The church is largely the product of 19thc. rebuilding. The chancel and widened south aisle was rebuilt by Thomas William Atkinson in 1829 (Butler 2007, 143). What remained of the old church was restored in 1875-1880 by Bodley and Garner. The two-stage perpendicular west tower is 15thc., though the three-light west window has been renewed. The north wall incorporates original 15thc. work (perpendicular aisle windows and mutilated image niche). Pevsner describes the rubble-walled north chapel as late 13thc. and 13thc. material also survives in the north nave arcade (not the south arcade as Pevsner claims).

In 1086 Caltorne had 3 carucates held by Alric from Ilbert de Lacy. The manor included a church and a priest. Swein son of Ailric gave the chapel of Cawthorne to Pontefract priory 1120x1130 (Farrer, no.1663.) A rather earlier charter (1108 x 1114?) by Lascy is regarded by Farrer as doubtful. St Clement’s chapel, Cawthorne, was given to Pontefract Priory (Wightman, 61).

Font: The font has been discussed by several writers, most recently by Coatsworth 2007, 275-6 (with references to earlier work) She says ‘the motifs – the plant trails, the bush scrolls, the crosses and the animal types - are in all cases clearly echoes of pre-Conquest types, but the layout and style, and the arcading above the panels, are just as clearly Romanesque’ (ibid). It is clearly similar in style and form to the font from High Hoyland (now in St Aidan’s Church, Skelmanthorpe), and Ryder suggested that they could be the work of the same sculptor (1982, 112).