Becki CrossleyWith Shakespeare’s birthday (23 April) and the World Shakespeare Festival just around the corner, The University of York have created a new app to enhance the experience for those visiting Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was both baptised and buried. With over 200,000 people a year visiting the church, the new app - made reality by University of York’s Centre for the Study of Christianity and Cultures in partnership with Holy Trinity – will benefit numerous visitors every year offering new innovative ways to learn about the unique features and stories the building has to offer.
The ground-breaking smartphone app guide will officially be launched on 26 April at Holy Trinity Church accompanied by an evening of readings by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion.
Sir Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate and a patron of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at York describes the app, which is partly aimed at young people as: “A wonderful new way for new generations to understand more about literature, history, and the stories which have shaped our culture – and what better place to start than in Shakespeare’s own church?”
Dr Dee Dyas, Director of the University of York’s Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture, said: “It is essential that we find fresh ways to help people of all ages and backgrounds engage with historic churches and give them the tools they need to do so. The new app brings the fascinating features and rich history of Shakespeare’s church to life, opening up so much more of the story and context of England’s greatest writer.”
After the successful trails of the app over winter that impelled its launch, further interest surrounding the app has prompted other churches and cathedrals across the country to ask York’s Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture to develop similar apps appealing to people of all ages and nationalities that come through their doors each year.
The Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture will launch a second app at Coventry Cathedral in late May as part of the Cathedral’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. The Centre’s is also working with Norwich and Ripon Cathedrals and a dozen churches across York to develop similar apps to suit the many different locations.
The Shakespeare’s church app is available for both Apple iPhone and iPad aswell as Android devices. Search ‘Shakespeare’s Church’ in Google Play and the Apple Appstore to download and experience history in a new way.
