HUNDREDS of churches in Yorkshire welcomed visitors for the inaugural Yorkshire Churches Day on 10 September.

The organisers, the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust, said that it was a day for those who were curious about the history and heritage in their locality — even if they had never stepped inside a church before.

The initiative was welcomed by the Archbishop of York, the trust’s president. He described it as “a wonderful opportunity” to share the county’s churches.

Archbishop Cottrell said: “At the heart of many of our communities sits a church, there to welcome everyone, rightly as centres of the community. However you engage with our wonderful churches, remember, they are not merely places of heritage and history, but vibrant places of worship and community.”

The trust provides funds for churches, chapels, and meeting houses of all Christian denominations in Yorkshire, for everything from minor gutter repairs to large-scale repair and conservation. The chairman, Tom Ramsden, hoped, he said, that the annual event would become “a day of general celebration for those keen to explore their heritage and enjoy that sense of beauty and peace present in these buildings.

“Please use this day each year to pop in to your local church, sit there quietly for a minute or two, and feel the magic of the place. They were created with love and care, and they will be kept alive for future generations with your support.”

The open day is run in partnership with the initiative Heritage Open Days, which are co-ordinated by the National Trust. The initiative’s marketing and projects manager, Liam Montgomery, said: “It’s the perfect opportunity to learn about local heritage and see sacred spaces and hidden places; and, for places of worship, it’s a great way to reach new audiences, generate donations, and engage the local community.”