Young gamers invited to ‘build’ Selby in Minecraft

Free interactive workshops for young gamers to help ‘build’ Selby in Minecraft have been announced for half term.

The Selby Block Party sessions are a fun way of encouraging children and young people to learn more about the heritage of their town and to let them to build buildings for their own version of Selby – imagining how they think Selby could look in the future, as well as how it looked in the past.

The sessions are part of the cultural programme for Selby’s High Street Heritage Action Zone, a four-year programme that will make the town’s historic centre an even more attractive and vibrant place for local people and visitors alike. 

Over the next few years much of the town centre will be created in Minecraft, but to begin with two important buildings, Selby Abbey and Abbot’s Staith, have been built by professional Minecrafters, Krash Labs, ready for children to add their own fantastic creations.

Councillor Chris Pearson said, “This is a great way to get young people to explore the history and heritage of Selby, especially while we’re all staying home because of Covid-19.

“This pilot will allow these buildings to be seen and explored as never before: they can exist over different time periods, their nooks and crannies can be discovered. 

“Children will have a lot of fun exploring buildings they may never have been in and adding to the town centre – I hope we see everything from a Star Wars museum to a medieval banqueting hall.”

Heritage experts

Krash Labs, who are based in Scarborough, are leading the workshops.  

They’ve worked from maps, plans and photographs, as well as drawing on the expertise from the heritage volunteers who help to care for them, to build Selby Abbey and Abbot’s Staith.

As well as the Minecraft buildings the project will also 3D scan and embed a series of objects which tell the stories of Selby.

The project is funded by Historic England and Selby District Council.

Jane Jackson from Historic England said: “Using Minecraft is an innovative way to engage young people about their unique and special local heritage. I can’t wait to see Selby Abbey and Abbot’s Staith recreated in the Minecraft universe.”