The Five Sisters Window
In the North and South Transepts of York Minster stand two very different but distinctive
windows. The north wall of the North Transept is
filled with the imposing mixture of stone
and glass that forms the Five Sisters Window.
It is the oldest complete window in York
Minster and dates from around the year 1260. In comparison to other windows in the
building the Five Sister can appear quite dark and confusing. This is, in part, due to the
excessive amount of repair leads which confuse the image, and the protective outer glazing
that cuts down the amount of light entering the building from the north.
Produced by York Minster Centre for School Visits © Dean & Chapter of York 2006
Panel from the Five Sisters Window.
The Five Sisters is made of “grisaille” glass
fashionable in the thirte
enth century England.
Grisaille or Cistercian glass was typically formed by
painting complex foliage patt
erns on pieces of white
or silvery grey glass. The pieces were then formed
into strong geometric patterns with the skilful use of
the lead cames that hold the pieces together, the
lead being as integral a part of the design as the
glass. Each of the magnif
icent lancets stands 16.3m
tall and is 1.55m wide. In total the window contains
over 100,000 individual pieces of glass.