Recorded in the Domesday Book and believed to be the oldest church in Wensleydale, this has been a place of Christian worship since the days of King Edwin, centuries before the Norman Conquest. The existing building is generally thought to be mostly Norman on Saxon foundations and was built by Alan, first Earl of Richmond and nephew of William the Conqueror, whose steward dwelt in this village. Hence the name Thornton Steward.
The church stands apart from the present village, possibly because the original village, which may have surrounded it, was wiped out by the plague. The church is “off grid” due to its isolated location but is still a place of regular worship.
The Friends of St Oswald’s has been established by local residents to raise funds for the benefit of the Church.