Change the name of St. Mary's Abbey to York Abbey, what a suggestion. Where do we find these idiots? More to the point, why do we let them have jobs that affect the rest of us?

These were my first thoughts when I started to read about re-naming St. Mary’s Abbey, calling it York Abbey.

However, on reflection I can see what they are thinking of when they compare it to Rievaulx Abbey or Fountains Abbey and say it should be York Abbey. In doing this though they are ignoring hundred’s of years of custom and practice.

York Minster may have a full name of the Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St Peter, but everyone knows it as York Minster and has done for hundreds of years. It is the same with St. Mary's Abbey, nobody calls it York Abbey.

As Joyce McDonald pointed out in her letter to the Press on Thursday 19th June, you will have to add York Abbey to all maps, guidebooks and update all historical references in Libraries, Museums and other collections around the World.

Perhaps a better idea would be for the Museums Trust to consider changing the name of the Museum Gardens to St. Mary’s Abbey Gardens. This would reflect the relative historical importance of St. Mary’s Abbey to York and highlight the core of its original site.

After all, Museum Gardens does sound a bit dull…!!!