Burley in Wharfedale
Encyclopedia
Burley-in-Wharfedale, is a village
in the county of West Yorkshire
, England
. Along with Menston
, Burley is part of Wharfedale Ward
in the metropolitan borough
of the City of Bradford
(though it has a Leeds
postcode). It lies on the A65
, approximately fourteen miles north-west of the centre of Leeds
and nine miles north of Bradford
, between Otley
and Ilkley
. Burley has a railway station
on the Wharfedale line
, with direct trains to Leeds
, Bradford
and Ilkley
. It has a population of 5,865.
Despite the good transport links to local urban
areas Burley in Wharfedale retains its rural feel and setting in the green Wharfedale
valley.
The village is adjoined by Burley Woodhead, a small cluster of farms and prestigious homes at the foot of Burley Moor.
community with likely Roman
and Anglo-Saxon
roots, Burley developed in the late 18th and 19th centuries into an industrial
village with many residents employed at the cotton mill
s known as Greenholme Mills, which were powered from a goit fed from the River Wharfe
.
The development of industrial and commercial centres in the nearby cities of Leeds and Bradford, combined with rail and bus links, prompted major changes to the village in the early 20th Century. Council housing
was built in the 1920s and 1950s, as the village became a dormitory settlement for the two cities.
Developments in the second half of the twentieth century have seen Burley become a prosperous but socially diverse village. The village has a high percentage of elderly and retired people , as well as many young families attracted by job opportunities, local school
s and new housing developments.
Whilst the cotton mill no longer operates, the village retains a strong range of local businesses and a strong community atmosphere.
In 2006, following a petition to the local authority and permission from the Secretary of State
, Burley gained its own Parish Council.
s, Burley and Woodhead Primary School and Burley Oaks Primary School, along with Ghyll Royd School, a private
primary and nursery school
for boys.
It also has an Anglican Church, an United Reformed Church
, a Methodist and a Catholic Church. The Anglican Church, the Parish Church of St Mary's (pictured) has a prominent spire.
Burley has a range of public buildings, such as the Queens' Hall, originally built as a lecture hall
for mill workers. Recent work by community groups has resulted in developments including a new nature reserve
and village green
. The recently redeveloped village green features a central water feature.
The Malt Shovel public house is another distinctive building in the village centre.
Power to the mill was provided via a goit to take river from the River Wharfe. A large weir remains and there are stepping stones across the river linking footpaths from each bank. An internet campaign is pressing for the stepping stones to be restored.
Burley has a range of housing types and ages. Recently the former hospital has been converted into private townhouses and flat
s. The village centre has small clusters of terrace houses and cottages.
, a popular television celebrity, until his death in 2005. It may also have been the birthplace of Walter of Burley
(1274-1344), a medieval English logician and theologian.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the county of 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...
. Along with Menston
Menston
Menston is a village and civil parish in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Burley in Wharfedale, Menston is part of Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford. It has a population of 4,660.-Landmarks:...
, Burley is part of Wharfedale Ward
Wharfedale (ward)
Wharfedale is a ward in the north east of the City of Bradford metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England and is situated in the Upper Wharfedale one of the Yorkshire dales...
in the metropolitan borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of the City of Bradford
City of Bradford
The City of Bradford is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Bradford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, Ilkley, Haworth, Silsden and...
(though it has a Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
postcode). It lies on the A65
A65 road
The A65 is a major road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon, Guiseley, Ilkley and Skipton, passes west of Settle, then continues through Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale before terminating at Kendal in Cumbria....
, approximately fourteen miles north-west of the centre of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and nine miles north of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, between Otley
Otley
-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
and Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
. Burley has a railway station
Burley-in-Wharfedale railway station
Burley-in-Wharfedale railway station is a railway station in Burley-in-Wharfedale, in the City of Bradford metropolitan district, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, who...
on the Wharfedale line
Wharfedale Line
The Wharfedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service connects Ilkley with Leeds and Bradford, and is operated by Northern Rail. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3 - 5...
, with direct trains to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
and Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
. It has a population of 5,865.
Despite the good transport links to local urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
areas Burley in Wharfedale retains its rural feel and setting in the green Wharfedale
Wharfedale
Wharfedale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in England. It is the valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale include Buckden, Kettlewell, Conistone, Grassington, Hebden, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Arthington, Collingham, and Wetherby...
valley.
The village is adjoined by Burley Woodhead, a small cluster of farms and prestigious homes at the foot of Burley Moor.
History
Originally a small agriculturalAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
community with likely Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
and Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
roots, Burley developed in the late 18th and 19th centuries into an industrial
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
village with many residents employed at the cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s known as Greenholme Mills, which were powered from a goit fed from the River Wharfe
River Wharfe
The River Wharfe is a river in Yorkshire, England. For much of its length it is the county boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. The name Wharfe is Celtic and means "twisting, winding".The valley of the River Wharfe is known as Wharfedale...
.
The development of industrial and commercial centres in the nearby cities of Leeds and Bradford, combined with rail and bus links, prompted major changes to the village in the early 20th Century. Council housing
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
was built in the 1920s and 1950s, as the village became a dormitory settlement for the two cities.
Developments in the second half of the twentieth century have seen Burley become a prosperous but socially diverse village. The village has a high percentage of elderly and retired people , as well as many young families attracted by job opportunities, local school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s and new housing developments.
Whilst the cotton mill no longer operates, the village retains a strong range of local businesses and a strong community atmosphere.
In 2006, following a petition to the local authority and permission from the Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
, Burley gained its own Parish Council.
Landmarks
The village has two state primary schoolPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
s, Burley and Woodhead Primary School and Burley Oaks Primary School, along with Ghyll Royd School, a private
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
primary and nursery school
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
for boys.
It also has an Anglican Church, an United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
, a Methodist and a Catholic Church. The Anglican Church, the Parish Church of St Mary's (pictured) has a prominent spire.
Burley has a range of public buildings, such as the Queens' Hall, originally built as a lecture hall
Lecture hall
A lecture hall is a large room used for instruction, typically at a college or university. Unlike a traditional classroom with a capacity from one to four dozen, the capacity of lecture halls is typically measured in the hundreds...
for mill workers. Recent work by community groups has resulted in developments including a new nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
and village green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
. The recently redeveloped village green features a central water feature.
The Malt Shovel public house is another distinctive building in the village centre.
Power to the mill was provided via a goit to take river from the River Wharfe. A large weir remains and there are stepping stones across the river linking footpaths from each bank. An internet campaign is pressing for the stepping stones to be restored.
Housing
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s. The village centre has small clusters of terrace houses and cottages.
Famous residents
Burley Woodhead was also the home of the late Richard WhiteleyRichard Whiteley
John Richard Whiteley, OBE DL , usually known as Richard Whiteley, was an English broadcaster and journalist. He was famous for his twenty-three years as host of Countdown, a letters and numbers arrangement game show broadcast most weekdays on Channel 4...
, a popular television celebrity, until his death in 2005. It may also have been the birthplace of Walter of Burley
Walter Burley
Walter Burley was a medieval English Scholastic philosopher and logician. He was a Master of Arts at Oxford in 1301, and a fellow of Merton College, Oxford until about 1310. He spent sixteen years at Paris until 1326, becoming a fellow of the Sorbonne by 1324. After that, he spent seventeen...
(1274-1344), a medieval English logician and theologian.
External links
- Burley in Wharfedale Community Web Site Official Burley in Wharfedale village web site, from Burley Community Council
- Salem United Reformed Church in Burley in Wharfedale
- Information about Burley from local Councillor Matt Palmer