[2][3] In 1851, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate came to Leeds to start a mission to the local Catholics.

[5] There was no church for the Richmond Hill area of the city and the Irish migrants living in the east of Leeds.

Crowe OMI, the first priest of the mission, raised funds for acquiring a site for the church.

The ceremony was notable, because in attendance were the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman, his successor Henry Manning and the founder of the Oblates, Eugène de Mazenod, who was made a saint in 1995.

[8] The chancel and transepts were designed by Edward Pugin, who was a partner in Joseph Hansom's architectural firm from 1862 to 1863.

[7] A study by Leeds City Council in August 2007 recorded that more than one mine exists, at three different levels, dating from the late 1600s to 1877.

[9] From 1935 to 1950, much of the local population was moved to new houses in the Osmondthorpe area in east Leeds.

This re-housing of population caused the parish of Mount St Mary's to halve in size before the Second World War.

It has a brick exterior, and a steep slated roof similar to the main parts of St Walburge Church in Preston and Plymouth Cathedral, both by the same architect, Joseph Hansom.

[1] There are gables above the windows over the aisles and above the polygonal apse, with Greek crosses carved into them.

There are columns, each supporting a Gothic arch, either side of the main aisle, six from the back to the chancel.

The bay has three gothic arches around it, separating it from the back east side of the church.

They were by Hardman & Co.[1] To cater for the moved Catholic congregation in Osmondthorpe, a daughter parish of Mount St Mary's was built, Corpus Christi Church.

[10] The Oblates served the Corpus Christi parish until 2008 when they handed it over to the Diocese of Leeds who continue to administer the church.

[7] In June 1989, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate handed over administration of the parish to the Diocese of Leeds.

Together they worked to sell the church and hoped that it would still be function in a different role for the local community.

Scaffolding is visible around the church, showing that only essential repairs to make the building structurally safe have been carried out.