Pontefract was a Cluniac Priory founded by Robert de Lacy, c.1090, as a dependency of La Charité-sur-Loire, which nominated the prior. Robert initially gave the churches of Ledsham; All Saints, Kirkby (Pontefract); Kippax and Darrington to the Priory; others gave the churches of Silkstone and St Clement's chapel at Cawthorne.
The Priory may have displaced a scattered Anglo-Saxon population (Roberts and Whittick, 2013, 72-3, 76; fig. 4).
Archbishop Thurstan, d. 1146, was buried before the high altar (VCH Yorkshire III, 184).
A family feud, c.1141-1151, partially destroyed the Priory. Gilbert de Gant compensated the monks c.1151-1152. 'About 1153, during the rebuilding of the priory, the monks received a temporary residence at Broughton from Alice de Rumelli, and in 1159 this new house was consecrated by Archbishop Roger' (VCH Yorkshire III, 185).
In 1159 Archbishop Roger de Pont l’Eveque (re)consecrated the repaired and enlarged church.
Complete demolition followed the Dissolution.