Rothwell was mentioned in the Domesday Book, an 11th-century landholding survey commissioned by King William the Conqueror, as "Rodewelle".

[4] One of the royal lodge’s documented owners was John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, who is supposed to have killed the last wild boar in England while hunting nearby; hence, a boar’s head formed part of the arms of the former Rothwell Urban District Council.

[6] John Blenkinsop (1783–1831), a pioneer in the use of steam locomotives on the nearby Middleton Railway, is buried at the church.

[8] May Day is celebrated beside the stone cross and on the Pastures on the first Monday Bank Holiday in May, while Rothwell Carnival is held in Springhead Park on the second Saturday of July every year.

[9] A notable landmark of the town is an arch made of whale jawbones, which has marked the northern boundary by the junction with Wood Lane and the A61 road for over 100 years.

[11] St George's Hospital was situated off Wood Lane where now exists Castle Lodge Avenue and associated houses.

The site was developed for housing at the start of the 21st century, but the original tall clock tower remains.

As the reserves as Rothwell Haigh Colliery were exhausted, production ended on 9 December 1983, with the majority of the 650 men employed transferring to the new Selby Coalfield.

[14] In 1995, Leeds City Council and Leeds Groundwork formed a partnership which, together with local residents and community groups, transformed the former colliery site into a 124-acre country park with a sculpture trail, a pond trail, and a habitat for various forms of flora and fauna.

[25] Rothwell Urban District was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, with the area becoming part of the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds.

[26] The town centre contains a variety of high street chains, independent shops, restaurants and bars, and pubs.

[27] In 2007, the town centre experienced major redevelopments to respect the local area's conservation status,[28] pedestrianising and restoring the original route of Commercial Street.

A new bus interchange funded by the West Yorkshire combined authority, was due to be constructed in 2022 within Marsh street car park with provision of driver restrooms and infrastructure for future electric buses.