West Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
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
.
West Yorkshire, which is landlocked, consists of five metropolitan borough
s (City of Bradford
, Calderdale
, Kirklees
, City of Leeds
and City of Wakefield
) and shares borders with the counties of Derbyshire
(to the south), Greater Manchester
(to the south-west), Lancashire
(to the north-west), North Yorkshire
(to the north and east) and South Yorkshire
(to the south-east).
West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts (the metropolitan boroughs) are now effectively unitary authorities
. However, the metropolitan county, which covers an area of 2029 square kilometres (783.4 sq mi), continues to exist in law, and as a geographic frame of reference.
West Yorkshire encompasses the West Yorkshire Urban Area
, which is the most built-up and biggest urban area
within the historic county boundaries
of Yorkshire
.
West Yorkshire was formed as a metropolitan county in 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972
, and corresponds roughly to the core of the historic
West Riding
of Yorkshire
and the county boroughs of Bradford, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, and Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council inherited the use of West Riding County Hall
at Wakefield
, opened in 1898, from the West Riding County Council in 1974. Since 1987 it has been the headquarters of Wakefield City Council.
The county initially had a two-tier structure of local government with a strategic-level county council and five districts providing most services. In 1986, throughout England the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The functions of the county council were devolved to the boroughs; joint-boards covering fire, police and public transport; and to other special joint arrangements. Organisations such as West Yorkshire Police Authority
and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
continue to operate on this basis.
Although the county council was abolished, West Yorkshire continues to form a metropolitan
and ceremonial
county with a Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire
and a High Sheriff
.
Wakefield's Parish Church was raised to cathedral status in 1888 and after the elevation of Wakefield to diocese, Wakefield Council immediately sought city status and this was granted in July 1888. However the industrial revolution
, which changed West and South Yorkshire significantly, led to the growth of Leeds and Bradford, which became the area's two largest cities (Leeds being the largest in Yorkshire). Leeds was granted city status in 1893 and Bradford in 1897. The name of Leeds Town Hall
reflects the fact that at its opening in 1858 Leeds was not yet a city, while Bradford renamed its Town Hall as City Hall in 1965.
The county borders, going anticlockwise from the west: Lancashire
, Greater Manchester
, Derbyshire
, South Yorkshire
and North Yorkshire
. It lies almost entirely on rocks of carboniferous age which form the southern Pennine fringes in the west and the Yorkshire coalfield further eastwards. In the extreme east of the metropolitan county there are younger deposits of magnesian limestone
.
The Bradford and Calderdale areas are dominated by the scenery of the eastern slopes of the Pennines, dropping from upland in the west down to the east, and dissected by numerous steep-sided valleys. There is a close conjunction of large scale industry, urban areas and transport routes with open countryside. The dense network of roads, canals and railways and urban development, confined by valleys creates dramatic interplay of views between settlements and the surrounding hillsides.
The carboniferous rocks of the Yorkshire coalfield further east have produced a rolling landscape with hills, escarpments and broad valleys. In this landscape there is widespread evidence of both current and former industrial activity. There are numerous derelict or converted mine buildings and recently landscaped former spoil heaps. The scenery is a mixture of built up areas, industrial land with some dereliction, and farmed open country. Ribbon developments along transport routes including canal, road and rail are prominent features of the area although some remnants of the pre industrial landscape and semi-natural vegetation still survive. However, many areas are affected by urban fringe pressures creating fragmented and downgraded landscapes and ever present are urban influences from major cities, smaller industrial towns and former mining villages.
In the magnesian limestone
belt to the east of the Leeds and Wakefield areas is an elevated ridge with smoothly rolling scenery, dissected by dry valleys. Here, there is a large number of country houses and estates with parkland, estate woodlands, plantations and game coverts.
The rivers Aire
and Calder
drain the area, flowing from west to east.
The table below outlines many of the county's settlements, and is formatted according to their metropolitan borough.
