The church has been extended and altered through the centuries, including a restoration in 1869–71 by George Gilbert Scott. The church is built in limestone and cobbles and has a tile roof. It consists of a nave, north and south aisles, a south porch, and a chancel with a north vestry and a south chapel. The west wall contains a 12th-century window with a circular window above and a bellcote on the gable. The entrance to the porch has two orders of colonnettes with waterleaf and scalloped capitals and a double-chamfered round arch, and the doorhead has a scalloped design with a date and initials.[2][3]
The oldest part is the rear wing, the surviving refectory range of a previous convent, the rest being added later, and the front range dating from the early 19th century. It is in limestone with some brick, and has a roof of pantile at the rear and grey slate on the front range. There are two storeys, a front range of three bays and a three-bay wing at the rear. The front range has a central doorway with a fanlight, and sash windows with splayed voussoirs. In the rear wing is a round-arched doorway with a chamfered surround, colonettes with weathered capitals, leaf motifs in the mouldedspandrels, and a hood mould with carved stops. The windows include a three-light mullioned window with Tudor arched lights and a hood mould, sash windows, a horizontally-sliding sash, and a fire window.[4][5]
The mounting block is in the churchyard of St Helen's Church to the west of the church. It is in limestone, and consists of a platform about 80 centimetres (31 in) high flanked by four steps.[6]
The building is in red brick on a stone plinth, with a projecting eaves band and a thatched roof. It is circular, about 6 metres (20 ft) in diameter, and divided into panels by eight pilasters. The building contains two blocked round-arched doorways and circular windows.[9]
The stable block and coach house range are in red-brown brick with floor bands and a grey slate roof. The range is symmetrical, consisting of a central block with two storeys and three bays, flanked by recessed single-storey, three-bay wings, ending in two-storey, two-bay ranges with pyramidal roofs. In the centre is a round carriage arch, flanked by round-arched windows in round-arched recesses, continuing as a blind arcade along the front. In the upper floor, the central arch is flanked by circular windows, and the wings contain Diocletian windows.[4][10]
The vicarage, later a private house, is in red brick, it has a slate roof with gablecopings and narrow kneelers, and is in Gothick style. The central doorway has a fanlight, the windows are sashes, and all the openings have pointed arches.[2][11]
A school, later a private house, in red brick, with a modillioneavescornice and a grey slate roof. There are two storeys and six bays, the middle two bays projecting under a pediment containing a blind oculus with an inscription and a date. In the centre is a doorway with a fanlight, and the windows are sashes with segmental arches. Projecting to the right is a single-storey schoolroom with mullioned windows. In the left return, facing the road, is a round-arched recess with a keystone, two round-arched windows, and a blocked oculus in the gable.[12]
The former chapel is in limestone, and has a slate roof with gablecopings and shaped kneelers. There is a single storey, a front of one bay and two bays on the sides. The front is gabled and contains a doorway with a stone arch, above which is a multipane window with splayed voussoirs, and an inscribed and dated plaque. On the sides are sash windows, and the south wall is blank. Enclosing the forecourt is a limestone wall with triangular coping, ramped down to the gateway.[13]
A house, later divided, in limestone with a hipped grey stone roof. There are two storeys and four bays. On the front and on the left return is a doorway with a fanlight and a hood, and the windows are sashes.[14]
A vicarage, later a private house, in red-brown brick and stone, with a mouldedstring course, a dentilledeavescornice, and a hipped roof with deep eaves. Three steps lead up to a central doorway that has a fanlight and an open pediment. The windows on the front are sashes in architraves with projecting sills on brackets. In the left return is a staircase window with a cambered arch, and in the right return is a two-storey cantedbay window and a flat-roofed dormer.[2][15]
The milepost is on the south side of York Road (B1224 road). It is in gritstone with a cast iron face, about 80 centimetres (31 in) high, and has a triangular plan and a rounded top. On the top is inscribed "COLLINGHAM AND YORK ROAD" and "BICKERTON", on the left side are the distances to Wetherby, Collingham and Leeds", and on the right side the distance to "York".[16]
The milepost is on the south side of York Road (B1224 road). It is in gritstone with a cast iron face, about 80 centimetres (31 in) high, and has a triangular plan and a rounded top. On the top is inscribed "COLLINGHAM AND YORK ROAD" and "BICKERTON", on the left side are the distances to Wetherby, Collingham and Leeds", and on the right side the distance to "York".[17]
The milepost is on the south side of York Road (B1224 road). It is in gritstone with a cast iron face, about 80 centimetres (31 in) high, and has a triangular plan and a rounded top. On the top is inscribed "COLLINGHAM AND YORK ROAD" and "BILTON", on the left side are the distances to Wetherby, Collingham and Leeds", and on the right side the distance to "York".[18]
The war memorial is in the churchyard of St Helen's Church to the west of the church. It is in Portland stone on a square limestone base of three steps. The lower plinth has a chamfered and moulded base and a top with a laurel wreath. The shaft is square and carries a sculpture of Christ under a gabled roof. On the front are the names of those lost in the First World War.[19]