St Mary & All Saints Church

St. Mary and All Saints, Swarby has been a place of refuge, hospitality, and worship for over 800 years. Today it has Festival Church status, where Harvest and Christmas services are well-attended.

Community Coffee Mornings
Join us for coffee, cake, and conversation!
● When: 1st Saturday of every month, March to December.
● Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 noon.
● All are welcome.

The Grade II listed Church of St Mary; All Saints in Swarby blends 13th-century origins with a distinct Victorian character. Much of its current aesthetic - including the nave, aisle roofs, and pews - stems from an extensive 19th-century restoration. The church captures the transition from the Early English (13th c.) to the Decorated (14th c.) and Perpendicular (15th c.) styles, finished with a significant Victorian restoration (1886-7).

• 13th Century: The earliest stone remnants, including the 3-bay north arcade, the tower arch, and the small window hidden behind the pulpit.
  
• 14th Century: The south arcade with its;hollow chamfered; piers and the intricate south door reveals.
  
• 15th Century: The imposing 3-stage west tower, likely funded or influenced by Vicar Richard Thoresby (1467-1507).
  
• Victorian Restoration: A major overhaul that rebuilt the Chancel arch and south aisle, introducing the Minton encaustic tiles and the current open timber roof.

Within its walls, you can find artifacts spanning a millennium, including a 1,000-year-old Anglo-Saxon grave marker and a headless 13th-century stone Christ that survived the turmoils of the Reformation. The Thomas Betson ledger stone in the North aisle represents a fragment of history belonging to a 14th-century landowner who contributed to the defense against the Spanish Armada. The Anthony Williams Monument (1681) in the Chancel offers a glimpse into the life of a local gentleman; farmer, featuring a classic 17th- century obelisk design. Don’t forget to pay your respects to Queen Victoria as you leave via the South door.