MORE than 200 people visited St Andrew’s Church in Middleton to mark the completion of its refurbishments and check out a number of new features, including a children’s Viking trail and a digital grave locator.

The Grade I-listed building has undergone an intensive refurbishment over the past 12 months, thanks to Heritage Lottery funding of almost £200,000 and £20,000 from local grants and donations.

Repairs completed include full waterproofing, replacement of stonework and window repairs. These have been carried out for the first time in the church’s 1,000-year history. It has also gained a toilet and a kitchen.

The church’s famous Viking crosses, which date between AD 876 and 954, have been moved to the north aisle and are the subject of a new, 40-page heritage guide, which was launched at the open day.

The touch-screen grave locator allows people to identify a grave, see a photograph of the headstone and its inscription and the local stories of those who once lived in the villages of Middleton, Aislaby and Wrelton.

The church is now looking at fundraising for the next phase in its work.

Stuart Plant, chairman of Middleton and Aislaby Village Hall Committee, said: “Now that the church is dry and warm, and has modern facilities, plans to create a greater awareness of the work of the church through activities and events are being developed.”

He said these would focus on the “historic, cultural and religious significance” of the Viking crosses and also help people researching their family trees.

“With more than 1,000 years of history, the church continues to be an important resource providing opportunities for the exploration of genealogy as people search for family links to the locality.”

He added phase two will include work on the Saxon Tower and completion of the heating system.