The parish is relatively new (being raised in 1956) and the church itself was built in 1868 after many years of parishioners having to travel to nearby Wensley (1-mile (1.6 km) to the west)[2] to worship.

[3] It was later left to ruin and the stones were re-used by local people for houses and walls in the area; as a result, the structure had been completely demolished by the early 1800s.

[4] Historically, Wensley was the settlement of greater importance and had possessed a market since 1202 (Leyburns' was not granted until the 16th century), hence the reason for the main church.

[6] The Church of St Matthew lies to the north of the A684 road on the eastern side of Leyburn,[7] and was built on land donated by Lord Bolton.

[16] There is a plaque on the west wall commemorating Flight Lieutenant Alan Broadley, a Richmondshire born Royal Air Force navigator who was killed on Operation Jericho, the military raid on Amiens Prison in February 1944.

[21] In the same year, plans were announced to remove the pews from the church and install a new glass corridor to an external annexe as part of an upgrade and to make it into a community hub.