MORE medieval tales of the unexpected will be brought back to life this summer at churches across North Yorkshire.

For the third time, the Diocese of York has joined forces with the JORVIK Group, organisers of the annual JORVIK Viking Festival, to stage Church Explorers.

This year, an extended programme sees 16 churches across North Yorkshire, from York to Selby and Bramham to Bolton Percy, hosting medieval weekends, family fun days, arts and crafts activities, guided walks and talks throughout July and August.

Dr Chris Tuckley, head of interpretation for the JORVIK Group of Attractions, said: “As any fan of the BBC TV series Who Do You Think You Are knows, it’s the real-life stories about the lives and struggles of previous generations that capture the imagination and our churches have these in abundance.

"Having stood for hundreds of years at the heart of communities they are uniquely equipped to help people learn about the characters and events that shaped Yorkshire’s medieval heritage. Their records and architecture provide a living link to the past and their fascinating stories prove that truth really is stranger than fiction,”

The Rt Revd Dr John Thomson, Bishop of Selby, added: “I’m delighted that once again so many churches are taking part in Church Explorers - it is a great way to encourage people to explore our beautiful historic churches, discover their rich histories and experience a warm Christian welcome.”

Church Explorers starts on 2 July with two separate events: dramatised presentations from the lord of the manor, a medieval peasant, a priest and a nun at St Paul in Heslington, and a medieval open day and village fete at All Saints Church in Bolton Percy.

The final event will be the St Mary Bishophill Junior and Bishophill History Group Church Explorers Day on 27 August. This will involve guided walking tours of Bishophill and a curator’s clinic for archaeological finds and true medieval sounds recreated by the Rudgate Singers.

A full listing is available on www.churchexplorers.co.uk All Church Explorers events are free of charge, but pre-booking may be required.