The earliest mention  of Drighlington is to be found in the Domesday Book where it is described as “Dreslin(g)tone and its modern name is derived from this root.    The old Roman road from York to Chester ran through the village

In 1576 Queen Elizabeth I granted Letters of Patent to one James Brooke allowing him to hold a market every second Thursday and two horse and cattle fairs annually.  These fairs took place at the White Hart Public House (now demolished).

The village is also the site of the Battle of Adwalton Moor fought  in 1643 between the armies of King Charles I and the Parliamentarians.   The Royalist army under the Earl of Newcastle defeated that of Parliament under the command of Lord Ferdinando Fairfax and his son  Sir Thomas.   There are four commemorative stones with plaques depicting the battle at strategic points around the common and there is an information board on the wall of the community hall.

James Margetson was a native of Drighlington of humble origins who eventually became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.  He built the Drighlington Free Grammar School and he endowed the school to the extent of £60.00 a year, a significant sum in 1678.  This school was superseded in 1875 by the Drighlington Board School.

St Paul’s Church was built in 1878 and the foundation stone was laid by the Lord of the Manor on 9th September 1876.

Drighlington had its own Urban District Council from 1904 until 1937 when it was incorporated into the Morley Borough Council.   In the local government reorganisation of 1974, it was swallowed up by Leeds Metropolitan Council, much to the dismay of the population.