Temperatures vary throughout the year, often reaching 30°C, and in winter often fall to -16°C (as in December 2010), but in general they remain between -1°C and 20°C all year.
, 6 are Conservative and 2 are Liberal Democrats. At local level, the councils are generally divided, apart from the Wakefield district, which has long been one of the safest Labour councils in the country.
There are currently plans for a tram
system in West Yorkshire, but those for a Leeds Supertram
were rejected by the government in 2005.
Certain services are provided across the county by West Yorkshire Joint Services
, and the West Yorkshire Police
and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
are also county-wide.
This is a chart of regional gross value added for West Yorkshire at current basic prices with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
mills, Leeds' traditional industry was the manufacturing of cloth, while heavier engineering industries facilitated growth in South Leeds. Wakefield, Castleford, Pontefract and South and East Leeds were traditional coal mining
areas. The woollen and cloth industries declined throughout the twentieth century, while mining in West Yorkshire declined through the late 1980s and 1990s, leaving only Kellingley Colliery
and a few open cast mines today.
Leeds has since attracted investment from financial institutions, to become a recognised financial centre, with many bank
s, building societies and insurance companies having offices in the city. Wakefield has also attracted many service based industries, inparticularly call centres. Two of the big four supermarkets are from West Yorkshire. Morrisons
is based in Bradford, while Asda
is based in Leeds. Netto
have their British headquarters in South Elmsall.
West Yorkshire lies in arguably the most strategic part of Yorkshire: the M62
, M1
and the A1(M) pass through the county, as well as the internal urban motorways in Leeds
and Bradford
. West Yorkshire has two mainline railway stations, Leeds and Wakefield Westgate
. Leeds railway station is the only Network Rail
principal station in Yorkshire and North East England
, and one of only three in the North of England along with Manchester Piccadilly
and Liverpool Lime Street
. Other important railway stations in West Yorkshire include Bradford Interchange, Bradford Forster Square
, Huddersfield
, Halifax
, Dewsbury
, Keighley
and Shipley
. West Yorkshire also has Yorkshire's largest airport, Leeds Bradford International Airport
.
Unlike South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire has no light transit system; the Leeds Supertram
was proposed, but was later cancelled after the withdrawal of government funding; the Leeds Trolleybus
is the current proposed scheme. Public transport is run under the authority of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
(Metro).
See also: List of historic houses in West Yorkshire
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
within the Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The...
region of 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...
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
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
.
West Yorkshire, which is landlocked, consists of five 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...
s (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...
, Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, Kirklees
Kirklees
The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...
, City of Leeds
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,...
and City of Wakefield
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
) and shares borders with the counties of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
(to the south), Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
(to the south-west), Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
(to the north-west), North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
(to the north and east) and South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
(to the south-east).
West Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts (the metropolitan boroughs) are now effectively unitary authorities
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
. However, the metropolitan county, which covers an area of 2029 square kilometres (783.4 sq mi), continues to exist in law, and as a geographic frame of reference.
West Yorkshire encompasses the West Yorkshire Urban Area
West Yorkshire Urban Area
The West Yorkshire Urban Area is a term used by the Office for National Statistics to refer to a conurbation in West Yorkshire, England, based around the cities of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, and the large town of Huddersfield...
, which is the most built-up and biggest urban area
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...
within the historic county boundaries
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
History
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, and corresponds roughly to the core of the historic
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and the county boroughs of Bradford, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, and Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council inherited the use of West Riding County Hall
County Hall, Wakefield
County Hall or West Riding County Hall stands at the corner of Bond Street and Cliff Parade in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It is the main headquarters of Wakefield City Council....
at 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....
, opened in 1898, from the West Riding County Council in 1974. Since 1987 it has been the headquarters of Wakefield City Council.
The county initially had a two-tier structure of local government with a strategic-level county council and five districts providing most services. In 1986, throughout England the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The functions of the county council were devolved to the boroughs; joint-boards covering fire, police and public transport; and to other special joint arrangements. Organisations such as West Yorkshire Police Authority
West Yorkshire Police
West Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing West Yorkshire in England. It is the fourth largest force in England and Wales by number of officers, with 5671 officers....
and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority and was originally formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport...
continue to operate on this basis.
