HERITAGE gem churches across a North Yorkshire district are hosting their very own 'Yorkshire Day' to celebrate their history.
Yorkshire Historic Churches say churches across Ryedale District want people to help them celebrate their inaugural Yorkshire Churches Day next month as a group of fascinating churches prepare to throw open their doors to welcome visitors.
Yorkshire Churches Day on Saturday, September 10 is a day where everyone is encouraged to visit their local place of worship even if they have never stepped foot inside a church before. It will be a day for those who are curious about the history and heritage of their local surroundings.
Churches in Pickering, Kirkdale, Nunnington, Harome, Beadlam and Pockley are all taking part in the day, and will be telling stories and bringing to life the variety, beauty, history and sheer wonder of their buildings.
St Peter and St Paul, Pickering sits at the top of the market place in a secluded churchyard. Push open its medieval door to find yourself face to face with the saints, who stride across its walls in a series of remarkable wall paintings. Throughout the day, Dr Kate Giles will offer a series of talks and tours of the paintings and the people behind their creation, restoration, and conservation from the middle ages to the present day.
St Gregory’s Minster, Kirkdale is steeped in history. Set in a secluded valley, surrounded by an ancient graveyard, the church has 7th century origins and many treasures to be explored. The church will be stewarded throughout the day and visitors will be offered refreshments and audio experiences of Anglo-Saxon poetry and music by St. Gregory’s talented local choir.
All Saints’ and St James, Nunnington, tells the story of the Nunnington worm, a terrifying monster with the head of a dragon and the body of a serpent that, legend has it, terrorised the village until a brave knight and his dog defeated it. An effigy of the knight and his dog can be found in the church. St. Saviour’s Harome, St Hilda’s, Beadlam Nawton, and St John the Baptist, Pockley are also beautiful buildings with a lot of history and artefacts to discover.
All these churches look forward to welcoming visitors on the 10th September for Yorkshire Churches Day.
Yorkshire Churches Day is being run in partnership with the Heritage Open Days initiative, and many other places of worship will be opening up for the duration of the festival from September 9 -18.
More details can be found here.
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