Understand
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"So we camped here instead, the bridge being broken" and being good Latin scholars they used the ablative absolute, ponte fracto. Thus was diverted a sortie by William the Conqueror in the 1080s. He was probably using the Roman Road to try to cross the River Aire at present-day Castleford - even nowadays the north bank is flood-prone and the road can be blocked after prolonged rain. And so Pontefract was named for a bridge that it doesn't have, as it stands on a sandstone ridge a few miles from the river.
During the 17th-century English Civil Wars, Pontefract like much of Yorkshire supported the Royalists. They remained resolute even after the execution of Charles I, hence the town motto Post Mortem Patris Pro Filio, Latin for "After the death of the father, support the son".
Pontefract was notable for growing liquorice, inspiring a famous poem by John Betjeman. Liquorice was first used as a medicine, but 18th-century apothecary George Dunhill noticed that the more sugar he added, the more he sold, so his throat lozenges morphed into Pontefract Cakes. What was now a confectionery business thrived, becoming part of Haribo in the 20th century, and a sweet smell often pervades the town. But local liquorice couldn't compete with imports from Turkey so the fields were grubbed out in the 1960s, and attempts to re-establish them have flopped.
Also long gone are the coal mines: Prince of Wales is now a housing estate, and Glasshoughton became J32 retail and leisure park. Pontefract today has some service industry and public sector work but is mostly a commuter town for Leeds.
Get in
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See Wakefield and Leeds for long-distance travel by road, bus and rail. The nearest airport is Leeds-Bradford (LBA IATA).
By train
[edit]It's a small town yet it has three railway stations, all just unstaffed platform halts.
1 Pontefract Monkhill 
near the castle is the best connected. Trains run from Leeds every 30 min, taking 35 min either via Castleford and Glasshoughton (for Xscape), or via Wakefield Westgate, Wakefield Kirkgate, Featherstone and Pontefract Tanshelf. They all continue east to Knottingley. Three Grand Central trains run M-Sa from London King's Cross via Doncaster, continuing via Halifax to Bradford. These are not infrequently cancelled, and Grand Central tickets aren't flexible for other train companies, so it's safer to travel from London on trains heading for Leeds and change at Wakefield Westgate. Monkhill Platform 2 cannot be accessed by wheelchair: that's southbound from Leeds and Wakefield towards Knottingley, Doncaster and London. The workarounds are either to use the town's other stations, or to stay on the train to Knottingley where it reverses and comes back through Platform 1.
2 Pontefract Tanshelf is northwest side of town near the racecourse. It only has the hourly service from Leeds via Wakefield.
3 Pontefract Baghill half a mile east of town centre is on the line between York and Sheffield, with three trains M-Sa and two on Sunday. No ticket machine here, buy from the conductor.
By bus
[edit]Pontefract doesn't have long-distance coaches, travel via Leeds or Wakefield.
Arriva bus 148 / 149 runs every 15 min from Wakefield (40 min) via Crofton and Featherstone, and continues east to Knottingley.
Bus 140 / 141 runs every 15 min from Leeds, taking 70 min via Stourton, Oulton, Methley, Castleford and Xscape / J32 retail park.
Bus 476 runs hourly from Selby, taking 80 min via Eggborough, Kellingley and Knottingley.
Stagecoach buses 28 / 38 run every 30 min from Barnsley, taking 80 min via Cudworth, Grimethorpe, Hemsworth and Ackworth.
Buses no longer run from Doncaster, take the bus for Wakefield and change at Crofton.
4 Pontefract bus station is 100 yards east of Market Place.
Get around
[edit]- In the liquorice fields of Pontefract my love and I did meet ...
- - John Betjeman (1906-84) had the hots for strapping mill girls and saw plenty in West Yorkshire.
- Her sturdy legs were flannel-slacked, the strongest legs in Pontefract . . .
The town is compact and walkable. Take bus 140 / 141 for Xscape.
Taxis wait by the bus station. Firms include Action Cars (+44 1977 600700), Data Yorkshire (+44 1977 600680) and Choice Cars (+44 1977 700700). Uber is also available.