Although the county council was abolished, West Yorkshire continues to form a metropolitan
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of subdivisions of England used for the purposes of local government outside Greater London. As originally constituted, the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties each consisted of multiple districts, had a county council and...
and ceremonial
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
county with a Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire
Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire
The office of Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974.*Kenneth Hargreaves 1 April 1974 – 1978 *William Bulmer 1978–1985*John Taylor, Baron Ingrow 1985–1992...
and a High Sheriff
High Sheriff of West Yorkshire
The High Sheriff of West Yorkshire is a current High Sheriff title which has existed since 1974, the holder is changed annually every March. For around 1,000 years the entire area of Yorkshire was covered by a single High Sheriff of Yorkshire...
.
Wakefield's Parish Church was raised to cathedral status in 1888 and after the elevation of Wakefield to diocese, Wakefield Council immediately sought city status and this was granted in July 1888. However the industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, which changed West and South Yorkshire significantly, led to the growth of Leeds and Bradford, which became the area's two largest cities (Leeds being the largest in Yorkshire). Leeds was granted city status in 1893 and Bradford in 1897. The name of Leeds Town Hall
Leeds Town Hall
Leeds Town Hall was built between 1853 and 1858 on Park Lane , Leeds, West Yorkshire, England to a design by architect Cuthbert Brodrick.-Background:...
reflects the fact that at its opening in 1858 Leeds was not yet a city, while Bradford renamed its Town Hall as City Hall in 1965.
| post-1974 Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974.... |
pre-1974 Local Government Act 1888 The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales... |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan county | Metropolitan borough | County borough County borough County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in... s |
Non-county borough Municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002... s |
Urban district Urban district In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council.... s |
Rural district Rural district Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England... s |
 |
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... |
Bradford | Keighley | Baildon • Bingley Bingley Bingley is a market town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal... • Denholme • Ilkley • Queensbury and Shelf Queensbury and Shelf Queensbury and Shelf was an urban district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1937 to 1974. The district was formed by a County Review Order by the amalgamation of Queensbury and Shelf urban districts.... •Silsden • Shipley • |
Skipton Skipton Rural District Skipton was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Skipton, which constituted an urban district on its southern border.... |
| Calderdale Calderdale The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name... |
Halifax | Brighouse • Todmorden • | Elland • Hebden Royd • Queensbury and Shelf Queensbury and Shelf Queensbury and Shelf was an urban district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1937 to 1974. The district was formed by a County Review Order by the amalgamation of Queensbury and Shelf urban districts.... • Ripponden • Sowerby Bridge • |
||
| Kirklees Kirklees The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite... |
Huddersfield • Dewsbury • | Batley • Spenborough • | Colne Valley • Denby Dale • Heckmondwike • Holmfirth • Kirkburton • Meltham • Mirfield • | ||
| Leeds 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,... |
Leeds County Borough of Leeds The County Borough of Leeds, and its predecessor, the Municipal Borough of Leeds, was a local government district in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, from 1835 to 1974. Its origin was the ancient borough of Leeds, which was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835... |
Morley Municipal Borough of Morley Morley was a local government district in Yorkshire, West Riding.Apart from the town of Morley, it included Churwell , East Ardsley , West Ardsley, Drighlington and Gildersome .Morley was incorporated as a borough in 1885.It was abolished in 1974 and its former area became part of the... • Pudsey Municipal Borough of Pudsey Pudsey was a local government district in Yorkshire, West Riding from 1872 to 1974 around the town of Pudsey.A local board formed for the parish of Pudsey in 1872... • |
