York Historic Environment Record

Victoria County History, 1961, Victoria County History: A History of the County of York - The City of York (Monograph). SYO1655.

The church of ST. MARY, Walmgate, is first mentioned in a charter dated between 1177 and 1181 by which Walter son of Faganulf granted it, with St. Margaret's, to St. Leonard's Hospital; the churches, he said, were in patrimonio meo fundate jure patrimonii ad patronatum meum et donacionem meam pertinent. (fn. 717) The grant was made under the condition that his son Stephen should hold the churches from St. Leonard's for 1 besant a year and that after Stephen they should be held, the one by William the deacon, and the other by Thomas the priest, his kinsman (nepos), or by Ernaldus, Thomas's son, should Thomas predecease him; the payment of the pension was to be divided between them.

The two churches remained separate at least until 1227 when separate institutions were made to the benefices. (fn. 718) What was probably a papal provision to St. Mary's is mentioned in 1250. (fn. 719) By 1308 the two benefices were united although the priest presented by St. Leonard's at that date was instituted to the 'churches of St. Mary and St. Margaret'. (fn. 720) St. Mary's is not mentioned in the returns of 1291.

In 1282 licence was given to Gilbert de Luda to have an oratory within his house in the parish so long as it did not interfere with the rights of the parish church. (fn. 721) In 1294 arrangements were made to inclose Alice, daughter of Nicholas le Cordwaner, in a house newly built contiguous to the church, (fn. 722) and in 1314 Alice de Angrum, who wished to be an anchoress, was inclosed in the same house. (fn. 723)

Nothing is known of the site of the church or of the topography of the parish.