The construction of the church started in 1904 following a bequest of £3,485 from the estate of the late Bishop of Ripon to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

[1] This allocation was instrumental in procuring an Order in Council on 12 August 1904[2] for the formation of the new district of St Wilfrid, Harrogate.

The church was consecrated on Thursday 11 June 1914 by the Bishop of Ripon[5] at which point the initial estimated cost of £24,000 had already been spent.

Between 1913 and 1917 a series of fifteen painted plaster relief panels illustrating the Stations of the Cross, by the local sculptor Frances Darlington, was installed in the nave.

[6] Temple Moore died in 1920 and a bequest from Jean Trotter in 1924 of £32,000 (equivalent to £2,305,338 in 2023),[4] allowed the completion of the north and south transepts.

Sir Aston Webb highlights its national importance, and goes as far as to say it is "perhaps the most beautiful of all parish churches I know" (Yorkshire Post, 8 June 1935).

His skill as an architect is further credited by the Church Times for 24 February 1950, which writes "Mr Leslie Moore has outdone his uncle by adding the loveliest part of the building - the Lady Chapel".

In a local newspaper, reviewing the dedication of the Lady Chapel, it was described as a "glorious pageant in Christian architecture".

Former Directors of Music and organists include David Halls, now of Salisbury Cathedral, James McDonald, now of St Giles Pontefract, Leonard Sandermann and Simon Lindley.

The [tenor] of the peal weighs 6 cwt and 3 lbs and is tuned to C. In 1976 two redundant bells were obtained and the ring was increased to eight in 1977.