LIKE those people who find they are just as busy in retirement, Holy Trinity Church is full of life long after being declared redundant. The venerable and ancient Goodramgate building hasn't been turned into a club or caf as have some churches. It even hosts the occasional service.

But Holy Trinity's main roles are as tourist attraction and a schools resource. And it is another example of how a church can thrive even without a congregation.

Its story is particularly pertinent now, after the Archbishop's commission recommended the closure of several other York city centre churches.

Holy Trinity's active role ended in 1967. It was declared redundant four years later.

Traders and the Civic Trust came together to launch a campaign to save it from collapse. This led to the formation of the Friends of Holy Trinity, whose fundraising work has restored and preserved the church.

Everyone who visits this hidden gem, parts of which date back to the 12th century, is entranced. "There is in York a little, old, old church, whose dear and reverend name I have almost forgotten, if I ever knew it, but I think it is Holy Trinity Goodramgate, which divides the heart of my adoration with the Minster," wrote an American visitor in 1909.

"It stands sequestered in a little leafy and grassy space of its own, with a wall hardly overlooked on one side by low stone cottages, the immemorial homes of rheumatism and influenza."

For 30 years, Holy Trinity has been one of the 300-plus redundant churches in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, based in Fleet Street, London. It has a full-time custodian: Leigh Wetherall.

Her jobs are manifold. "Holy Trinity is the busiest church in the Conservation Trust," she said. "For health and safety reasons someone has to be on site.

"I look after the fabric of the building. I deal with everything, from emptying the bins to security to giving lectures on the stained glass windows of the medieval period."

She will never forget the first time she saw the church.

"It was amazing. It was about Christmas time, and the church was decorated for the advent service. All the candles were decorated with holly and ivy.

"There was a light dusting of snow on the ground. It was so picturesque, like something out of Dickens."

Located in the middle of York's shopping centre, Holy Trinity has struggled to attract a congregation for some time. As long ago as the 19th century, it was merged with the parish of St Maurice's.

The Victorians in charge decided to invest all their funds in pulling down the ancient St Maurice's in Lord Mayor's Walk, and replace it with a modern building, complete with gas lighting and other mod cons.

As a result Holy Trinity was neglected, which is the best thing that could have happened to it. Instead of being updated, like so many of its peers, it has escaped with many original features intact.

There was a proposal to remove the box pews in 1896 but this was never carried out.

Meanwhile, the much-vaunted St Maurice's only lasted until 1967, when it was demolished.

Leigh, 34, says you can read Holy Trinity like a history book. The different pews found there reflect differing forms of worship down the centuries, from high church to non-conformist and back again.

It is hard to be sure who worshipped at the church in the Middle Ages. But there is some information.

"We have transcripts from the 15th century," said Leigh. "It's interesting, because the same names keep coming up. One of their occupations, now long gone, is 'singing man'."

These days, the church is visited by many tourists, and by school children as Leigh seeks to widen Holy Trinity's role as an educational resource.

She has just staged an exhibition of work done by children from Clifton Green Primary School.

Updated: 10:26 Monday, September 16, 2002