Parish records of York, St Denys with St George

Scope and Content

Includes register of christenings, 1559-1964 (note this register uses the Dade registration scheme for the years 1777-1801); register of marriages, 1559-1944; register of burials, 1558-1854 (note this register uses the Dade registration scheme for the years 1777-1812); register of banns, 1833-1935; register of services, 1906-1976; register of confirmations, 1925-1953; records concerning benefice income, including sequestration papers, 1974-1976, and glebe papers, 1897, 1975; charity records, including minutes of meetings, 1835-1976, accounts, 1800-1983, deeds for York, 1704-1841, correspondence and papers, 1827, 1878, 1905-1987, papers relating to individual charities, 1905-1998, feoffees' accounts and financial papers, 1963-1997, and papers regarding 25 Walmgate, 1965-1976; churchwardens’ records, including fabric papers, 1912-1993, 1998-1999, churchyard papers, 1974-1976, photographs of church 1936, and history of churches of St Denys and St Margaret, 1972; records of incumbents. including memoranda on rectors, 1603-1797, correspondence and papers, 1919-1964, 1976-1987, parsonage house papers, 1916-1991, statistical returns, 1923-1965, and benefice papers, 1973-1987; overseers’ records, including accounts, 1847-1867, rate books, 1837-1840, 1859, 1867, 1878, 1886, rate assessments, 1832-1837, settlement certificates, 1722-1774, removals, 1729-1771, bastardy, 1732-1782, and apprenticeship indentures, 1709-1765; records concerning parish rooms and societies, including church hall accounts and correspondence, 1959-1965, church hall papers, 1959, 1971, and Mothers' Union registers, 1934-1965; school records, including managers' minutes of meetings, 1870-1946, accounts, 1909-1956, correspondence and papers, 1869-1955, log books, 1897-1945, and papers regarding the sale of Walmgate Mission School, 1974-1975; terriers, 1825-1997, Vestry/Parochial Church Council records, including minutes of meetings, 1920-1953, 1992-2000, accounts, 1900-1965, 1995-1999, protestation return, 1641, correspondence, 1855-1954, 1993-1995, electoral rolls, 1996-1997, and insurance papers, 1975-1987; written histories of the parish, 1972, c.1974; historical notes and visitors guide, 1999; photographs of St Denys Church, 1936.
Unlisted material, 1956-2018.

Administrative / Biographical History

The church of St Denys, York, was first mentioned in 1154-c.1170 when the advowson was given to St Leonard's Hospital for the support of the poor and infirm. The hospital held the advowson until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the sixteenth century, at which time it passed to the Crown. It was transferred to the Archbishop of York in 1868.
The city parishes of St Denys and St George were joined in 1586. The resulting parish of York, St Denys with St George consisted partly of a chapelry at Naburn, which was detached to form a parish in its own right in 1842. In 1955 the benefice was united with York St Margaret with St Peter-le-Willows, followed by a union of the two parishes in 1974.
In 1976 the benefice was further consolidated with All Saints Pavement and St Crux with St Saviour, and St Sampson with Holy Trinity, Kings Court. In 1997 this arrangement was dissolved into three benefices once more, one of which became known as simply York, St Denys, which is also currently the name of the modern parish.
The parish of St Denys comprises the segment within the York city walls which is south of the river Foss. The church of St George was reportedly left to ruin after 1586, but the location of the church is shown on an 1852 Ordnance Survey plan. Sections of the fabric date from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, and the church possesses a notable collection of stained glass from the fourteenth century onwards, with some perhaps even earlier. The east window was restored in the 1970s and bears a fifteenth century depiction of St Denys, the patron saint of France and Paris. In 1798 the chancel and spire were removed and the Norman doorway was moved. The tower was rebuilt in 1846 by architect Thomas Pickersgill.

Access Information

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

Acquisition Information

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 1969 by the incumbent. Further additions were made to the archive in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2018.

Note

The church of St Denys, York, was first mentioned in 1154-c.1170 when the advowson was given to St Leonard's Hospital for the support of the poor and infirm. The hospital held the advowson until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the sixteenth century, at which time it passed to the Crown. It was transferred to the Archbishop of York in 1868.
The city parishes of St Denys and St George were joined in 1586. The resulting parish of York, St Denys with St George consisted partly of a chapelry at Naburn, which was detached to form a parish in its own right in 1842. In 1955 the benefice was united with York St Margaret with St Peter-le-Willows, followed by a union of the two parishes in 1974.
In 1976 the benefice was further consolidated with All Saints Pavement and St Crux with St Saviour, and St Sampson with Holy Trinity, Kings Court. In 1997 this arrangement was dissolved into three benefices once more, one of which became known as simply York, St Denys, which is also currently the name of the modern parish.
The parish of St Denys comprises the segment within the York city walls which is south of the river Foss. The church of St George was reportedly left to ruin after 1586, but the location of the church is shown on an 1852 Ordnance Survey plan. Sections of the fabric date from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, and the church possesses a notable collection of stained glass from the fourteenth century onwards, with some perhaps even earlier. The east window was restored in the 1970s and bears a fifteenth century depiction of St Denys, the patron saint of France and Paris. In 1798 the chancel and spire were removed and the Norman doorway was moved. The tower was rebuilt in 1846 by architect Thomas Pickersgill.

Other Finding Aids

A typescript finding aid, to file level, is available for consultation in the searchroom of the Borthwick Institute. This includes all material received up to and including 2007.

Alternative Form Available

Selected records, including registers of christenings, 1558-1964, marriages, 1558-1944, burials, 1558-1854, and banns, 1833-1900, overseers' accounts, 1848-1867, overseers' account book, 1847-1867, poor law papers, 1709-1782, rate books, 1837-1840, 1859, 1867, 1878, 1889, and deeds, 1704-1840, are also available on microfilm at the Borthwick Institute (References: MF 837-838, 1759, 1781-1782).
Our collection of parish baptism, marriage and burial registers has been digitised by both Ancestry and Find My Past. Copies of digitised records can be viewed online on Ancestry or Find My Past, as part of larger UK-wide parish registers datasets. You can find out more about these record sets, and how to find our registers, here: https://borthcat.york.ac.uk/index.php/are-you-looking-for-parish-registers.

Archivist's Note

Created 11.11.15

Conditions Governing Use

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Accruals

Further accruals are expected.

Related Material

The records of the following York parishes are also deposited at the Borthwick Institute: York, Holy Trinity, Goodramgate; York, St Crux; York, St Cuthbert; York, All Saints, Pavement; York, St Michael le Belfrey; York, St Sampson; York, St Saviour; York, Holy Trinity, Heworth; and York, Holy Trinity, King's Court.

Additional Information

Published

GB 193