The beginnings of the holy site of Wakefield Cathedral can be dated to at least the 11th century, following a 21st century discovery. A burial cist was discovered in the south aisle of the nave in 2012 and the bones unearthed radiocarbon-dated to between 970 and 1150.

The people buried here would almost certainly have worshipped at the 10th century Saxon cross, discovered in the 1800s being used as a doorstep, that is believed to have stood outside. Today you’ll still find a Saxon cross here, but this is not the original, even though it has been carved, as it would have been back then, by hand with a hammer and chisel.

What’s that inside the door?

Moving from the cross to the interior of the cathedral, you’ll find another symbol of devotion just inside the door. The labyrinth is another modern manifestation of ancient worship here in the cathedral. With their roots in Pagan cultures, labyrinths have been found all over the world – from Peru to ancient Greece – and are associated with ancient pilgrimage routes and rituals of self-discovery.

Other fascinating features to look out for in Wakefield include the rood screen with its mix of architectural styles from the 1400s through to the 1600s to Victorian times, located at the entrance to the quire and sanctuary, and in the quire a number of carvings including the large owl, carved to mark a 15th century wedding and the ‘mooning man’ with naked bottom peeping out through his legs. And outside the cathedral, don’t forget to look up – to the tallest spire in Yorkshire, standing proud at 75m.

Wakefield: cathedral city

This West Yorkshire city is located on the edge of the Pennines on the River Calder, an important trading position that brought it great wealth in the 19th century. Fortunes declined in the later part of the 20th century, as manufacturing and mining industries stopped production and the Wakefield coal mines were among the first in the country to close in the 1980s. Investment in the 21st century has brought about regeneration, particularly in the historic areas along the city’s waterfront and around the Wakefield Westfield station yard.

What to see: The Hepworth Wakefield is named in honour of local sculptor Barbara Hepworth, exhibiting a large part of her work as well as that of Henry Moore, another local; Wakefield One houses the Wakefield museum and library, and among its treasures is a collection of preserved animals brought back to the UK by Victorian explorer Charles Waterton; the National Coal Mining Museum traces the area’s industrial past and offers the chance to descend 140 metres under the ground into one of the oldest coal mines in Britain, while historic castles Sandal and Pontefract were battlegrounds and prisons for some of England’s most famous medieval kings.

Where to stay: Explorer Charles Waterton’s former home, Walton Hall, is a Palladian-style stately manor turned hotel with its own moat, located on the outskirts of the city and now known as Waterton Park Hotel.

Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here