HE village of Strensall existed before the Normal Conquest, but in the Domes-day Survey of 1086 there is no mention of a church. This probably means that the earliest church in Strensall was that de-scribed by the Rev John Hodgkinson, vicar of Strensall 1843 to 1884. He wrote… "The parish church…was origi-nally a Norman structure the walls being rubble with door and window jambs and coigns of dressed Tadcaster or Bramham Moor stone. The interior fittings were rude and massive the seats open, of thick rough-hewn oak. The date of its erection is not known but from fragments still existing is supposed to have been be-tween 1100 and 1150 AD."
This first church was in a state of decay when, in 1801, a Faculty was granted for extensive rebuilding on the original foundations. This work was carried out in 1803 to 1804. The Rev John Hodgkin-son wrote… "A new chancel was built by the Rev John Ellis the then Lord of the Manor and a new nave and tower by the parishioners, all of brick (made for the purpose on Strensall Common End) but entirely wanting in architectural or ec-clesiastical style, with walls only 14 inches thick. The interior was fitted with square pews of painted deal and of incon-venient form. There was an unsightly gallery at the west end. The windows were ordinary deal sashes, painted, hav-ing large squares. The tower was square at the bottom, and octagonal at the top and contained two bells."
The parishioners rated themselves for a number of years at two shillings in the pound to pay for the nave. A man living in the 1850s records that the gallery was used by the choir and an assortment of musicians, playing on bass fiddle, clari-net, small fiddles and flute. The box pews were overlooked by the parson mounted in a high pulpit and the sexton at a high reading desk.
By 1863 this church was in a very dilapi-dated condition and when autumn gales caused much damage to the fabric it was decided to replace it with a completely new building. The sum needed to build and furnish the present church, £1,523.12s.6d was raised almost entirely by subscription, thanks largely to the tireless efforts of the vicar, John Hodgkinson, who has left detailed ac-counts. Leonard Thompson Esq, of Sheriff Hutton Park, Lord of the Manor of Strensall, paid for the chancel.
In May 1865 the foundation stone was laid by his wife, Lady Mary Thompson, and the building was consecrated by the Archbishop of York, William Thomson, on July 25 (the Festival of St James), 1866. The architects were Messrs J B and W Atkinson of York, and the church is built in the early decorated style to a de-sign said to be that of Sir Gilbert Scott. The building consists of an aisleless nave and a chancel with a south porch and a western tower which houses six light bells, the tenor weighing just under four cwt. These bells were installed in 1985-7, three of them recast from the previous three 19th century bells with added bell metal from redundant bells purchased from elsewhere. Full details of the bells can be seen upstairs in the ringing room. The second bell bears the inscription ‘In Honore Sauntiiacobi – Walterus Me Fe-cit’ (in honour of St James -Walter made me) – from a small medieval bell in the original church from which one of the 19th century bells was recast. There is, indeed, evidence that the original church was dedicated to St James. In 1428 in-dulgences were granted to penitents who visited the church of St James at Stren-sall and gave alms for its repair, and in 1451 the vicar of St James of Strensall was paid 6s 8d to pray for the soul of Thomas Vicars.
Over the years the church has been maintained with loving care, various changes being made in the interior, and much of the work being carried out by local craftsmen. A new vestry was added on the north side in 1961. The church was refloored in 1974. The clock by T Cooke & Sons (of York & London) origi-nally presented by Lady Mary Thompson, was restored in 1988 by Mr Geoffrey Newey of York.