See
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- 1 Pontefract Castle, Castle Garth, Pontefract WF8 1QH, ☏ +44 1977 723440. M-F 8:30AM-5PM, Sa Su 9:30AM-5PM. Norman castle where Richard II met a nasty end. In the Civil Wars it withstood Cromwell’s assaults but after surrendering was demolished to prevent future trouble. Free.
- All Saints' Church is next to the castle, which is why the 14th-century original church is a ruin, as first the Parliamentarians then the Royalists assaulted it. The present Anglican church was built within the ruin in 1967, and is combined as a benefice with St Giles (below) in the market place. Of the former Cluniac Priory of St John the Evangelist, only the name "Monkhill" remains.
- 2 Pontefract Museum, 5 Salter Row WF8 1BA, ☏ +44 1977 722740. M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM. Local history from castle to cake. The shoe that Charlie Chaplin ate in The Gold Rush was made of Pontefract liquorice. Free.
- St Giles Church is in Market Place by the museum. It was built from early 18th century.
- Buttercross in the Market Place was built in 1734 to shelter dairy vendors.
- Town Hall is an elegant building of 1882 closing the east end of Market Place. It now hosts the Registry Office so it's used for weddings.
- Pontefract Hermitage is below the old Infirmary buildings on Southgate, but inaccessible. 14th century hermits tunnelled into the soft underlying sandstone and created two chambers. One hermit was convinced that God was underground, so down and down he carved, until he met water. Still, at least he'd made a useful well. The hermitage was forgotten until the 19th century, when the town expanded and a workman tumbled in upon the place. It became overlain by the Victorian redbrick Gothic dispensary of Pontefract General Infirmary, with occasional access by guided tour. In the 21st century PGI moved into modern premises nearby and the dispensary fell into disrepair and became unsafe. This means the Hermitage is closed long term.
- 3 Castleford Forum Museum, Carleton Street, Castleford WF10 1BB (top floor of library), ☏ +44 1977 722085. M Tu Th F 9:30AM-5PM, Sa 9:30AM-4PM. Exhibiting Castleford from Bronze Age and Roman times, through its industrial heyday to the present. And of course Henry Moore. Free.
- Nostell Priory: see Wakefield for this fine 18th century mansion.
Do
[edit]- Richard II . . was led to the Tower and subsequently to Pontefract Castle where he died of mysterious circumstances, probably a surfeit of Pumfreys (spelt "Pontefract").
- - "1066 and all that" is a mash-up of history as mis-remembered by schoolboys
- 1 Pontefract Racecourse, Park Rd, Pontefract WF8 4QD, ☏ +44 1977 781307. This has flat-racing April to October. The course encloses a park with a large duck pond. Inside the course railings is a paved track for racecourse vehicles, so even in wet weather this is a good walking and running circuit of 2 miles 1 furlong. The bottom end of the park is marshy with a bird hide, and a tunnel cuts under the M62 to give access to J32 / Xscape.
- Aspire is a council-run leisure centre with pool at the racecourse entrance.
- Pontefract Squash Club is on Stuart Rd near the bus station.
- 2 Xscape Yorkshire, Colorado Way, Castleford WF10 4TA (Bus 140 / 141), ☏ +44 1977 664794. A big entertainment complex at Junction 32 of M62, midway between Pontefract and Castleford. Attractions include the Cineworld multi-cinema, indoor wall-climbing, bowling, trampolining, indoor golf and, yes, skiing on real snow. Plus a dozen bars and food outlets, J32 retail park adjacent, and a Premier Inn.
- 3 Diggerland, Willowbridge Lane, Castleford WF10 5NW (off Jcn 31 of M62), ☏ +44 1634 711711. Apr, July, Aug daily, Mar, May, Jun, Sep, Oct Sa Su, 10AM-5PM. You get to drive real diggers! And play silly games with them, like knocking over skittles. Adult & child over 100 cm £26, over 65s £13, free for children under 100 cm tall.
- Rugby League: the playing season is Feb-Oct. Castleford Tigers play in Super League the top tier at The Jungle on Wheldon Rd Castleford. The women's team plays in their top tier.
