of the York to Easingwold (29, 30, 30X and 31X), two further services as part of the York to Thirsk route (30 and 30X), and one local service to York (Service 19 which enters the village itself, but terminates here; it runs to Rawcliffe and parts of Clifton and thence to the City Centre, and is a council-supported service due to low demand). Education A school was built in 1872. It accommodated 120 children, and had an average attendance of about half that number. Now primary education is catered for at Skelton Community Primary School located in Brecksfield. The village is within the Local Education Authority catchment area for Vale of York Academy on Rawcliffe Drive in nearby Clifton Without. Religion The Church of St Giles, formerly known as All Saints, dates from 1247. Despite two restoration schemes, the church has stood "virtually unaltered" since it was built, and is claimed to be "now one of only two complete Early English churches in the country." It is mentioned by Nikolaus Pevsner in his 1966 The Buildings of England: Yorkshire North Riding, by John Betjeman in his 1958 English Parish Churches and by Simon Jenkins in his 1999 England's Thousand Best Churches. Sports Skelton Football Club played in the York Sunday Morning League Division until 2010. Notable landmarks and residents St Giles' Church is a Grade I listed building, dating from 1247, Skelton Manor is Grade II* listed, and Grade II listed buildings include Pyramid House. The old Toll Bar Cottage was built when the road north was turnpiked. There is also a George VI post-box in the wall of the old post office, and a mounting block outside the Blacksmiths Arms. The Blessed John Nelson, whose Feast day is 3 February, was a Jesuit martyr born in Skelton. He was ordained at Douai at the age of forty and sent to London in 1576 where he was arrested and martyred at Tyburn by being hanged, drawn and quartered. John became a Jesuit just before his death. Notable residents include author Justin Hill, whose family home was here from 1985 to 2004. References Place family papers, Cheltenham External links St Giles Church Website Villages in the City of York Civil parishes in North Yorkshire