the outer structure dates from the 14th and 15th century. the church was held by the royalists at the beginning of the english civil war; in december 1644 the parliamentarians sieged the church which was held by the royalists armed with 11 cannons. in the siege by parliamentarians, the church suffered extensive damage with 60 18lb cannonballs being fired in one day from monkhill. in june 1645, the church now under the occupation of parliamentarians was sieged upon by royalists who occupied pontefract castle. in defending the church the parliamentarians made siege works within the already ruined church and pillaged the church of its materials. by 1649 the church roof had been completely removed.