Saint Michael’s Lodge, Cold Kirby

A new future for a historic church

The Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail Society is exploring plans for a sustainable new future for the historic Church of Saint Michael at Cold Kirby.

The proposed project would see the closed church become Saint Michael’s Lodge, providing simple, low-cost accommodation and a place of welcome for pilgrims, walkers, horse riders, cyclists and other visitors to the North York Moors.

Saint Michael’s stands in a remarkable location, directly on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail and the Cleveland Way. Our hope is to preserve this much-loved building while finding a new use that reflects its history as a place of hospitality, community and faith.

An important step forward

We are delighted to have received support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore and develop the Saint Michael’s Lodge project.

Thanks to National Lottery players, funding of £122,760 is enabling us to undertake the detailed work needed to explore whether our vision for Saint Michael’s can become a sustainable reality.

During this development period we will be looking carefully at the building itself, the practicalities of creating accommodation, accessibility, conservation, environmental sustainability and the long-term operation of the Lodge. We will also be developing the business plan and exploring how the project could serve pilgrims, walkers, cyclists, horse riders and the wider community.

This work will help us understand what is possible and develop detailed proposals for the future of the building.

Shaping the plans together

An important part of this work will be engagement with residents of Cold Kirby and other interested parties, giving local people and stakeholders the opportunity to understand the emerging plans, share their views and help shape the proposals as they develop.

We are working closely with the Diocese of York and the Church Commissioners for England to develop proposals for the future of Saint Michael’s. Any future use of the building will be subject to a statutory public consultation undertaken by the Church Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.

Our vision for Saint Michael’s Lodge

If the proposals are able to go ahead, Saint Michael’s Lodge would offer affordable overnight accommodation in a place where options for those travelling on foot, by bicycle or on horseback are currently limited.

We want it to be somewhere simple, welcoming and rooted in its surroundings: a place where people can rest at the end of a day’s journey, meet others travelling through the landscape and experience something of the peace and heritage of this special building.

We are also exploring how the project might accommodate the needs of horse riders travelling through the North York Moors, including whether suitable overnight provision for horses could be provided nearby.

At the heart of the project is the desire to preserve Saint Michael’s and enable the building to continue to serve people in a new way.

A special place

Saint Michael’s has stood at Cold Kirby for generations and remains an important part of the history and landscape of the village.

In July 2026, the church was added to the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II listed building, recognising its special architectural and historic interest.

We are conscious, too, that the churchyard is a place of memory and significance for families with connections to Cold Kirby. Any proposals will need to respect the church, its churchyard and those who are remembered there.

Conservation and care for the heritage of the site will therefore be central to the development of the project.

Part of the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail

Saint Michael’s lies on the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail, which connects churches and communities across the North York Moors landscape associated with Saint Aelred and Rievaulx Abbey.

The Trail encourages people to travel slowly through this landscape, discovering its churches, communities, history and spirituality along the way.

Developing accommodation at Cold Kirby could fill an important gap on the route and help make longer pilgrimages possible for more people, while also providing a resource for those travelling the Cleveland Way and exploring the wider North York Moors.

Help us take the next step

Alongside the support we have received from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we need to raise additional partnership funding to continue developing the project.

Our current fundraising target is £40,000.

By supporting our Crowdfunder, you can help us undertake the work needed to explore whether Saint Michael’s Lodge can provide a sustainable new future for this historic church.

The proposed future use of Saint Michael’s remains subject to the necessary Church of England processes, including statutory public consultation undertaken by the Church Commissioners. If, as the project develops, our work shows that the proposed Lodge is not feasible, or consultation results in a different future for the building, funds raised will be used in accordance with the terms set out on our Crowdfunder page.

Every contribution will help us take the next step in exploring what the future might hold for Saint Michael’s.