Scawton is a small but beautifully preserved church which consists of nave and chancel. In spite of an extensive restoration carried out in 1892 by Hodgson Fowler, much of the original twelfth century fabric of the building has been retained. This includes a decorated doorway in the south wall of the nave, an unusual triple arch separating the nave from the chancel, and four windows (one in the south wall of the nave, and three in the chancel).

The church, or at least the nave, was originally built as a chapel by Roger, the second abbot of Byland (1142-1196). This was most likely to have been following the move to Old Byland in 1143. The monks had been given land near Tylas by members of the de Mowbray family, and the chapel appears to have been constructed for Hugh Malebiche, who was the de Mowbray’s steward, to obviate the need for him and his family members to walk all the way over to Old Byland for services. After Hugh’s death, Scawton passed to his grandson, Richard, who held some form of judicial role in York. In 1190, he was implicated in the massacre of the Jews, to whom he apparently owed large sums of money. His lands were subsequently confiscated, though he was allowed to buy them back after John assumed the throne.

The similarities between the carving of the south doorway and the chancel arch indicate a fairly unified programme of construction. The style of carving and the available records regarding the construction of the church would seem to indicate that the work dates from early in the second half of the 12thc.