The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entry for 1055 records that ‘This year died Earl Siward at York; and his body lies in the minster at Galmanho, which he had himself ordered to be built and consecrated, in the name of God and St. Olave, to the honour of God and to all his saints.’[3][4] Galmanho is a former name for the area where the church stands and Siward, Earl of Northumbria, is believed to have had his York residence.

This is the earliest date for a church dedication to St Olaf (Olav in Norwegian) anywhere.

Substantial repairs were carried out in the 1720s including the insertion of windows in the north aisle, the wall of which had earlier served as part of the abbey and later city defences.

[9] A new chancel was added in 1887–9 by George Fowler Jones, a York architect, and later extended in 1906.

In addition the orchestra of the Academy of St Olave's performs three concerts each year and plays for one orchestral Mass on Remembrance Sunday.