PONTEFRACT (pronounced and sometimes written "Pom fret"), market town, municipal borough, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, 21 m. south-west from York, served by the L.M.S. and L.N.E. railways. Pop. (1931) 19,053. It is well situ ated, on an eminence, near the junction of the Aire and the Calder. The most important remains are the ruins of the famous castle situated on a rocky height, and containing in all eight round towers. The remains are principally of Norman date, and an unusual feature is the existence of various subterranean chambers in the rock. Below the caste is All Saints church, which suffered severely during the siege of the castle, but still retains some work of the 12th century. In 1837 the tower and transepts were fitted for divine service. The church of St. Giles is of Norman date, but most of the present structure is modern. In Southgate is an ancient hermitage and oratory cut out of the solid rock, which dates from 1396. At Monkhill there are the remains of a Tudor building called the Old Hall. A grammar school of ancient founda tion, renewed by Elizabeth and George III., occupies modern buildings. The town hall (18th century) occupies the site of one erected in 1656, which succeeded the old moot-hall dating from Saxon times. Among other buildings are the court house, the market hall, the assembly rooms, and large barracks. The founda tion of the principal almshouse, that of St. Nicholas, dates from before the Conquest. Trinity Hospital was founded by Sir Robert Knolles (d. 1407). At Ackworth is a Society of Friends' school (1778), in the foundation of which Dr. John Fothergill (1712 1780) was a prime mover. There are extensive gardens and nurs eries in the neighbourhood of Pontefract, and liquorice is grown for the manufacture of the celebrated Pomfret cakes. The town possesses iron-foundries, sack and matting manufactories, tan neries, breweries, corn mills and brick and terra-cotta works.
The remains of a Roman camp have been discovered near Pon tefract. At the time of the Domesday Survey Tateshall (now Tanshelf, a suburb of the town) was the chief manor while Kirkby, afterwards the borough of Pontefract, was one of its members. The change of status was probably owing to the founding by Ilbert de Lacy, of a castle at Kirkby. The town was known as Pontefract in 1140 when Archbishop Thurstan died there. The manor remained in the Lacy family until it passed by marriage to Thomas, duke of Lancaster, who was beheaded after the battle of Boroughbridge. His estates were restored to his brother Henry, earl of Lancaster, on the accession of Edward III., and the manor has since then formed part of the duchy of Lancaster. The town took part in most of the rebellions in the north of England, and in 1399 Richard II. was imprisoned and secretly murdered in the castle. During the Wars of the Roses the town was loyal to Henry VI., and several of the Yorkist leaders were executed here after the battle of Wakefield. It was taken by Robert Aske, leader of the Pilgrimage of Grace, in 1536. In 1642 the castle was gar risoned for Charles I. and sustained four sieges, the second in 1644, being successful, but two years later it was retaken by the royalists, who held it until after the execution of the king, when they surrendered to General Lambert and the castle was destroyed.
Roger de Lacy in 1194 granted a charter and in 1484 Richard III. incorporated the town. The market rights are still held under his charter. The privilege of returning two members to parliament which had belonged to Pontefract at the end of the 13th century was revived in 162o-21. Between 1885 and 1918 it returned one member, when its representation was merged in that of the county.