City so well.
Having a tour guide who is knowledgeable and has trained and qualified in this medium and has a genuine and enthusiastic love for the subject shines throughout.
From beginning to end a value for money experience not to be missed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Userlessname
Jan 21, 2026
An enlightening window into York's stained glass history - This was an amazing tour, packed with information delivered at an accessible level for all involved. Madeline is a wonderful guide who has plenty of experience in guiding tour groups of varying sizes, and it shows in her witty, engaging, and personalised tour. Desire the fact that i knew very little about stained glass, I learnt a lot about it and felt as though the tour was not too technical, which was helped by the timings of the tour (nothing felt crammed or rushed); as well as and the friendly atmosphere created by Madeline.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Colleentp6694sw
Jan 21, 2026
10/10 would recommend - even for beginners - York local who wanted to know more about the City. Was taken to some hidden gems and place I didn't know were even open to the public.
Madeline is super friendly and her passion for the craft comes through with each panel we looked at. She was able to explain stain glass to a beginner like me and was open to any questions.
I highly recommend good shoes and to check the weather beforehand. Churches are famed for their warmth during the winter.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zoekh6644lo
Jan 20, 2026
fantastic tour, amazing guide - The guide was incredibly informative and spun a great tale of the history of stained glass in York, an amazing time that seemed to only last a moment as we were swept away for the morning
Review provided by Tripadvisor
913libbyw
Jan 20, 2026
Superb insight into York's stained glass. - An amazing way to spend a couple of hours! You can't move for "guided walks" in York but this was exceptional. Madeline is an expert in her field whilst I am just a stained glass enthusiast. Her presentation was fascinating and full of information - both the history and insights into stained glass production. It can be quite a dry subject but Madeline brought it to life and placed it in context whilst being entertaining. She was happy to take it at a pace that ensured everything was covered and questions answered. The fact that it covered glass from the oldest to contemporary was impressive.
The time just flew, I can't wait for the next one!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julian_s
Jan 20, 2026
An eye-opening tour linking history and art. 10/10, would recommend to everyone! - Madeline is a wonderful tour guide with nearly two decades of experience in tour guiding and over half a decade of existence in stained glass conservation. This new insight into York's past enhanced my understanding and appreciation of York's past in ways I could barely imagine.
The tour (and its wonderful guide) were engaging, funny, and incredibly insightful and knowledgeable. She delivered the tour and answered all of the group's questions in an understandable manner, which was very helpful for someone whose knowledge of stained glass is as limited as mine.
The delivery of the information was not the only level at which Madeline ensured accessibility - all of the sites were very close to each other, and there were few to no steps involved at any point of the tour, which helped a lot seeing as I had a bad knee on the day.
The pacing, both physical and verbal, was amazing - it enabled us as an audience to properly engage with the stained glass and history at our own pace and level.
Overall, a wonderful experience and a very memorable lesson in history and art. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in history, art, and stained glass for sure, but also to anyone visiting York for the first time.
Review provided by Viator