There has been a church in Kirkby for more than 1,000 years. The original Saxon building (the foundations of which were discovered in 2012) was replaced by a Norman church and then by a mediaeval building. This was replaced in 1815 with the current Georgian Nave (the Chancel was re-built in 1905).
The 200th anniversary of the building of the Nave will be celebrated with a programme of events over the weekend of 25 and 26 April. On the Saturday, the Church will be open for an exhibition of documents, artefacts and memorabilia, illustrating more than 1,000 years of worship on the site. This will be followed in the evening by a Concert of Springtime Music in the Church, given by the Michaelmas Singers. On Sunday, the Archbishop of York will preside and preach at a special service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer (the form of service in use in 1815) and the weekend will conclude with a celebration lunch in the Church Hall.
In addition, a brief history of the Church will be published during the month.