St Olave is one of York's older and quieter churches, set beside the Museum Gardens and the ruins of St Mary's Abbey. It is believed to be the oldest English church dedication to St Olaf, the Norwegian king and saint, which gives it a small but distinct place in York's Scandinavian story.
During the English Civil War the church formed part of the city's defences during the Parliamentarian siege. Today the churchyard is a green pause between the museum, the abbey ruins, and the river.