Parish records of Fulford

Includes register of christenings, 1653-1698, 1700-2008 (note this register uses the Dade registration scheme for the years 1777-1812); register of marriages, 1653-1698, 1700-2008; register of burials, 1653-1698, 1700-1947 (note this register uses the Dade registration scheme for the years 1777-1812); register of banns, 1754-1812, 1863-1871, 1961-1991; register of services, 1872-1890, 1954-2008; register of services at St Andrew's Mission Church, 1952-1957; notes of confirmations, 1872-1887; register of confirmations, 1959-2004; records concerning benefice income, including accounts, 1702-1729, 1848-1892, correspondence and papers, 18th century, 1808, 1810-1946, and glebe papers, 1869-1927; charity records, including papers, 1808-1935; churchwardens’ records, including accounts, 1821-1898, briefs, 1707-1711, minutes of meetings and accounts for building new church, 1864-1878, restoration papers, 1875-1880, fabric papers, 1875, 1881-1966, churchyard papers, 1708, 1869-1870, 1902, and photographs of church, n.d; records of incumbents, including parsonage house building papers, 1872-1876, benefice papers, 1891, 1973, parsonage papers, including plan, 1873, 1967, incumbents' and curates' papers, 1864-1982, 'Breeches Bible', 1607, papers of Mrs Pickering, incumbent's wife, historical notes and memoranda, 1933-1989, and service papers, 1986; records concerning parish rooms and societies, including names and addresses of proposed members of church institute, 1903-1914, papers regarding St Andrew's Mission Church, Fulford, 1893-1957, papers regarding Alma Terrace Mission, 1884-1955, church hall papers, 1955, papers regarding Christmas play, centenary tableaux and procession, including photographs, 1965-1966; overseers’ papers, 1865; school records, including papers, 1692-1976, papers and plans regarding building of St Oswald's Church School, 1866-1937, proposed site plan of St Andrew's Mission Church and School, 1893, and Sunday School papers, 1912; Vestry/Parochial Church Council records, including minutes of meetings, 1827-1837, 1873-1876, list of messuages and cottages in Gate and Water Fulford, 1729, minute books, 1886-1980, register of personnel, insurance and expenditure, 1892-1896, accounts and financial papers, 1870-1974, insurance papers, 1906-1921, census return and correspondence, 1892, 1959, and St Andrew's Mission Church minute book and accounts, 1943-1945.

The earliest mention of a chapel at Fulford was in 1349, although the original church building was built c.1150. It was acquired by St Mary’s Abbey, York, at an early date, along with the chapelry of York, St Olave. The chapel yard at Fulford was briefly licensed for burials during the plague in 1349 but Fulford burials otherwise took place at St Olave’s in this period.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries Fulford became a chapelry of York, St Olave, and the churchyard was brought back into use for burials. By the mid-seventeenth century the church was also used for baptisms and marriages. The benefice was augmented in 1746, 1767, 1778 and 1808 through Queen Anne’s Bounty, and in 1813 via a parliamentary grant. At some point, most likely between 1764 when it was still described as a chapelry, and 1825 when it was omitted from the terrier of York, St Olave for the first time, Fulford became a parish in its own right. The advowson, which passed into lay hands at the Dissolution, was transferred to the Archbishop of York in 1892.
A new parish church, dedicated to St Oswald, was built in 1866 to replace the medieval structure. It was restored following a fire in 1878 and the belfry stage of the tower was rebuilt in 1924, and a church hall added in 1960. The old churchyard was closed in 1902 and subsequent burials took place at Fulford Cemetery. A parsonage house was built in 1875 and replaced in 1960.
The parish originally consisted of two villages; Gate Fulford, where St Oswald’s Church is situated, and Water Fulford; the latter area being, at various times, divided between Fulford Chapelry and the parishes of St Paul’s in Heslington and St Martin’s in York. In 1828 the two villages were given the name Fulford Ambo, meaning ‘both Fulfords,’ and in 1935 this became simply Fulford. In 1871 a suburban part of the parish, known as ‘New Fulford’, was transferred to the parish of York, St Lawrence.
Today both the parish and benefice are known as Fulford.

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.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 1978 by the incumbent. Further additions were made to the archive in 1983, 1986, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2007 and 2013.

The earliest mention of a chapel at Fulford was in 1349, although the original church building was built c.1150. It was acquired by St Mary’s Abbey, York, at an early date, along with the chapelry of York, St Olave. The chapel yard at Fulford was briefly licensed for burials during the plague in 1349 but Fulford burials otherwise took place at St Olave’s in this period.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries Fulford became a chapelry of York, St Olave, and the churchyard was brought back into use for burials. By the mid-seventeenth century the church was also used for baptisms and marriages. The benefice was augmented in 1746, 1767, 1778 and 1808 through Queen Anne’s Bounty, and in 1813 via a parliamentary grant. At some point, most likely between 1764 when it was still described as a chapelry, and 1825 when it was omitted from the terrier of York, St Olave for the first time, Fulford became a parish in its own right. The advowson, which passed into lay hands at the Dissolution, was transferred to the Archbishop of York in 1892.
A new parish church, dedicated to St Oswald, was built in 1866 to replace the medieval structure. It was restored following a fire in 1878 and the belfry stage of the tower was rebuilt in 1924, and a church hall added in 1960. The old churchyard was closed in 1902 and subsequent burials took place at Fulford Cemetery. A parsonage house was built in 1875 and replaced in 1960.
The parish originally consisted of two villages; Gate Fulford, where St Oswald’s Church is situated, and Water Fulford; the latter area being, at various times, divided between Fulford Chapelry and the parishes of St Paul’s in Heslington and St Martin’s in York. In 1828 the two villages were given the name Fulford Ambo, meaning ‘both Fulfords,’ and in 1935 this became simply Fulford. In 1871 a suburban part of the parish, known as ‘New Fulford’, was transferred to the parish of York, St Lawrence.
Today both the parish and benefice are known as Fulford.

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 2013. Later material has not yet been listed, please contact the Borthwick Institute for further information.

Registers of christenings, 1653-1883, marriages, 1653-1892, and burials, 1653-1858, are also available on microfilm at the Borthwick Institute (References: MF 687).
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.

Created by S. A. Shearn, 11.02.16.

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.

Further accruals are expected.

Published

GB 193