Built from 1862 to 1865 in the Gothic Revival style, the church has been designated a Grade II* listed building since 1988 by Historic England.

[5] During the late 1850s, it was realised that the then present church, at that time located in the market place in the town centre, was too small for the growing population of Ossett and that a new site would have to be found.

[4] In more recent years, the church has had several restorations, most notably at the turn of the 21st century thanks to a £190,000 grant from English Heritage.

This grant enabled the replacement of the roof slates and the removal of the building from the 'Heritage at risk' register in 2003.

[4][8][9][10] Described by Nikolaus Pevsner as a "large and impressive church", the building is cruciform in layout with nave, transepts, central tower and chancel.

The nave aisles have small, paired lancets and cinque-foiled circles for windows, the clerestory above formed of larger versions of the same, except the westernmost bay which is blind.

[5] The arms of the church are topped by steep slate-covered roofs, that of the nave being higher than the transepts or chancel.

The tower has angle buttresses on all four corners, rising to crocketed pinnacles above a pierced, bracketed parapet.

[5][4][6] The nave has alternate red and grey granite piers, rising to elaborate capitals cared with figure-heads and foliage.

[5] The crossing tower sits on four massive piers, each with an additional red granite colonette in their corners.

Above the tower arch in the nave is a large empty space, formerly filled by a wall painting, removed or white-washed over at an unknown date.

The nave arcade shafts are made from red and blue polished Aberdeen granite, with Caen stone used for the font.

These bells were cast at John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, Leicestershire in 1865, the tenor weighed 26 and a half long cwt (1,350 kg).

[23] The tenor bell at Ossett weighs 27 long cwt 1 qr 25 lbs (3,077 lb or 1,396 kg), striking the note 'D'.