Clifford, West Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
Clifford is a small village in the City of Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England. The village is 3 miles (5 km) south of Wetherby
. Many of the older buildings are built of magnesian limestone.
at Boston Spa
which was then within the manor.
Clifford is mentioned in the Domesday Book
, when Ligulf held the manor of six carucate
s with four ploughs.
Clifford was originally a farming community, but in the 1831, the corn mills, powered by the Bramham Beck, on Old Mill Lane were transformed into flax
mills, making patent yarn and shoe thread. The mills were owned by the Grimston Brothers. At its height the business employed about 300 workers, some of them Irish immigrants, and many of whom lived in the stone terraced cottages in the village.
, in the West Riding
of Yorkshire.
village, with a conservation area
at its centre. It has a mix of buildings from traditional magnesian limestone
cottages to modern family housing. All construction within the conservation area must use local limestone. Green Belt
land separates the village from Bramham
and Boston Spa
. Limestone for building was quarried locally.
The A1(M) and M1 motorway
are just over a mile away. Bus services coordinated by West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive go to to Tadcaster
, Leeds, Harrogate
, Wetherby and Wakefield
.
There are three churches in Clifford. The Anglican church dedicated to St Luke on high ground at the western end of the village is built in the Gothic style of architecture and was consecrated by the Archbishop of York in 1842. The church cost £1200 raised by subscription and the site was donated by George Lane-Fox. The Wesleyan Methodists built a chapel, and the Roman Catholics built St Edward King and Confessor Catholic Church
. to serve the population of Irish workers that came to work in Grimstons flax
mill established in the village in 1831. The Grimstons, Cliffords and Vasavour families contributed to the cost of building the church.
Clifford has three public houses (The Bay Horse, The Albion and The Old Star) and a fish and chip shop (Clifford Fisheries). There were no other shops/businesses in 2009 as the post office had been converted into houses.
.
Clifford a monthly magazine, The Outlook delivered free to every resident by the committee.
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
, 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. The village is 3 miles (5 km) south of Wetherby
Wetherby
Wetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
. Many of the older buildings are built of magnesian limestone.
History
The village of Clifford takes its name from Clyf and ford Old English for ford at the bank or cliff, referring to the crossing of the River WharfeRiver 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...
at Boston Spa
Boston Spa
Boston Spa is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, south of Wetherby, on the banks of the River Wharfe...
which was then within the manor.
Clifford is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, when Ligulf held the manor of six carucate
Carucate
The carucate or ploughland was a unit of assessment for tax used in most Danelaw counties of England, and is found for example in Domesday Book. The carucate was based on the area a plough team of eight oxen could till in a single annual season...
s with four ploughs.
Clifford was originally a farming community, but in the 1831, the corn mills, powered by the Bramham Beck, on Old Mill Lane were transformed into flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
mills, making patent yarn and shoe thread. The mills were owned by the Grimston Brothers. At its height the business employed about 300 workers, some of them Irish immigrants, and many of whom lived in the stone terraced cottages in the village.
Governance
Clifford cum Boston was township in the old parish of Bramham, in the upper division of the wapentake of Barkston AshBarkston Ash
Barkston Ash is a small village and civil parish close to Selby in North Yorkshire, England. Until recently it was officially called Barkston. A local legend has it that the ash tree which stands in the centre of the village and gives it its name also marks the exact centre of Yorkshire, and that...
, in the West Riding
West Riding
West Riding could refer to:Areas:*West Riding of Yorkshire, England*West Riding of Lindsey in Lincolnshire, England*West Riding of County Cork, Ireland*West Riding of County Galway, IrelandTransport companies:*West Riding Automobile Company...
of Yorkshire.
Geography
Clifford is a ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
village, with a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
at its centre. It has a mix of buildings from traditional magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone can refer to:* For the rock made of magnesium carbonate ie Magnesian limestone see dolomite or dolostone* For the traditional name of a specific suite of Permian age rocks in north-east England see Magnesian Limestone...
cottages to modern family housing. All construction within the conservation area must use local limestone. Green Belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
land separates the village from Bramham
Bramham
Bramham may refer to:* Bramham cum Oglethorpe, a village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England** Bramham Park, a historic house near the village, host to Leeds Festival*** Bramham Horse Trials, another event that takes place at Bramham Park...
and Boston Spa
Boston Spa
Boston Spa is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, south of Wetherby, on the banks of the River Wharfe...
. Limestone for building was quarried locally.
The A1(M) and M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
are just over a mile away. Bus services coordinated by West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive go to to Tadcaster
Tadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
, Leeds, Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
, Wetherby and Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
Religion
St Edward King and Confessor Catholic Church, Clifford
Saint Edward King and Confessor Church is a Roman Catholic church in Clifford, West Yorkshire. The church is the largest in Clifford and its tall tower is the most prominent structure in the area. The church is a grade II Listed building and serves Clifford and the surrounding villages...
. to serve the population of Irish workers that came to work in Grimstons flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
mill established in the village in 1831. The Grimstons, Cliffords and Vasavour families contributed to the cost of building the church.
Economy
Education
There are three schools in the Clifford parish,Bramham Primary School, St. John's School for the Deaf and Boston Spa SchoolBoston Spa School
Boston Spa School and specialist Sports College is a mixed-gender school aged 11–19 years old on Clifford Moor Road in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, England. It is larger than other secondary schools in the area, with 1,880 students on roll, including 350 in the sixth form...
.
Culture
The Village Hall is a small venue for concerts and plays. Clifford's first Beer Festival took place on 19 June 2010. Clifford's second Champion Beer Festival will take place on 2 July 2011.Clifford a monthly magazine, The Outlook delivered free to every resident by the committee.