Gospatric, son of Arnketil held the manor of Kirby at the time of the Norman conquest of England.

After the priory was dissolved in the 16th century the Crown granted the manor to Nevill family of Thornton Bridge.

It is too weathered to be legible, but it appears to be a dedication to either Antoninus Pius or Caracalla, which would make it second- or early third-century.

In the 15th century the chancel was enlarged and its present east window with Perpendicular Gothic tracery was inserted.

[8] The present south porch was built to his Gothic Revival design, incorporating various worked stones ranging from the Saxon era to the 13th century.

[4] In a rebellion of barons against Edward II in 1322, Sir Andreas de Harcla mustered his army near Kirby Hill before the Battle of Boroughbridge.

It was opened from Pilmoor Junction on the East Coast Main Line to Boroughbridge in 1847[4][5] and operated by the North Eastern Railway.

[12] Since 1996, residents of Kirby Hill have campaigned to stop developers from gaining planning permission for a motorway service area on the A1(M) about 500 yards (460 m) north-west of the village.

[13] A campaign group, Kirby Hill RAMS (Residents Against Motorway Services) opposes the development.

On 16 October 2012 the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, formally rejected the plan after the third public inquiry.

[14] On 19 November 2019, Harrogate Borough Council's Planning Committee rejected a new MSA scheme at the same site proposed by Applegreen.