A typical 8th/9th cent. timber Saxon church

The site of the church dates back to Saxon or possibly even Viking times. The first church may well have been a simple timber building similar to that shown alongside. This is evidenced by the discovery of Saxon or Viking stone coffins that pre-date the church of 1325.

In 1325 the first stone church was built on the site. It was built at the expense of the Fauconberg family who succeeded the De Brus family as owners of Skelton Castle and its estates.

No records remain but it is believed to have been of similar size and floor plan to the current building and may have looked like the 14th cent. Saxon church pictured right.

A typical 13th/14th century Saxon church with a tower

All Saints' Church in the early 20th century

All Saints' Church as we know it today was built in 1785, funded by a sizeable donation from John Hall-Stevenson of Skelton Castle and by the sale of leases on the pews. The names of many of the subscribers are still visible, painted on the end walls of the box pews.

It is a plain structure with a chancel 26 ft. 9 ins by 18 ft. 6 ins., a nave 61 ft. 6 ins by 25 ft. 6 ins., and a west tower 9 ft. square, all these measurements being internal.

In the middle of the north wall is a kind of transept 16 ft. deep by 9 ft. wide, forming a small lounge with a fireplace at the north end. This was the reserved seating for the family from Skelton Castle.

July, 1753, a faculty was granted to erect a gallery in the 14th cent. church,

There are two distinctive features in the church. The triple-decker pulpit stands opposite the castle family's pew. The priest preached from the top tier, lessons from the Bible were read from the middle level and the Parish Clerk sat on the lowest tier where he maintained a register of those attending the service.

From 1593 until the Act was repealed in 1650, it was a punishable offence to fail to attend an Anglican place of worship. Hence the need to record those who attended.

The other distinctive feature demonstrates how the church at that time attached greater importance to hearing the gospel of the church rather than sharing in the Mass or Holy Communion. The pews between the pulpit and the chancel arch all face backwards, towards the pulpit, rather than towards the altar.

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Inside old All Saints' Church in the 21st century

Friends of Skelton Old

All Saints' Church

The site of the church dates back to Saxon or possibly even Viking times. The first church may well have been a simple timber building similar to that shown alongside. This is evidenced by the discovery of Saxon or Viking stone coffins that pre-date the church of 1325.

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In 1325 the first stone church was built on the site. It was built at the expense of the Fauconberg family who succeeded the De Brus family as owners of Skelton Castle and its estates.

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No records remain but it is believed to have been of similar size and floor plan to the current building and may have looked like the 14th cent. Saxon church pictured right.

All Saints' Church as we know it today was built in 1785, funded by a sizeable donation from John Hall-Stevenson of Skelton Castle and by the sale of leases on the pews. The names of many of the subscribers are still visible, painted on the end walls of the box pews.

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From 1593 until the Act was repealed in 1650, it was a punishable offence to fail to attend an Anglican place of worship. Hence the need to record those who attended.

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