CHAPTER X. 
THE CHOIR TRANSEPT LARGE WINDOWS. 
I. St. William. II. St. Cuthbert. 
Until 1726, the high altar stood between the choir transept lofty 
windows, filled with painted glass, one depicting events in the 
life of the Saint of York, and the other scenes in the life of 
St. Cuthbert. 
I. North Transept. 
The Window of the Saint of York c. 1423. 
The Life and Miracles of St. William. 
This window, with the exception of an arcade below, occupies 
the whole of the north side. It consists of five lights which rise 
in four stages, divided by transoms, the arch being filled with 
tracery. The lower part, like the Great East Window, has an 
inner mullioned screen to strengthen it. The window is 70 ft. 
high and 15 ft. 6 ins. wide, and contains some 830 superficial feet 
of glass. 
This ‘wall of glass’ has thirty panels in the tracery, and one- 
hundred-and-five compartments below, each measuring 2 ft. ins., 
by 2 ft. 2 ins. to 2 ft. 6 ins. high. There are twenty-one rows of 
subjects, five in a row, and it is “ undoubtedly the finest saint's 
window in this country if not in the world.” 
The Roos family of Helmsley Castle were great benefactors to 
the Minster, their arms in stone and glass occur throughout the 
edifice. The window was probably erected in memory of William, 
7th Baron de Roos and his/wife Margaret, by their sons and 
daughters. There are portraits of the 7th Baron and his wife. 
Also of John 8th Baron Roos and Margaret his wife (daughter 
and heiress of Philip le Dispenser), and of his brothers William, 
Thomas, Robert and Richard, and a sister. Baron John and his 
brother William served under King Henry V. in his French 
campaign, and both were slain on March 22nd, 1421 at the battle 
of Benge. Baron John was 22 years of age and died without issue. 
