A cultural tour has been launched to show off the rich heritage of one of Bermuda’s oldest churches.

Cobbs Hill Methodist Church, in Warwick, which was built mostly by moonlight by enslaved black people and free black Bermudians in the 1820s, is now part of a special tour designed to highlight the country’s rich African heritage.

Titan Express, a bus tour operator, offered the tour to mark Black History Month.

The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs became involved and provided an online booking service.

Glenn Jones, of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, said: “As tourism industry developers, our goal is to inspire experiences that fill gaps in the visitor experience and stimulate spending.

“Cobbs Hill Methodist Church, Titan Express and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs are filling a cultural tourism gap with this offering. It is online bookable and easy to access.”

The church has been part of the African Diaspora Heritage Trail since 2002, but until now visitors on the trail have not often been able to see the inside of the church or hear the story of its history.

The new tour, along with an existing one by Bermuda Island Tours, will let tourists and residents become more engaged and better informed about the church.

The tour came after the BTA organised a dinner last month where guests were given a short tour of the church’s sanctuary and Bermudian actors recounted the origins of the place of worship.

Mr Jones said: “On the heels of our event with Cobbs Hill Methodist Church, we are delighted to have a new experience that gives visitors easy access to this part of Bermuda’s fascinating history.”

Lovitta Foggo, the community affairs minister, added: “Bermuda has a rich and exciting heritage that we believe should be experienced by all visitors who travel to the island.

“The legacy of Cobbs Hill Methodist Church forms a critical foundation of our history.”

The Titan Express tour, which costs $15 per person, runs on Saturdays this month and next month.

Other stops on the tour include the Sally Bassett statue at the Cabinet Office and the pre-emancipation graveyard at the landmark rubber tree at Khyber Pass in Warwick.