The magnificent St Mary's Church, one of the finest examples of High Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in England. It was designed in the 1870s by the flamboyant architect William Burges. Set within Studley Royal Park, a World Heritage Site which also includes the ruins of Fountains Abbey, the church has been called Burges's 'ecclesiastical masterpiece'.

The church was built by the Marquess and Marchioness of Ripon following a tragic family death.  In April 1870 a small group of aristocratic tourists on an expedition to Marathon in Greece. They were kidnapped and held to ransom. Greek soldiers attempted to rescue them, but in the ensuing skirmish four of the hostages were killed. Among the victims was Frederick Vyner, whose widowed mother, Lady Mary Vyner, lived at Newby Hall.  Lady Mary Vyner and Lord and Lady Ripon put the money they had allocated for the ransom towards building two parish churches on their lands. The church at Newby was dedicated to Frederick’s memory. Its sister church, St Mary’s, was built in the park at Studley Royal in 1870–78.