Belle Isle, Leeds
Encyclopedia
Belle Isle is a large suburb 3 miles (5 km) south of Leeds city centre
, West Yorkshire
, England
. It is bounded to the north and east by the M621 motorway
.
The district lies in the LS10 Leeds postcode area
. Belle Isle is part of the Middleton Park electoral ward
.
for Beautiful Island, might be a pun on Bell Hill (which derives from the distinctive "bell" shaped early coal mining bell pit
s of the hilly area). A "Newbell-ile" at Middleton Wood End is mentioned in the Rothwell
parish register for 1762.
In the late 18th century, Belle Isle was just a small hamlet for workers at a colliery opposite Middleton Woods
, near the current site of Middleton colliery railway
.
Belle Isle now consists largely of housing estates built on farming land by the local authority housing department during the clearance of slum dwellings and the expansion of Leeds in the early twentieth-century; some of these homes are now in private ownership.
The estate is divided north to south by Belle Isle Road with the wide expanse of Belle Isle Circus lying at the centre of the estate.
The majority of the homes in Belle Isle are red brick semi-detached houses although this stock has been added to over the years. The majority still belong to Leeds City Council and are managed locally by Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation (TMO). BITMO is a not for profit housing company that is run by a tenant board.
Some of the council estates of Belle Isle are listed below:
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Other schools in the area are Windmill Primary School (previously known as Belle Isle Primary School) opposite Merlyn Rees School, and Clapgate Primary School on Cranmore Drive. Also, Sharp Lane Primary School is located near the Omnibus Pub.
, which hosted many regional and national stars during the 1970s club boom. The club burnt to the ground in 2000 but was subsequently rebuilt.
, is from Belle Isle. The England international rugby league players Gary Schofield, Jason Robinson
and Sonny Nickle
and the philosopher Paul Crowther
also grew up there and were pupils at Belle Isle Primary School.
, called Belle Isle Circus; this was originally the site of a terminus for trams.
The spoil tips surrounding the former colliery are now being converted into woodland, adjacent to the ancient semi-natural woodlands of Middleton Wood.
Leeds City Centre
Leeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, England. It is within the Leeds Central parliamentary constituency, represented by Hilary Benn as MP since a by-election in 1999...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is bounded to the north and east by the M621 motorway
M621 motorway
The M621 motorway is a short loop of motorway in England that takes traffic into central Leeds between the M1 and M62 motorways. It is the second longest motorway in the United Kingdom to carry a three digit number although it carries more junctions than any other three digit motorway within the...
.
The district lies in the LS10 Leeds postcode area
LS postcode area
The LS postcode area, also known as the Leeds postcode area, is a group of postcode districts around Leeds, Wetherby, Tadcaster, Pudsey, Otley and Ilkley in England...
. Belle Isle is part of the Middleton Park electoral ward
Middleton Park, ward
Middleton Park is a ward of the Metropolitan District of the City of Leeds and includes the areas of Middleton and Belle Isle....
.
History
The name "Belle Isle", FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for Beautiful Island, might be a pun on Bell Hill (which derives from the distinctive "bell" shaped early coal mining bell pit
Bell pit
A bell pit is a primitive method of mining coal, iron ore or other minerals where the coal or ore lies near the surface.. A shaft is sunk to reach the mineral which is excavated by miners transported to the surface by a winch and removed by means of a bucket, much like a well. It gets its name...
s of the hilly area). A "Newbell-ile" at Middleton Wood End is mentioned in the Rothwell
Rothwell, West Yorkshire
Rothwell is a market town on the River Dolphin in the south east of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, situated between Oulton to the east, Belle Isle to the west, Woodlesford to the north east and Robin Hood to the south west. Swillington, Methley and Kippax are located...
parish register for 1762.
In the late 18th century, Belle Isle was just a small hamlet for workers at a colliery opposite Middleton Woods
Middleton Park
Middleton Park is a public park in Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It covers an area of , nearly a square mile of which are ancient woodland. There is also a small lake, recreational areas and a golf course. The reclaimed site of "Middleton Broom" Colliery has been incorporated into the...
, near the current site of Middleton colliery railway
Middleton Railway
The Middleton Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway. It was founded in 1758 and is now a heritage railway run by volunteers from The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd...
.
Belle Isle now consists largely of housing estates built on farming land by the local authority housing department during the clearance of slum dwellings and the expansion of Leeds in the early twentieth-century; some of these homes are now in private ownership.
The estate is divided north to south by Belle Isle Road with the wide expanse of Belle Isle Circus lying at the centre of the estate.
The majority of the homes in Belle Isle are red brick semi-detached houses although this stock has been added to over the years. The majority still belong to Leeds City Council and are managed locally by Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation (TMO). BITMO is a not for profit housing company that is run by a tenant board.
Some of the council estates of Belle Isle are listed below:
- Petersfield Avenue
- Windmill Road
- The Clearings
- Manor Farms (often debated as to whether this lies in Middleton)
- Newhall Road
- The Brooms
- The Aberfields
- The Lanshaws
- The Nesfields
Socio-economic status
Like the neighbouring communities of Beeston Hill, Holbeck and Middleton, Belle Isle is considered to be amongst the most deprived areas in the country. Examples of disadvantage found in the district include low educational attainment, low skill levels, and concerns about crime, anti-social behaviour and lack of facilities.Education
Belle Isle has a number of schools. Merlyn Rees Community High School, situated at the heart of Belle Isle, provided educational facilities for over 20 years (previously known as Belle Isle Middle School), but, in late 2006, the school closed down. Merlyn Rees then changed its name to South Leeds High School. It was then demolished and is now situated near South Leeds Sports centre. It has emerged with two campuses: Belle Isle and Beeston.Other schools in the area are Windmill Primary School (previously known as Belle Isle Primary School) opposite Merlyn Rees School, and Clapgate Primary School on Cranmore Drive. Also, Sharp Lane Primary School is located near the Omnibus Pub.
Religion
The churches of St. John and St. Barnabas (Anglican) and St. Peter (Roman Catholic) serve the area.Entertainment
It is the site of the popular Belle Isle Working Men's ClubWorking men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
, which hosted many regional and national stars during the 1970s club boom. The club burnt to the ground in 2000 but was subsequently rebuilt.
Notable people
The television presenter and model, Nell McAndrewNell McAndrew
Nell McAndrew is an English glamour model.-Career:...
, is from Belle Isle. The England international rugby league players Gary Schofield, Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson
Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for...
and Sonny Nickle
Sonny Nickle
Sonny Nickle is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, '90s and 2000s.He played for Hunslet, St. Helens, Bradford Bulls, Sheffield Eagles, and Leigh Centurions. He played in the and as a . He was part of the package put together by St...
and the philosopher Paul Crowther
Paul Crowther
Paul Crowther , is a professor of philosophy and author specialising in the fields of the philosophy of art and aesthetics, metaphysics, and visual culture. He has written nine books in the field of History of Art and Philosophy...
also grew up there and were pupils at Belle Isle Primary School.
Amenities
At the heart of the area is a large area of public open land, in the centre of a traffic roundaboutRoundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
, called Belle Isle Circus; this was originally the site of a terminus for trams.
The spoil tips surrounding the former colliery are now being converted into woodland, adjacent to the ancient semi-natural woodlands of Middleton Wood.