It is an old parish, dating back to at least the late 11^th century, with some buildings from the 15^th century still in use today. The centre and hub of the parish is the village of Cawthorne, with some 1000 residents living in about 530 households. The remainder of the parish is rural, with a considerable number of working farms; the Cannon Hall mansion and park, now owned and managed by BMBC and run as a tourist attraction; a number of small business enterprises; and a larger operation manufacturing clay pipes.

            The village has a church; a Methodist Chapel; a post office; a general grocery shop; two antique shops; a public house; a small hotel and restaurant; two social clubs; a recreation ground with various sports teams including cricket and football; a village hall; church owned parish rooms; the Victoria Golden Jubilee Museum; and some cottage industries.

            There are numerous social and recreational groups active in the parish, ranging from the church bell ringers to the Young Farmers, with all manner of other groups catering for toddlers up to and including the most senior of citizens. There is a good community spirit in the parish, evidenced by frequent public events; by many donations to Parish Council funds as contributions towards Council led events, for example Millennium and Golden Jubilee celebrations; and by the turnout at Parish Council Meetings when contentious issues affecting the parish are on the agenda.

            The mix of the Parish Council reflects the geographical make up of the parish, with two farmers, one from each end of the parish, being Councillors, with the remainder living within the village itself. All Councillors are actively involved in other community organisations in Cawthorne, and further afield, and all are active Council Members.