William the Conqueror donated the entire area around Whitgift to the monastery of
Selby Abbey, with
Henry de Lacey donating what would be the churchyard area to the monks for building either a chapel or a church. The existing St Mary Magdalene structure is the second church to have existed on the site, the first, dating back to was ordered to be destroyed by the vicar of
Adlingfleet, and its stones re-used in building the rectory at Adlingfleet. John le Franceys wanted the church to be demolished to stop its appropriation by Selby Abbey; this was done by at least 1291, but thought to have occurred around the middle of the 12th century. The first building owed its patronage to
St Mary's Abbey in York, and the ecclesiastical authorities granted the people of Whitgift the rights to an annual fair and a weekly market, also with the establishment of the ferry. As such, the church was quite important on the tidal
River Ouse, and was the setting for the yearly
Feast of the Blessed Mary Magdalene, which existed before the second church on the site, so it is thought that both churches shared the same dedication. The right of
advowson was held by the local lords of the manor, however on the execution of
Thomas of Lancaster, it reverted to the crown, then passing through St Mary's Abbey in York, before being described as being in the Parish of
Snaith. In 1956, Lord Deramore who held the rights of advowson through the lineage, transferred this responsibility to the Bishop of Sheffield. The current church dates back to 1304, and is largely
Perpendicular in design, with the tower having internal facing brickwork. The actual date of the building of the church is known because of a document from the early 14th century, which is preserved in Selby Abbey, stating that Henry de Lacy granted to Selby Abbey: The 14th-century building was furnished with two upper stages on its tower, which were added in the 15th/16th centuries. These later stages have Perpendicular elements to their architecture, with the clock installed on the north side of the tower in 1919. The piers are octagonal, dating back to the 14th century, and the benches and pews date back to the 17th century. The arcade is in the Decorated style. The south aisle was built in the
Elizabethan era, and the church was renovated in the late 19th century when a new chancel was added, with the building being reconsecrated in 1899 by
William Maclagan, the
Archbishop of York. the extension during the reign of
Elizabeth I was undertaken because of the connection of the church with
John Whitgift, who was
Archbishop of Canterbury between 1583 and 1604. Although John Whitgift's immediately family hailed from
Grimsby, the family name derived wholly from the village. The church building suffers from being so close to the River Ouse, the result being that parts of it have subsided. The chancel, added in the 19th century, seems to be sinking faster than the rest of the structure, and the tower, which has a side door in it, of which only half of the door is above ground level, the lower half having sunk into the ground. The church building was given grade I listed status in 1967. The churchyard contains a grade II listed war memorial, a tombstone path on the south side of the church which is also grade II listed, and one
Commonwealth War Grave. The clock on the north wall which dates back to 1919, displays a number 13 in Roman numerals in place of the standard number in the 12 position, and is thought to be accidental. The origin of the thirteenth clock position has differing backstories, but its unique nature within the British isles means it also gained notoriety. During the
Second World War,
Lord Haw-Haw stated that German bombers flying up the Humber Estuary would be flying so low that they would "...be able to see the thirteenth of Whitgift church clock." Besides the early 20th century clock, there is another 17th century clock in the nave, and the tower has three bells. The external clock, which carries an inscription of
In terra pax (), was made by
Potts of Leeds. == Parish and benefice ==