The church at Glasshoughton is a modern 1902 building in red brick. A medieval font from Castleford can be found in the plain interior, set in the N aisle near the E end. The font is recorded as coming from All Saints church at Castleford. The beginnings of the medieval church at Castleford are ancient, and its position related to the lines of the late 1stc. Roman fort, but nothing Romanesque now survives there. (Ryder 1993, 9, 145)

Glasshougton, sometimes Houghton Glass, does not appear in Lawton (1842), Butler (2007) or Pevsner (1967). In DB, the land was held by Ilbert de Lacy, who had 3 ploughs there. (VCH II, 247) Now part of the Castleford team, it was an independent parish in 1923.

The font was seen at Castleford by Sir Stephen Glynne in 1862. He described it as having an early circular bowl and a square stem to which four shafts were attached, and a plinth. (Butler 2007, 139). Shortly after that visit, from 1866 to 1868, Castleford church entered a period of radical rebuilding and, when it was reconsecrated in 1868, the old font had been replaced by another, newly made in Leeds for £22 (Quinn, 1993, 31).

It is not known when the font came to Glasshoughton, but probably in 1902 when the church was built, or in 1923 when it became an independent parish.

Ryder thinks the font is much re-tooled and possibly 12thc. (Ryder, 1993, 10)

The four angles with integral columns recall the font at Reighton (YE), probably first half of 12thc. A font at Great Driffield (YE) has a central pillar and four smaller shafts with waterleaf capitals. The font in Lincoln cathedral also has this type of structure, as does the lead font at East Meon (Hants).

There is no distinct style in the four irregular stubs, and they have probably been reworked. (Fieldworker)

Because of the complex structure of the font, with four shafts around a central pillar, and stubs of capitals on the bowl, it seems to be originally Romanesque, but major reworking has been done, chiefly around the rim, which has no rebate for a lid or lead, and no sign of a hinge and hoop for a padlock. All historical accidents have been reduced to an acceptable smoothness, which may be dated to the 'bird bath' period.