THE mother of a University of York student who has died aged only 22 has paid tribute to her “wonderful son”.

Philippa Jarvis said her family had been left devastated by the tragic loss of her son, James, and said they would be setting up a bursary scheme in his name to help fund future students at the university.

Mrs Jarvis said: “It just seems wrong that he’s gone at this time when he was just so happy.

“We loved him to bits and we were immensely proud of him. For the family it’s a matter of keeping positive and remembering how happy he was and how much he was looking forward to things.

“It makes us sad to think those plans won’t be realised. We are just taking one day at a time and drawing great comfort from the many messages of support we have received.”

James was a postgraduate student in the university’s Centre for Medieval Studies and graduated in history in 2010. He was close to completing an MA in medieval history when he was found dead on July 12.

Mrs Jarvis, her husband, Paul, and James’s brother, Andrew, live in Stockton-on-Tees, where James was originally from. But James had lived in York for four years and thought of the city as his home.

Mrs Jarvis said: “He was a true son of York in that sense. He loved the city and he worshipped at York Minster. He loved history and I think the Minster bookshop will go bust now because he spent so much time there.

“He was in so many societies at the university. He used to teach swordplay at the Medieval Society on Sundays and he loved amateur dramatics. He was a member of a group called the Lords Of Misrule who re-enact lost medieval plays and he played Robin in their production of Robin And Marion.”

James had secured a place to start a PhD in museums history at Nottingham Trent University in October and was looking forward to starting his course.

Now the family is looking to put the money that would have been spent on the PhD towards setting up the James Jarvis Bursary fund at the university.

Mrs Jarvis said about 120 of James’s friends and family were expected to attend a funeral service at 10.30am on Monday, at the Minster.

A spokesman for the University of York said: “We are greatly saddened by James’s tragic death and we are offering support to his friends here.”

The university’s head of history, Professor Bill Sheils, said: “James was fully engaged in his studies throughout his time at York, much liked by his tutors and peers, and was keen on acting and performance. The department is very sorry to hear of this news.”

Dr Katy Cubitt, chairman of graduate studies in the department of history, said: “James was a genial personality, with so much enthusiasm for medieval history. Thoughtful and lively, he was a stimulating student to teach, who thought for himself and had strong historical interests which he pursued with gusto.

“He made a great contribution to the Medieval Society and was a very active member of the Lords of Misrule medieval drama group at the Centre for Medieval Studies.”

The Rev Canon Glyn Webster, of York Minster, said: “Our hearts go out to James’s family as they mourn the loss of a wonderful son and a great brother.

“We hope that the funeral service and thanks giving will be a means of help and support for them as they face the future.”

An inquest into James’s death will take place in due course.