Aireborough • Garforth • Horsforth • Otley • Rothwell • | Tadcaster Tadcaster Rural District Tadcaster was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Tadcaster.It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 from the Tadcaster rural sanitary district. It was enlarged in 1937 by the abolition of Bishopthorpe Rural District.It was abolished in... • Wharfedale Wharfedale Rural District Wharfedale was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Wharfedale.It contained the following civil parishes:*Adel cum Eccup transferred to County Borough of Leeds... • Wetherby Wetherby Rural District Wetherby was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974. It was named after the town of Wetherby.It was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and split between two new districts... • |
|
| Wakefield City of Wakefield The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other... |
Wakefield | Castleford • Ossett • Pontefract • | Featherstone • Hemsworth • Horbury • Knottingley • Normanton • Stanley • | Hemsworth Hemsworth Rural District Hemsworth was, from 1894 to 1974, a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England.-Creation:The district was formed by the Local Government Act 1894 as successor to the Hemsworth Rural Sanitary District... • Osgoldcross Osgoldcross Rural District Osgoldcross Rural District was a rural district in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was created in 1938, from 19 remaining parishes of the disbanded Pontefract Rural District after three-quarters of its population had been transferred to surrounding authorities - specifically to... • Wakefield • |
|
Geography
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
and North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. It lies almost entirely on rocks of carboniferous age which form the southern Pennine fringes in the west and the Yorkshire coalfield further eastwards. In the extreme east of the metropolitan county there are younger deposits of magnesian limestone
Dolostone
Dolostone or dolomite rock is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. In old U.S.G.S. publications it was referred to as magnesian limestone. Most dolostone formed as a magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to lithification. It is...
.
The Bradford and Calderdale areas are dominated by the scenery of the eastern slopes of the Pennines, dropping from upland in the west down to the east, and dissected by numerous steep-sided valleys. There is a close conjunction of large scale industry, urban areas and transport routes with open countryside. The dense network of roads, canals and railways and urban development, confined by valleys creates dramatic interplay of views between settlements and the surrounding hillsides.
The carboniferous rocks of the Yorkshire coalfield further east have produced a rolling landscape with hills, escarpments and broad valleys. In this landscape there is widespread evidence of both current and former industrial activity. There are numerous derelict or converted mine buildings and recently landscaped former spoil heaps. The scenery is a mixture of built up areas, industrial land with some dereliction, and farmed open country. Ribbon developments along transport routes including canal, road and rail are prominent features of the area although some remnants of the pre industrial landscape and semi-natural vegetation still survive. However, many areas are affected by urban fringe pressures creating fragmented and downgraded landscapes and ever present are urban influences from major cities, smaller industrial towns and former mining villages.
In the magnesian limestone
Dolostone
Dolostone or dolomite rock is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. In old U.S.G.S. publications it was referred to as magnesian limestone. Most dolostone formed as a magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to lithification. It is...
belt to the east of the Leeds and Wakefield areas is an elevated ridge with smoothly rolling scenery, dissected by dry valleys. Here, there is a large number of country houses and estates with parkland, estate woodlands, plantations and game coverts.
The rivers Aire
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
and Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
drain the area, flowing from west to east.
The table below outlines many of the county's settlements, and is formatted according to their metropolitan borough.
