Barbara Wilson

Miss Wilson, who died in York District Hospital, was also well-known as co-author of a series of books on the pictorial evidence for the ancient buildings of York.

The outstanding and scholarly historian and gifted teacher joined the staff at The Mount in 1954 and worked there for over 30 years, inspiring generations of Mount pupils, many of whom went on to careers as historians and archaeologists.

Her retirement in 1987 allowed Miss Wilson time to follow up her scholarly interests. She became honorary archivist to The Mount School, and brought order to a huge collection of documents and memorabilia, some dating from the school's origins in the 18th century.

She also offered her services to York Archaeological Trust, where she made a handlist of every known painting, drawing or early photograph of old York buildings, wherever possible accompanied by copies. This enabled her and her co-author, Frances Mee, to produce a series of illustrated and scholarly books on the pictorial evidence for the early buildings of York.

The first, on the medieval parish churches of York in 1998, rapidly sold out and encouraged York Archaeological Trust to publish more in the series.

She was working on another book on a quite different subject at the time of her death.

Miss Wilson, a Yorkshirewoman from Cross Hills near Skipton and graduate of Royal Holloway College, London, was one of the first research students in history at the new University of York, where she gained her Master of Philosophy in 1967.

Tributes were paid to her by Old Mount Scholars and colleagues and by York historians.

Her funeral will be held at York Crematorium next Wednesday at 12.30pm.