- Featherstone Rovers play in the Championship, the second tier. Their home ground is Post Office Road in Featherstone, three miles southwest of Pontefract.
- See Wakefield for Wakefield Trinity RL team.
- Soccer and rugby union are only played at amateur level hereabouts.
- Old Station is a Country & Western music festival held two miles south of town, by the water tower on A639 towards Ackworth in late Aug.
Buy
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- Supermarkets in town centre are Tesco, Morrisons and Asda.
- Magistrates Market, 2 Front St, Pontefract WF8 1BP, ☏ +44 1977 706518. M-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM. This is in the old Sessions House, the magistrates' court 1813-2013. Inside are little stores selling antiques, curios and collectables. The interior conversion is blandly functional, so if your aim is to admire the building, you do that best from outside in the street.
- Market Hall is off Market Place in town centre, open M-Sa 9AM-5PM.
Eat
[edit]- Mamma Mia, 61 Northgate WF8 1HJ (opposite bus station), ☏ +44 1977 706825. Tu-Sa 5-9PM. Cheerful reliable Italian restaurant.
- Ropergate west off Market Place is the main eating strip. Here are Blue Bell, Tulsi, Erubi and Thailicious.
- Counting House, 3 Liquorice Way WF8 1DF, ☏ +44 1977 367057. M-Th 8AM-11PM, F Sa 8AM-12:30AM, Su noon-11PM. Half-timbered merchant's house from 1609, derelict for years but now restored as a pub-restaurant.
Drink
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- Market Place has Ancient Borough Arms, The Hideaway, The Elephant, Cella-Bar-8, Red Lion, Liquorice Bush and Printers Draft, with Horse Vaults and Broken Bridge just east.
- The Broken Bridge, 5 Horse Fair WF8 1PD (by bus station), ☏ +44 1977 781640. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-1AM. A reliable JD Wetherspoon with meals.
- Cornmarket and Beastfair northwest off Market Place has Ponty Tavern (below), Green Dragon, Malt Shovel, The Old Grocers, Bar Liquid, Bar Deuce, Beastfair Vaults, Cartners and Counting House (below).
- Ponty Tavern, 2 Cornmarket WF8 1AN, ☏ +44 1977 651233. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-2AM. Authentically drouthy, welcome to post-industrial Yorkshire.
- The Blue Bell is in Wentbridge near the hotel.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Kings Croft Hotel, Wakefield Rd, Pontefract WF8 4HA, ☏ +44 1977 600550. Comfy enough hotel south edge of town with 37 rooms en suite. It's popular for funeral teas, the crem's next door. B&B double £150.
- 2 Travelodge, Moto Service Area A1/M62, Ferrybridge WF11 0AF (M62 jcn 33), ☏ +44 871 984 6170. Good value place in the M62 service area. B&B double £70.
- 3 Premier Inn Pontefract North, A1 Business Park, 84 Knottingley Rd, Knottingley WF11 0BU (jcn A645 / A162), ☏ +44 333 321 1395. Reliable mid-range chain. Convenient for motorists but no traffic noise, as this is no longer A1. B&B double £120.
- 4 Premier Inn Castleford, Colorado Way, Castleford WF10 4TA, ☏ +44 333 777 3996. Another branch next to Xscape leisure centre, similar price and quality. B&B double £120.
- 5 Darrington Hotel, Great North Road, Darrington WF8 3BL, ☏ +44 1977 602516. Decent friendly hotel just off A1. B&B double £100.
- 6 Wentbridge House Hotel, Great North Road, Wentbridge WF8 3JJ, ☏ +44 1977 620444. Pleasant hotel, often caters for weddings. B&B double £170.
Connect
[edit]As of May 2025, Pontefract and its approach roads have 5G from all UK carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Wakefield for the Hepworth Gallery, Sculpture Park and National Mining Museum.
- Leeds for big city attractions.
- York is a must-see for its walled medieval centre.
| Routes through Pontefract |
| Newcastle upon Tyne ← Wetherby ← | N  S
|
→ Doncaster → London |
| Manchester ← Leeds/Bradford ← | W  E
|
→ Goole → Hull |