GENUKI: Pontefract

There are two? parish churches for Pontefract, one in ruins (All Saints), and the other (St. Giles) in use, but in need of restoration. The following information has been obtained by Cathy Halpin:

Information received from the West Yorkshire Archives Service indicates that All Saints was the original Parish Church in Pontefract, but was damaged and abondoned after the civil war. St Giles became the parish church at that time. Part of All Saints was restored in 1831, and it became a parish church again in 1838. Cathy goes on to say:
It was interesting to see All Saints, the ruined outer structure remains, and a smaller church has been built inside the old walls. St Giles stands in the center of town. It is quite old, and is about to undergo restoration.

From the brochure published for the St Giles Church Regeneration Appeal:
"St Giles church was built around 1106 on or adjacent to the original site of the preaching cross of St Oswald, named after one of the first Christian kings of Northumbria. The octagonal clock tower stands as a distinguishing landmark above Pontefract.
In 1789, the Chapel of St Giles, as it was known, became the Parish Church of Pontefract. Since then, there have been a number of alterations to ensure that St Giles continues to serve its purpose within the Church of England and accommodate its variable congregation..."
Here are photographs of Churches in the parish:
- All Saints' Church, Pontefract (close up).
- All Saints' Church, Pontefract (general view).
- Another view of All Saints, from the other end.
- St. Giles' Church (new), Pontefract.
- St. Giles' Church, Pontefract, from the square.
- Municipal Cemetery Chapel, Pontefract.
- St. Mary's Church, Pontefract. Now demolished and replaced by a new building (St. Mary's Community Centre).
- The Central Methodist Church, Pontefract.
- The Micklegate Methodist Church, Pontefract.
- The Congregational Church Evangelical, Pontefract.
- St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Pontefract.
- The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family, Pontefract.
- St. Stephen's Church, East Hardwick (view 1).
- St. Stephen's Church, East Hardwick (view 2).
- St. Andrew's Church, Ferrybridge (view 1).
- St. Andrew's Church, Ferrybridge (view 2).
- The Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Carleton.
- St. Botolph's Church, Knottingley (view 1). (The Church's website is here.)
- St. Botolph's Church, Knottingley (view 2).
- The Doncaster Road Methodist Church, Knottingley, opened in 1878 as a Primitive Methodist Chapel.
- Rope Walk Methodist Church, Knottingley.
- The United Reformed Church, Knottingley.
- St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Knottingley. (The Church's website is here.)
- The Elim Church, Knottingley.
- The Salvation Army, Knottingley.
- The former Primitive Methodist Chapel, Knottingley.

Church History

A transcription of Pontefract Baptist Church History
A transcription of the Knottingley Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Pontefract Congregational Church History
Transcript of the entry for Pontefract in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Pontefract St in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for East Hardwick in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Knottingley in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".

Church Records

Directories

Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" and the gazetteer in White's Directory of 1847.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Baines's Directory and Gazetteer, Vol I, West Riding.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Pigot's 1829 Directory, Yorkshire section.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Pigot's 1834 Directory, Yorkshire section.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory, of the West Riding.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" for KNOTTINGLEY in Slater's Directory of 1847 Slater's 1847 Directory for Knottingley

Gazetteers

Transcript of the entry of the gazetteer and "professions and trades" in White's Directory of 1847.
There is further information about this parish from the Pigot's 1829 Directory, Yorkshire section.
There is further information about this parish from the Pigot's 1834 Directory, Yorkshire section.
There is further information about this parish from the White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory, of the West Riding.
There is further information about this parish from the National Gazetteer 1868, Yorkshire extracts.
There is further information about this parish from the Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England, Yorkshire extracts.
There is further information about this parish from the Stephen Whatley's Gazetteer 1750, Yorkshire extracts.

The Ancient Parish of PONTEFRACT

Churches

Church History

Church Records

Directories

Gazetteers

History

Maps

Memorial Inscriptions

Names, Geographical

Societies

Taxation

Town Records