he church is entered through a porch at the south door. On the outside of this porch are two carved heads possibly those of Queen Victoria and the Arch-bishop of York, William Thomson. The nave is divided into four bays, the curved ribs supporting the roof resting upon stone corbels inserted in the walls. The roof is open-timbered.
At the back of the nave is a modern oak screen which separates the nave from the bottom of the bell tower, an area which was formerly used as a choir
vestry. The screen was made by Thompson of Kil-burn and a carved mouse can be seen to the left of the door. Other examples of the ‘Mouseman’s’ work to be seen in the church are the fine lectern, pulpit and Paschal Candle Stand, all gifts to the church, as are many of the furnishings. In the north-west corner is a beautiful modern font, designed by the late George Pace, given to the church in 1974. It is made of oak and stainless steel and on the cover a dove represents the Holy Spirit.
On the south wall are the Royal Arms, indicating the link between the Church of England and the State. On the north wall are the memorials to men of the village who gave their lives in two world wars. There used to be a small side altar here, as can be seen in the old photo-graph at the back of the church. The photograph also shows a pulpit in the north-east corner and organ pipes in the position of the present pulpit. The small doorway by which the vicar entered the pulpit from his vestry is now blocked.
Near the south door is a block of stone, partially restored, which was probably the base of the churchyard cross. It once stood in the churchyard just to the south of the pathway at the foot of the grave of the Revd John Hodgkinson. It is said that from this stone the sexton ‘cried’ the parish notices to the congregation as it left the church after morning service. The Revd John Hodgkinson requested that he should be buried in exactly this place in the churchyard.
The smaller piece of stone near the door is part of a window and is, almost cer-tainly, from the first church. It dates from about 1450 and is thought to have been inserted during a period of repair and improvement. It is interesting to note that it was at about this time that Indulgences were being granted to peni-tents who gave alms for the repair of the church, and that in his will of 1451 Tho-mas Vicars left 20 shillings for the making of a doorway in the church of Strensall.

Behind the altar is a carved wooden re-redos which came from Overton church
in 1965 and which has been extended to fit the present position.
A large archway in the north wall used to contain the or-gan console, the
organist reaching his seat through a small gate in the
back of the choir stall.

he East window by Knowles of York, was given by Leonard Thompson Esq in 1866 and was restored in 1973. In the sanctuary is an Edwardian window, dedi-cated to St James the Great, in memory of the Revd John Hodgkinson and the other window in the chancel is in mem-ory of his only son, Edward Aemylius, who bred horses in Colorado, USA, and who was killed by a kick from one of them.
On the south wall of the nave are two early 20th century windows and on the north wall are three fine modern win-dows designed and made by Harry W Harvey of York in 1970, 1978 and 1979 depicting parables and scenes from the New Testament. The remaining windows were designed by the Architect Ronald W Sims and made and fitted by Joseph Bur-ton of York in 1997.

t the west end of the church if the Charity Board, a memorial to a local benefactor Robert Wilkinson (1689-1719) who founded the Old School in Strensall, and the present school bears his name.
Over the door in the chancel is a memo-rial to the Ellis family, the Revd John Ellis being both vicar and Lord of the Manor of Strensall. Below this is a brass memorial plaque to Susannah Pool wife of the Revd William Pool vicar of the parish from 1719 to 1748.
The oldest memorials in the church are those to members of the Weddell family, landowners in Earswick. These memori-als were in the floor of the chancel of the old church, and are now located in the vicar’s vestry and are not easily available for viewing. The earliest is to Metcalfe Weddell Esq, who departed this life March 7, 1688.
A beautiful Trinity Altar frontal de-signed by John Freeman (of Harpenden) and embroidered by Clarissa Robinson (of Great Barford) was presented to the church in 1994 by Joan and Ian Freeman in memory of their mother and her three sisters. The central motif depicts the Lamb of God superimposed on the White Rose representing the Virgin Mary. The wild flowers in the panels were common in the Strensall area during the child-hood of the sisters who were all born in Strensall.

he church registers date from 1566 and, apart from those in current use are de-posited in the Borthwick Institute, York.

he oldest part is that to the south of the church, the churchyard having been ex-tended eastwards and northwards at various times. There are three 18th cen-tury memorials, the earliest marked grave probably being that of Henry Young, 1774. Three recent vicars, John Hodgkinson, J Busby Draper and W M Osborne, are buried here, as are at least five earlier vicars whose graves are un-marked.

y 1166 Strensall had become one of the Prebends of St Peter’s, York. In 1314 the vicarage was ordained and remained in the gift of the Prebendary, who was also the Rector, until 1840 when the Arch-bishop of York became patrol.
List of Known Vicars