| Metropolitan county | Metropolitan borough | Centre of administration | Other places | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Yorkshire | 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... |
 |
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... |
Addingham Addingham Addingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of West Yorkshire. It is situated on the A65, west of Ilkley, north west of Bradford and around north west of Leeds. It is located in the valley of the River Wharfe and is only from the Yorkshire Dales National Park... , Baildon, Bingley Bingley Bingley is a market town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal... , Burley-in-Wharfedale, Cottingley Cottingley, Bradford Cottingley is a suburban village within the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England, situated between Shipley and Bingley. It is perhaps best known for the Cottingley Fairies, which appeared in a series of photographs taken there during the early 20th century.-Governance:Cottingley is part of... , Crossflatts Crossflatts Crossflatts is a ribbon development in Airedale along the old route of the A650 road between Bingley and Keighley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The building of the Aire Valley Trunk road in recent decades has diverted traffic away from the village.It is served... , Cullingworth Cullingworth Cullingworth is a village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England, between Bradford and Haworth. The village is well known locally for holding events such as the Brontë Vintage Gathering every year and the Great Yorkshire Bike Show in 2005. The surrounding countryside is mainly used for sheep... , Denholme Denholme Denholme is a small town and civil parish in the Bradford Metropolitan Borough, West Yorkshire, England. It is west of Bradford, from Keighley and roughly the same distance from Halifax. Administratively, it is part of the Bingley Rural ward of the City of Bradford... , East and West Morton East and West Morton East Morton is a small village which lies 1 mile north of Bingley and 3 miles south-east of Keighley, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. The village of East Morton was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The parish of Morton was formally created by an act of Parliament in 1846... , Eldwick Eldwick Eldwick is a small village near Bingley, West Yorkshire. It is split up into two main parts, Eldwick, the main populated part, and High Eldwick, the larger but less populated section, situated on Bingley Moor.- Landmarks :... , Esholt Esholt Esholt is a village between Shipley and Guiseley, in the metropolitan district of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.- Derivation of name :The name "Esholt" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area of ash trees.... , Gilstead Gilstead Gilstead is a village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated at the edge of the moors, above the town of Bingley which is the post town.Eldwick Primary School is located on Warren Lane, Gilstead... , Harden Harden, West Yorkshire Harden is a civil parish and village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, west of Bingley. It has a population of 1,615.-Facilities:... , Haworth Haworth Haworth is a rural village in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is located amongst the Pennines, southwest of Keighley and west of Bradford. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope... , 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... , Keighley Keighley Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth... , 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:... , Oakworth Oakworth Oakworth is a village in West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley, by the River Worth. The name "Oakworth" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area.... , Oxenhope Oxenhope Oxenhope is a village and civil parish with a population of 2,476 in the metropolitan borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley. Oxenhope railway station is the terminus for the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway... , Queensbury Queensbury, West Yorkshire Queensbury is a village in the metropolitan borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Perched on a high vantage point above Clayton and Thornton and overlooking Bradford itself, Queensbury is one of the highest parishes in England, with fine views beyond the West Yorkshire conurbation to the... , Riddlesden Riddlesden Riddlesden is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley and on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Most of Riddlesden is made up of hills and steep land, like farms and even woodland. However the access to Riddlesden is good as it has close contacts with various main roads. As... , Saltaire Saltaire Saltaire is a Victorian model village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal... , Sandy Lane Sandy Lane, West Yorkshire Sandy Lane is a village and civil parish to the north of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.It is situated between Wilsden, Allerton and Nab Wood.