Churches now tourist attractions (From Gazette & Herald)

Churches now tourist attractions

ANCIENT churches in Ryedale have become a major new tourist attraction in the district in a new multi-funded scheme being pioneered by the Yorkshire Tourist Board.

Masterminding the project, known as the North Yorkshire Church Tourism Initiative, is Zoe Kemp, who says: "It's success has exceeded everyone's expectations and it's all due to the enthusiasm with which it has been received by the churches involved."

There are now 224 churches involved, which are featured in seven specially designed colour guides.

Among those featured in Ryedale are St Mary's, Lastingham, founded by St Cedd, who is buried in the crypt, and which attracts pilgrims from all parts of Britain and overseas.

A conference to promote church tourism, held in Lastingham village hall recently, attracted churchwardens and vicars from all part of North Yorkshire.

The church of St Leonard and St Mary, Malton, is one of the very few Catholic medieval churches in Britain. It was gifted to the Catholic Church by the Anglican Diocese in 1971.

Terrington's parish church of All Saints dates back to Saxon times and the congregation is currently raising thousands of pounds to carry out urgent repair work.

Many tourists already visit St Helen and the 900-year-old Holy Cross Church at Sheriff Hutton because it is the bural place of Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales and Richard III's only son. It is listed as "a must-see" church by the tourist board.

Also featured in the guide covering the North York Moors and Ryedale are: Christ Church, Appleton-le-Moors; St Hilda, Beadlam; St Nicholas, Bransdale; St John, Bilsdale; Byland Abbey; St Martin, Bulmer; St Gregory, Cropton; St Andrew, East Heslerton; St Mary Magdalene, East Moors; St Mary the Virgin, Ebberston; St Hilda, Ellerburn; St Mary, Farndale; St Saviour, Harome; All Saints, Hawnby; St Aidan, Gillamoor; St Nicholas, Ganton; All Saints, Helmsley; St Chad, Hutton-le-Hole; All Saints, Kirkbymoorside; St Andrew, Langton; Kirkham Priory; St Gregory's Minster, Kirkdale; St Andrew, Middleton; Malton Methodist Church; St Michael, Malton; St John, Newton-upon-Rawcliffe; All Saints, Old Byland; St Mary's Priory, Old Malton; St Joseph's RC and St Peter's churches, Pickering; Rievaulx Abbey; St Mary, Rievaulx; St Mary and St Laurence, Rosedale Abbey; St John the Baptist, Pockley; All Saints, Thornton-le-Dale; St Mary, Scawton; All Saints, Sinnington; St Chad, Sproxton; St Martin, Wharram Percy; St Martin, Whenby; St John the Evangelist, Whitwell-on-the-Hill.

"The aim of the tourism initiative is to encourage and enable church communities in Ryedale and the North Yorkshire Moors to look at new ways of bringing their buildings to life for visitors who often come when they are empty of people and seemingly devoid of activity," said Ms Kemp.

Grants totalling £13,000 have been given to promote the scheme and to publish brochures and provide funding for such promotions as interpretation for visitors.

The scheme now has its own website, she added.

The church tourism initiative is being backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Government's Countryside Agency, regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, together with the national park authority, Ryedale District Council and the Catholic, Anglican and Methodist church authorities in North Yorkshire.

"It has been a great success and we are sure it will become even more popular in the future. There is a great deal of interest in old churches, and Ryedale has a great wealth of them."

There is also an added bonus of people making donations in the collecting boxes as they leave the churches, many of which are severely cash-strapped.

Zoe Kemp, the North Yorkshire church tourism officer, said there were now 227 churches - many of them in Ryedale - taking part in the scheme.

"We have had excellent feedback from those who are taking part," she said. The increased number of visitors had resulted in extra donations in the collecting boxes and a rise in the sale of candles where churches had them lit.

In the remote hamlet of Bransdale, a popular spot with tourists, the rise in the number of visitors had also benefited the local economy with information about hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation and restaurants being available in the picturesque St Nicholas's church. The present church - one has stood on the site since 1282 - was built in 1886 by the Earl of Feversham for £300.

"In many villages, the church is at the heart of the community," said Zoe. She added that churches were now working with schools because of their wealth of local history.

Updated: 10:10 Wednesday, July 02, 2003