Parish of Whorlton (Swainby)

The population of Swainby is about 900 people and it is a popular starting point for walkers exploring the Cleveland Hills and North York Moors National Park. It is also a famous place for bikers who enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in a local café. 

Early settlement took place in the Saxon period near the site of the present village location where, later, a Norman castle and the old church in Whorlton became the seat of the Norman noble family of De Maynell. The name Swainby first appears in records in 1428, and its settlement may be due to the Black Death driving the 10 surviving inhabitants down the hill from the ancient village of Whorlton.

The new church of the Holy Cross in Swainby was built in 1877, designed by Thomas Wyatt. It is located in the picturesque valley which creates the centre of Swainby. The belfry contains a ring of six bells and a clock dating from 1891. The church, with its recently-built modern parish hall, is a very active centre of religious, spiritual and cultural life for all people living in this area.   

There are regular religious services in all the churches of the Parish of Whorlton, including at least two services per year in the old church in Whorlton which are especially popular in the area:  Holy Communion on 26 December (St Stephens's Day) and the Holy Commuion on Easter Monday. Both services are at 10:00 a.m. These two services are often attended by walkers of the Cleveland Way who walk very near the old church in Whorlton. We are always very happy to welcome everybody to worship together at the old and new churches of the Parish of Whorlton-Swainby. If you wish to worhip in the old church, we strongly advise you dress warmly and to use walking boots.

As our church in Swainby is so beautiful and located in a very picturesque valley, it is a very popular venue for weddings, especially as newly-married couples may also hire the adjacent Parish Hall for receptions. So, if you would like to get married at the foot of the Cleveland Hills in the North York Moors National Park, contact the Churchwardens or the Benefice Administrator as soon as possible to book the church in Swainby for your wedding.