- History :... , Shipley Shipley, West Yorkshire Shipley is a town in West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford and north-west of Leeds.... , Silsden Silsden Silsden is a town and civil parish situated in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the northern slope of the Aire Valley between Keighley and Skipton. It is about from the river. Along the lower edge of the town is the Leeds and Liverpool Canal... , Stanbury Stanbury Stanbury is a small village in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England, west of Haworth, close to the Pennine Way, and on the River Worth. It is approximately 4 miles from the town of Keighley. The surrounding countryside is mainly moors and farmland, but the... , Steeton Steeton with Eastburn Steeton with Eastburn is a civil parish within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,277. The parish includes the villages of Steeton and Eastburn.... , Thornbury Thornbury, West Yorkshire Thornbury is a district on the eastern edge of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England on the border with the City of Leeds and located in the Bradford Moor ward and in the East Bradford parliamentary constituency.... , Thornton, Tong Tong, West Yorkshire Tong is a Ward in City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, named after Tong village which is its oldest settlement.- Geography :... , Wilsden Wilsden Wilsden is a village and civil parish to the west of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. Wilsden is close to the Aire Valley and the nearby villages of Cullingworth, Harden, Cottingley and Allerton. Wilsden re-acquired civil parish status in 2004... |
| Calderdale Calderdale The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name... |
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Halifax Halifax, West Yorkshire Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece... |
Bailiff Bridge Bailiff Bridge Bailiff Bridge is a village north of Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England and from Huddersfield and from Bradford.The village is served by the A641 main road which connects it to the nearby towns and cities.-History:... , Boothtown Boothtown Boothtown is a suburb of Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.Located on the A647 Halifax to Bradford. It was on this road that Percy Shaw came up with the idea of cat's eyes as an aid to road safety... , Brighouse Brighouse Brighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the... , Copley Copley, West Yorkshire Copley is a village in the metropolitan borough of Calderdale, in the county of West Yorkshire, England, south of Halifax and east of Sowerby Bridge, by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation. It is known locally for the odour from the sewage works.-History:It is the site of a... , Cragg Vale Cragg Vale Cragg Vale is a village in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England, located south of Mytholmroyd on the B6138 road which joins the A58 and the A646.-Early Days:There is evidence of human activity on the Yorkshire moors around Cragg from c. 10,000 BC... , Elland Elland Elland is a market town in Calderdale, in the county of West Yorkshire, England, south of Halifax, by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation. The area of Elland was called Elant in the Domesday Book... , Greetland Greetland Greetland is a village in the metropolitan borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It is located west of nearby Elland and south of Halifax.-Local history:The village may have been the site of a Roman settlement named Cambodunum... , Hebden Bridge Hebden Bridge Hebden Bridge is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and lies 8 miles west of Halifax and 14 miles north east of Rochdale, at the confluence of the River Calder and the River Hebden .A 2004 profile of... , Heptonstall Heptonstall Heptonstall is a small village and civil parish within the Calderdale borough of West Yorkshire, England. The population of Heptonstall, including the hamlets of Colden and Slack, is 1,448. The town of Hebden Bridge lies directly to the southeast... , Hipperholme Hipperholme Hipperholme is a village in the Calderdale area of West Yorkshire, England, located between the towns of Halifax and Brighouse. It is located on the busy A58 road and includes Hipperholme Grammar School, a local private school.... , Holywell Green Holywell Green Holywell Green is a small village in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. It is south of Halifax, north-west of Huddersfield and south-west of Elland.-History:... , Luddendenfoot Luddendenfoot Luddendenfoot or Luddenden Foot is a community in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. It lies along the Upper Calder Valley below the village of Luddenden, between Sowerby Bridge and Hebden Bridge.-Cultural reference and notable people:... , Mytholmroyd Mytholmroyd Mytholmroyd is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies east of Hebden Bridge and west of Halifax.... , Norwood Green Norwood Green, West Yorkshire Norwood Green is a small village situated between Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the metropolitan borough of Calderdale. It once had a railway station on the Caldervale Line.- Nightlife and entertainment :... , Rastrick Rastrick Rastrick is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax. It is perhaps best known for its association, along with its neighbour Brighouse, with the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band... , Ripponden Ripponden Ripponden is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax, on the River Ryburn. It is the site of a Roman settlement, and there is a Roman Road over nearby Blackstone Edge, a rocky ridge of Millstone Grit... , Shelf Shelf, West Yorkshire Shelf is a village in West Yorkshire, England. The village is situated halfway between Bradford and Halifax. It has a population of 4,496.In the Domesday Book it is called Scelf.... , Shibden Shibden Shibden is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, east of Halifax. The name of the Shibden valley comes from scepe dene meaning " sheep valley"... , Sowerby Bridge Sowerby Bridge Sowerby Bridge is a market town that lies within the Upper Calder Valley in the district of Calderdale in the county of West Yorkshire, in northern England.-Geography:Sowerby Bridge is situated on the edge of Halifax, about three miles from its centre... , Todmorden Todmorden Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941.... |
