Please read about the History of our Churches. Each building has it's own unique and fascinating history, and acts as an anchor for the culture of the villages.

St Mary's Church
Great Ouseburn

The Church of St. Mary the Virgin stands on the highest ground in the village and probably dates from the 12th Century.  It’s most interesting features are the unbuttressed tower with round headed slit windows in the lower stages and the Norman tower arch.  Over the years there has been some rebuilding inside and major restoration was carried out in 1883 when the Church was closed for a year.  There is some good stained glass with The Good Shepherd Window in the bell tower being the outstanding example. Recently, the internal Church porch was built, a lavatory was put into the old vestry, the organ was replaced with a more modern and versatile instrument and the side chapel restored.  This has become “The Chapel of the Resurrection” and was dedicated by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds in January 2001.

Holy Trinity Church
Little Ouseburn

The church with its mausoleum and attendant yews, and the nearby Georgian bridge are charmingly set on a bend in the road in a landscape still keeping much of the feeling of C18th parkland.

Nothing in the structure of the present building can safely be dated before the Norman Conquest though much of the tower seems to have been built shortly after that using material salvaged from earlier buildings, there is Roman quarried stone and there are several fragments of Saxon cross. The chancel seems to be early C12th and the nave was given aisles in the C14th, and the tower was modified and given a new parapet in the C15th. There were considerable modifications in the early C19th a gallery was added. In 1875 the church was restored by Mr Paley the distinguished Lancaster architect. The church was damaged in 1945 when a Halifax bomber crashed in an adjacent field and was restored after the war. The church contains a number of puzzles to exercise the mind of the archaeologist or architectural historian.

Christ Church
Marton-cum-Grafton

Christ Church, Marton cum Grafton was built in 1875 on the south eastern side of the village. It was built on land given from the vicar’s glebe by the Reverend John R. Lunn, who is buried in the grounds. Designed by John Ladds, it replaced a Norman Church situated about half a mile from the village which ceased to be used in 1873. Many materials of the old one are used in the new church. Consisting of a simple rectangular nave it has a double bellcote containing a rare early medieval bell, with inscription in Roman type, believed to date approximately 1520. 

The welcoming congregation of Christ Church is of mixed ages, from babes in arms to the elderly, many of whom take part in each of the three services held each month. An average congregation at each service is currently approximately 34 adults and 8 children.

Church of The Ascension Whixley.

Parish Church of the Ascension at Whixley, is steeped in history, and has its origins in the 11th century, when it was, no doubt, a wooden structure, but the only remaining visual evidence of any specific dating is a small stone Norman window frame next to the East window.

There are some mysterious and intriguing markings on one of the west pillars, which could possibly be medieval, but their origins and meanings have been lost in time.

During the Restoration the 1850s a large, ancient stone font was discovered and this is now placed behind the main church door, next to the marble tomb of Sir Christopher Tancred whose family seat, Whixley Hall, is adjacent to the church building.

The latest restoration was finally completed in the year 2000 with the removal of pews in the west end thus giving us a large, attractive social area.

The church is a focal point for the spiritual life of the village and offers worship suitable for all ages.

St. Thomas'
Chapel of Ease,
Green Hammerton

Built mainly with proceeds donated by the wife of the Rev. William Valentine and the Parish Wardens in the 1840s to accommodate the spiritual needs of this expanding village, the Chapel-of - Ease at Green Hammerton is a popular and central focal point for village activities.

The adjacent church – aided Primary school holds services there throughout the year and children and staff are regular attendees at the Sunday services.

Many young families have moved into the village over the last few years and this has been a contributory factor towards church growth.