Yorkshire Wolds Heritage Centre

Yorkshire Wolds
Heritage Centre

At the end of a good circular walk starting and finishing in Warter I visited the Yorkshire Wolds Heritage Centre. The centre is located in the old parish church of St James. With the church at risk of demolition after being declared surplus to requirements it has been taken over by a local heritage society. 


The ex-St James church is an impressive building reflective of the wealthy families who once lived at the now demolished Warter Priory. The graves and memorials to these wealthy individuals are located in the churchyard and inside. An area of the churchyard is still maintained as a graveyard for more recent burials.


A number of information boards have been dotted around the churchyard providing information on the history of the village, chalk grassland ecology and an explanation of the earthworks to the north of the site that mark the site of the ancient Priory that stood there. Within the porch of the church you can get a number of leaflets that outline some walks in the local area. One of the walks takes in the site of the subject of Hockney"s "Bigger Trees near Warter" that has immortalised the area and normally hangs in the Tate Britain Gallery. Other leaflets are available, as you might expect, that outline details of the local heritage.

Interior of the Yorkshire
Wolds Heritage Centre

I tried the door not really expecting the door to this isolated building to be open but it was. The building as you might imagine still has a church feel and it is replete with pews. More leaflets are available by the door and around the walls information panels have been erected giving details of Yorkshire Wolds life and heritage and the history of the Warter Estate. A nice touch was a number of folders each containing details of the local farms with pictures of life on the farms in the past. One folder also contained wedding photos for weddings that had taken place in the church. The building is used by the Heritage Society to host concerts and is available for hire for exhibitions and such like.


After a long walk in the summer sunshine this oasis of calm was a welcome place to cool down before heading home. If you're ever in the area I would recommend a visit. 


Link to Website - Yorkshire Wolds Heritage Trust