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| Kirklees Kirklees The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite... |
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Huddersfield Huddersfield Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city.... |
Almondbury Almondbury Almondbury is a district 2 miles south east of Huddersfield town centre in West Yorkshire, England. The population of Almondbury in 2001 was 7,368Almondbury appears in the Domesday Book as "Almondeberie"... , Batley Batley Batley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies southeast of Bradford, southwest of Leeds and north of Dewsbury, near the M62 motorway. It has a population of 49,448 . Other nearby towns include Morley to the northeast, Ossett to the southeast... , Birkby Birkby, West Yorkshire Birkby is a large multi-cultural suburb close to the town centre in Huddersfield, in the Kirklees borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 6,700.... , Birkenshaw Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire Birkenshaw is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England. It lies at the crossroads between the A58 Leeds to Halifax road and the A651 Bradford to Heckmondwike road.... , Birstall Birstall, West Yorkshire Birstall is a large village in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England and situated roughly 6 miles south-west of Leeds. It features a quaint triangular Victorian marketplace, which replaced an earlier market on High Street in the Georgian area of the village further up the hill... , Cleckheaton Cleckheaton Cleckheaton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated south of Bradford, east of Brighouse, west of Batley and south-west of Leeds... , Dalton, Denby Dale Denby Dale Denby Dale is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England, to the South East of Huddersfield. As a civil parish it covers the villages of Denby Dale, Lower Denby, Upper Denby, Upper Cumberworth, Lower Cumberworth, Skelmanthorpe, Emley, Emley... , Dewsbury Dewsbury Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds... , Emley Emley, West Yorkshire Emley is a village in West Yorkshire, England between Huddersfield and Wakefield with a population of 1,867 according to the 2001 census. It is east of Huddersfield and west of Wakefield. The village lies in moorland close to the Emley Moor TV Transmitter... , Golcar Golcar Golcar is a village located on a hillside crest above the Colne Valley in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield, and just north of the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal... , Gomersal Gomersal Gomersal is a village in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. It is south of Bradford, east of Cleckheaton, and north of Heckmondwike and close to the River Spen.... , Hartshead Hartshead Hartshead is a village in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England, west of Dewsbury and near Hartshead Moor.The village has pre-Norman Conquest origins; the Walton Cross dated from the 8th century.... , Hartshead Moor Hartshead Moor Hartshead Moor is a hamlet in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Brighouse, it is a mile and a half away from another village called Hartshead. It is close to the Hartshead Moor Service Station on the M62 motorway. In 1974 the service station was near the scene of a Provisional Irish... , Heckmondwike Heckmondwike Heckmondwike is a small town in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, which is located geographically at the centre of West Yorkshire, England, south west of Leeds. Close to Cleckheaton and Liversedge, it is part of Cleckheckmondsedge, a name invented by J.B. Priestley to represent a West Riding... , Holmfirth Holmfirth Holmfirth is a small town located on the A6024 Woodhead Road in the Holme Valley, within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Centred upon the confluence of the Holme and Ribble rivers, Holmfirth is south of Huddersfield and from Glossop. It mostly consists of... , Honley Honley Honley is a large village in West Yorkshire, England near to Holmfirth and Huddersfield situated on the banks of the River Holme in the Holme Valley. In 2001 it had a population of 5,897 according to the census.-Education:... , Kirkburton Kirkburton Kirkburton is a village, civil parish and local government ward in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England, south east of Huddersfield, in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees... , Kirkheaton Kirkheaton Kirkheaton is a village north east of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England and has a population of 4,209 together with Upper Heaton.- Education :Kirkheaton has a primary school, Kirkheaton Primary School, which is situated on New Road.... , Linthwaite Linthwaite Linthwaite is a village in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated 4 miles west of Huddersfield, on the A62 in the Colne Valley... , Liversedge Liversedge Liversedge is a township in the former parish of Birstall, in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Liversedge lies between Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike about southwest of Leeds.