Despite most population growth taking place around the Industrial Revolution, Featherstone traces its history back much further than this.
The Domesday Book (1086) records "In Ferestane [Featherstone] and Prestone [Purston] and Arduwic [Hardwick] and Osele [Nostell], Ligulf had 16 carucates of land for geld, and 6 ploughs may be there."
It is thought that a local public house, the Traveller's Rest, can trace its origins to the 17th century whilst the former Jubilee Hotel, a listed building now converted to apartments, once provided a resting place for wealthy Victorians and their horses.

Standing stone's just outside the village indicate that there is evidence of an ancient druid grove.

The original village is now known as North Featherstone (at the junction of the B6134 and the B6421 today), set around All Saints' Church and joined to today's centre by Featherstone Lane.
The Featherstone family lived at Ackton Hall (now demolished), in the hamlet of Ackton about a mile to the west.
What is now known as Featherstone was a later development (originally called South Featherstone) near to the railway station and the village of Purston Jaglin.

Like many surrounding areas, Featherstone grew around coal mining.
Coal had been mined at Featherstone since the 13th century and remains of bell pits can still be seen to the north of Park Lane at North Featherstone.
In 1848, the opening of the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole railway line through Featherstone provided the basis for large scale coal mining in Featherstone, by opening up new markets in the South of England and Europe.
Featherstone Main Colliery was opened in 1866, followed by Ackton Hall Colliery in 1873.
 These were closer to what is now the main part of Featherstone, which consequently expanded.

The town came to national attention during a national "lockout" of mine workers in 1893 due to low coal prices and overproduction.
Soldiers fired on a crowd who were demonstrating at the colliery gates, killing two instantly.
 (The Guardian claimed that a third man, a Mr. Tomlinson from Normanton, died the following day from injuries from being shot but only two dead are named on the town's sculpture.)
 A distinctive sculpture marking the centenary of the Featherstone Massacre stands in the shopping precinct and a large mural depicting the town's heritage can be seen at the town's main crossroads.
Ackton Hall Colliery was the first pit to close following the end of the miners' strike and this could not be contested as geological difficulties had made it impossible for the pit to continue production.

Featherstone is the subject of a study, Coal is Our Life, by the sociologist Norman Dennis, published in 1956.

Opened in the 1950s, Purston Park takes up a large area of space and offers a lake and a children's play area.
There was also previously a bowling green, until being changed to a rose garden in 2004.
It has been made out of the grounds of what was originally a private residence and a country estate, with the stately home formerly acting as the town hall.
This building was sold to developers in 2007 and has since been converted into luxury flats.

Featherstone is undergoing continual change and as part of this a new, state-of-the-art £2.5-million community centre has been built in Station Lane.
The "Pit Houses", the houses constituting a council estate which formerly belonged to the National Coal Board, have been demolished to make room for further developments.
Despite most population growth taking place around the Industrial Revolution, Featherstone traces its history back much further than this. The Domesday Book (1086) records "In Ferestane [Featherstone] and Prestone [Purston] and Arduwic [Hardwick] and Osele [Nostell], Ligulf had 16 carucates of land for geld, and 6 ploughs may be there." It is thought that a local public house, the Traveller's Rest, can trace its origins to the 17th century whilst the former Jubilee Hotel, a listed building now converted to apartments, once provided a resting place for wealthy Victorians and their horses.
Standing stone's just outside the village indicate that there is evidence of an ancient druid grove. 
The original village is now known as North Featherstone (at the junction of the B6134 and the B6421 today), set around All Saints' Church and joined to today's centre by Featherstone Lane. The Featherstone family lived at Ackton Hall (now demolished), in the hamlet of Ackton about a mile to the west. What is now known as Featherstone was a later development (originally called South Featherstone) near to the railway station and the village of Purston Jaglin.
Like many surrounding areas, Featherstone grew around coal mining. Coal had been mined at Featherstone since the 13th century and remains of bell pits can still be seen to the north of Park Lane at North Featherstone. In 1848, the opening of the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole railway line through Featherstone provided the basis for large scale coal mining in Featherstone, by opening up new markets in the South of England and Europe. Featherstone Main Colliery was opened in 1866, followed by Ackton Hall Colliery in 1873.  These were closer to what is now the main part of Featherstone, which consequently expanded.
The town came to national attention during a national "lockout" of mine workers in 1893 due to low coal prices and overproduction. Soldiers fired on a crowd who were demonstrating at the colliery gates, killing two instantly.  (The Guardian claimed that a third man, a Mr. Tomlinson from Normanton, died the following day from injuries from being shot but only two dead are named on the town's sculpture.)  A distinctive sculpture marking the centenary of the Featherstone Massacre stands in the shopping precinct and a large mural depicting the town's heritage can be seen at the town's main crossroads. Ackton Hall Colliery was the first pit to close following the end of the miners' strike and this could not be contested as geological difficulties had made it impossible for the pit to continue production.
Featherstone is the subject of a study, Coal is Our Life, by the sociologist Norman Dennis, published in 1956.
Opened in the 1950s, Purston Park takes up a large area of space and offers a lake and a children's play area. There was also previously a bowling green, until being changed to a rose garden in 2004. It has been made out of the grounds of what was originally a private residence and a country estate, with the stately home formerly acting as the town hall. This building was sold to developers in 2007 and has since been converted into luxury flats.
Featherstone is undergoing continual change and as part of this a new, state-of-the-art £2.5-million community centre has been built in Station Lane. The "Pit Houses", the houses constituting a council estate which formerly belonged to the National Coal Board, have been demolished to make room for further developments.
Featherstone