Ben Haigh
I remember as a small boy, my father coming home from the late night taxi shift, about 5am, and getting me and my 2 elder brothers out of bed and standing and watching the glow in the night sky from the minster fire, we lived on Viner Street, off Haxby Road, and had a clear view.

Jane G
I was living on Portland Street at the time and had a great view of the Minster from my bedroom window (was about 8 at the time). As a child I was prone to telling little fibs so my mum didn't believe me when I woke her up to tell her the Minster was on fire. Needless to say, I was unfortunately right but it is a night I will never forget.

Liz Spratt
I remember the first thing our house mistress at school said that morning when she came to wake us was that there had been a fire at the minster. We couldn't quite believe it and later on that afternoon I went to have a look. It was very sad.

David B. Smith
I lived on the Badger Hill Estate which is about 3 miles from the Minster. There was a tremendous lightning storm which I watched from my bedroom. I could see forked lightning over the City which light-up the whole area. Impressive. Awesome. Thankful that I wasn't closer to it. In the morning I tuned into Radio York and learned that the Minster was on fire. A complete sense of disbelief, sadness and loss. I went to the Minster around teatime and gathered with a group of people in the street immediately in front of the South Transept. A barrier prevented me fron getting too close. What a stunned lot we were. Our Minster damaged in such a terrible way. All that history gone. How could this have happened. How lucky the whole lot didn't go. Soot darkened stone. The Rose Window a blackened disc. Piles of timber of all sizes burnt and smouldering. A smell hung over the whole area. I went home feeling very down. My main thought was of relief that the Minster had not been lost forever.

Laura Seammen
Even though I was only five when the fire happened, I remember it very well. My late father was upon the first fire engine to reach the Minster and I am still thoroughly proud of him and tell everyone about it 20 years on!

Ian Eckersley
I have great recollection of that day even as a Mancuniun I used to visit the great city up until 5 years ago when I used to visit two or three times a year.I had a feeling in my heart whenI first heard about the devastation that had occured to York Minster on that day as I love the place and that feeling will remain in my memeory for the rest of my life.I even know the City better than Manchester.

john butcher
my cousin selina was born the same night of the minster fire. so i remember it well

Barry Ranns
At the time of the fire, my wife still lived at Acomb, and so would have had a good view of the fire. However, until her brother rang her the following morning and told her about the fire, she knew nothing at all about it. By the way, her brother was working and living in Norway at the time!