Church of St Mary, Scawton

St Mary's church sits in the centre of Scawton (meaning 'farm in the hollow'), east of Sutton Bank, in a scenic rural setting. It was built for Hugh de Malebisse, steward for the famous De Mowbray family of Thirsk and his retainers. Its font came from Old Byland in 1146 and has been used for baptisms by 31 generations of villagers. Behind the 16th altar is the stone original - a great rarity, since these were banned in the Reformation. The piscina is of early 13th century workmanship. Below the 12th century north pair of windows is a curious recess within which is a long stone basin/sink with an outlet at the back - a lavatorium! - brought from Byland or Rievaulx. St Aelred of Rievaulx became Abbot at Rievaulx the year after the church was built, and a plaque in the church proclaims 'God is Friendship', which first appears in the treatise 'Spiritual Friendship' by the great St Aelred, Abbot of Rievaulx, friend of Roger, the abbot of the Byland community when they were building the Church of St Mary.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 14 September:

0830-1700

Location & directions

Church of St Mary, Main Street, West View,, York, North Yorkshire, YO62 5LG

Contact on day:

George Gyte

Telephone number:

+447900896739

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Park carefully on Main Street.

Additional information

Scawton lies in an area very popular with walkers from the Sutton Bank Centre and Rievaulx Abbey. There are short easy strolls as well as more challenging hikes, and the Cleveland Way is nearby. It is one of the churches that forms part of the new 41-mile long Saint Aelred's Pilgrim Trail, and is part of the Yorkshire Churches Day Ride and Stride event on Saturday 14 September when walkers and riders will tackle the Gathering Walk launch event. This starts at All Saints, Hawnby,and passes through the villages of Old Byland, Scawton, and Cold Kirby and finishes at Rievaulx Abbey.

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