Church of St John the Evangelist, Bilsdale Midcable

Church of St Mary, Scawton

Church of St Mary, Scawton, Upper Ryedale, North Yorkshire

Church of St Mary, Main Street, Scawton, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 2HG

The church was built in 1146 by the cistercian monks who later built Byland Abbey, and is structurally unchanged. It lies in the attractive hamlet of Scawton in idyllic Upper Ryedale. St Mary's is a Grade 1 listed, and has many historical features.

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.

Church of All Saints, Hawnby

All Saints Church, Hawnby, Ryedale, North Yorkshire

Church of All Saints, Church Lane, Hawnby, North Yorkshire, YO62 5QA

All Saints, Hawnby is a beautiful historic building in a peaceful and stunning rural setting by the River Rye in Ryedale. It is a poetry shrine, and a listed building with a fascinating history dating back to the 12th century.

Lying in a secluded rural setting just outside the village of Hawnby in Ryedale, All Saints dates back to the 12th century with many historical features and links including a rather fine stained glass window commemorating "the fighting parson of Hawnby" in the First World War. The church is keen to welcome poets and at the rear is a collection of poetry books and a folder marked "Fresh Poems In Here" accompanied by pens and paper. Historical information will be on display and light refreshments will be available.

Church of All Saints, Old Byland

Church of All Saints, Old Byland

Church of All Saints, Village Green, Old Byland, York, North Yorkshire, YO62 5LG

All Saints is an ancient church lying just off the picturesque village green of Old Byland. The church stonework dates back to Norman times, late 11th and early 12th century. Old Byland is about one mile above Rievaulx Abbey in the North York Moors.

The church is mentioned in the Doomsday Book but evidence from the coping stones and carvings suggest it was a Saxon church before the Norman alterations. The Byland monks were granted land at Tylas in 1143, but after disagreements with the cistercian monks at Rievaulx moved first to Stocking, then Kilburn and finally Byland. However, throughout the Middle Ages the village and church remained in their possession. There is a very rare Saxon sundial on the church tower, 12th century Saxon tiles and font in the Sanctuary, and a Cistercian font is used for baptisms. The village was the scene of a fierce medieval battle -the Battle of Old Byland - between the Scots and the English on 14 October 1322, and was a significant victory for the Scots. However, this devastated the area and led to parts of the church being rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries.Historical information is on display and light refreshments will be available.

Our church is always open. All are welcome!