[3] A church was present on the site before the Norman conquest, and the presence of a priest at Melsonby is recorded in the Domesday Book.

[2][4] St James' is constructed in sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings and has a tiled roof.

The south porch is gabled with buttresses, a pointed-arched doorway and two lancet windows on each side.

In the south aisle is a recess dating from the middle of the 14th century with a crocketed canopy, a finial at the apex and pinnacles at the sides; it had possibly been an Easter Sepulchre.

To the east of the porch are two sandstone tombstones dating from the early and middle parts of the 18th century.

[8] To the south of the tower is a badly worn sandstone chest tomb, dating possibly from the 17th century.

[9] On the south side of the path leading to the church is a group of three sandstone tombstones dating from the middle of the 18th century.