[1] St Mary's Church is one of Stainburn's main attractions, offering fine views over Wharfedale.

The name 'Stainburn' is derived from the Old English and means "Stone Stream",[3] suggesting the village suffered a lack of fresh water supplies, many centuries ago.

It consisted of: Stainburn was historically a township in the parish of Kirkby Overblow in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

It is "a largely coniferous woodland on the edge of Nidderdale AONB which consists of two parts... a mixed pine, larch and spruce area on the sloping ground of Norwood Edge and... a plateau of spruce... of scots pine and larch to the east".

[11] It began as a chapel of ease to nearby Kirkby Overblow, and consequently was given to Fountains Abbey in the middle of the 12th century.