TV presenter spends Halloween in York and asks: Is the Minster Britain’s most beautiful building?
A TV presenter has been in York today (Tuesday) enjoying its wonderful history.
And that should come as no surprise, given the broadcaster is Dan Snow – one of Britain’s most popular historians, with a string of television hits to his name.
Dan, who last year told YorkMix that York is “the city with the greatest history in Europe”, shared details about his visit on Twitter.
He began by tweeting a shot of the Minster and College Green shrouded in darkness for Halloween night.
Then he was out and about in the city centre today at dawn. He shared a breakfast time picture of York Minster, asking his 408K followers: “Is this the most beautiful building in Britain?”
To which the Minster replied: “We like to think so!”
He was pictured on Shambles by York photographer Andy Falconer, who said Dan was filming “another of his brilliant historical pieces – this time on the Black Death”.
Halloween in York. pic.twitter.com/9OBw3ZL8pu
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) October 31, 2022
Dawn: York pic.twitter.com/u0yfaEhf48
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) November 1, 2022
Dan was also seen on Dame Judi Dench Walk next to the River Ouse.
The historian has a string of TV hits to his name, including The Vikings Uncovered and 1066: A Year to Conquer England on the BBC and Dan Snow: Into the Valley of the Kings for Channel 5.
Is this the most beautiful building in Britain? pic.twitter.com/bCQWFSyCZg
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) November 1, 2022
Always fun to be reminded that Emperor Constantine began his campaign for the purple here in York.
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) November 1, 2022
Like Peter Mandelson, using a power base in the NE as a springboard to Europe wide domination. pic.twitter.com/KvkGzqQEvO
He was due to bring his show Dan Snow’s History Hit Live to York Barbican last October, but it had to be cancelled due to a scheduling conflict.
In an interview with Victoria Charles on YorkMix Radio to promote the show, he said: “I get a bit sad sometimes when I’m in York. Because that’s how beautiful most cities in Britain should look if it hadn’t been for the Luftwaffe in the Second World War. And then the planning which just smashed all the cities up.
“York is an absolute glimpse of our past. And you guys are so lucky up there to have it – because that’s what my local city, Southampton, should look like. Plymouth should look like that, Exeter, Coventry…
“But they’re gone now. And York’s the best we’ve got. And it’s a precious national treasure.”