Quakers are to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of their Malton Meeting House with an open day.

The Quaker Meeting House in Greengate opened in 1824 during the reign of King George IV.

To mark the occasion members are aiming to tell the story of why their home has been so important.

Chris Newsam said they were inviting people to share in their open day, exhibition and special talk

He said: "Built in the time of extravagant and flamboyant King George IV, through to our King Charles III our Grade II* Quaker Meeting House in Greengate has seen many changes since it opened in 1824, 200 years ago.

"Written into the walls and fabric, and documented in the lives of so many recorded in the adjacent burial ground, represents much of Malton’s and Ryedale’s life and history: people who have sat in silence and been nourished, finding inspiration and renewal here.

"Those who have attended and worshipped in our Meeting House have lived through many upheavals and changes since 1824, and have held a wide variety of world views. In 1824 it was still nearly ten years before Charles Darwin set sail in the Beagle and three decades before he published On the Origin of Species which dramatically opened up new perspectives on our human beginnings. Here the fabric and design of our building tells the story of changing trends with, for example, clear evidence from the era when men and women met separately in different parts of the building.

"We want to use this milestone of the 200th anniversary of the opening of our Quaker Meeting - which replaced the previous one in Spital Street built in 1677 - to tell the story of the women, men and children for whom this quiet nook in Greengate was so important. If you are a long term resident of Ryedale we’ll be relating the lives of families you’ll no doubt recognise because our Quaker stories are integral to the very fabric of our area."

The open day takes place on Saturday, October 12, 11 - 4 pm at the Friends Meeting House Malton.

Chris said: "In the afternoon, at 2pm, there will be a special talk - The Voices in Greengate - sharing memories of many who helped develop Malton and Ryedale into the thriving market town and area it is now. Men and women who through honest endeavour and trading built surpluses that enabled philanthropy, assisting many local people through hard times.

"But this isn’t simply about history, our building has recently benefited from a major updating, which whilst carefully maintaining its unique character and heritage features is now environmentally sustainable and ready for the next part of the story of Quakers in the 21st Century and beyond. We invite you to come and see for yourselves, all are welcome and refreshments, reminiscence, sharing and chat will enhance our time together."

For more information go to https://malton.quakermeeting.org/

From: Chris Newsam, 21 Greengate,Malton . 01653 693913