-Settlements within Liversedge:... , Marsden Marsden, West Yorkshire Marsden is a large village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield and located at the confluence of the River Colne and the Wessenden Brook... , Meltham Meltham Meltham is a small town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Holme Valley, below Wessenden Moor, four and a half miles south-west of Huddersfield on the edge of the Peak District National Park... , Mirfield Mirfield Mirfield is a small town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on the A644 road between Brighouse and Dewsbury... , New Mill, Norristhorpe Norristhorpe Norristhorpe is a village, in the Township of Liversedge in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.Until the 1880's Norristhorpe was called "Doggus" . But the building of a school prompted a name change as the thought Doggus School wasn't posh enough. So the name Norristhorpe was invented.... , Roberttown Roberttown Roberttown is a village, in the Township of Liversedge in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.... , Scammonden Scammonden Scammonden was a village close to Huddersfield, in the Colne Valley, England, before it was flooded in the 1960s to create the Scammonden Reservoir. The M62 motorway crosses the dam wall and then passes through a cutting to the west over which Scammonden Bridge carries a B-road. The Chapel of St... , Shelley Shelley, West Yorkshire Shelley is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, 3 miles north of Holmfirth and 6 miles south east of Huddersfield. It sometimes appears as Shelley Woodhouse and has a population of 3,059 . It is part of the Kirkburton ward of the local council. Road transport links are... , Shepley Shepley Shepley is a village in the civil parish of Kirkburton, in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England, and in the Diocese of Wakefield. It lies south south east of Huddersfield and north west of Penistone.... , Skelmanthorpe Skelmanthorpe Skelmanthorpe is a village in West Yorkshire, England with a population of 4,198 according to the 2001 census. It is part of the parish of Denby Dale in the Kirklees borough.... , Slaithwaite Slaithwaite Slaithwaite is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Colne Valley laying across the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, approximately southwest of Huddersfield. The pronunciation of Slaithwaite varies... , Thornhill Thornhill, West Yorkshire Thornhill, is a village in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Thornhill was absorbed into Dewsbury County Borough in 1910. It is located on a hill on the south side of the River Calder, and has extensive views of Dewsbury, Ossett and Wakefield... |
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| City of Leeds 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,... |
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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... |
Allerton Bywater Allerton Bywater Allerton Bywater is a semi-rural village and civil parish in the south-east of City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The village itself is north of Castleford and lies in the WF10 Castleford postcode area... , Beeston, 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... , Collingham Collingham, West Yorkshire Collingham is a village and civil parish south east of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. The clergyman, the Reverend William Mompesson was born there in 1639.... , Garforth Garforth Garforth is a town within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. The 2001 Census lists 23,892 residents in the Garforth and Swillington ward - 80.57% of which are homeowners, 20% more than the average for Leeds. Garforth itself has 15,394 of those people... , Guiseley Guiseley Guiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Otley and Menston, it is a suburb of north west Leeds. At the 2001 census, Guiseley together with Rawdon had a population of over 21,000. The A65, which passes through the town, is the... , Harewood Harewood Harewood is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. The A61 runs through the village, from Leeds city centre in the south to Harrogate in the north... , Headingley Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road... , Horsforth Horsforth Horsforth is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England, lying to the north west of Leeds. It has a population of 18,928.... , Kippax Kippax, West Yorkshire Kippax is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the east of the city, near to Garforth and Great Preston.... , Kirkstall Kirkstall Kirkstall is a suburb of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on the eastern side of the River Aire. To the west is Bramley, to the east is Headingley and to the north is West Park. Kirkstall is around from the city centre and is close to the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan... , Ledsham Ledsham, West Yorkshire Ledsham is a village and civil parish north of Castleford and east of Leeds in the county of West Yorkshire, England. The village is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough and near to the River Aire and the A1 Great North Road. It has a population of 162.There is an 8th century Anglo-Saxon... , Ledston Ledston Ledston is a village and civil parish north of Castleford and east of Leeds in the county of West Yorkshire, England. The village is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough... , Methley Methley Methley is a dispersed village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, south east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is located near Rothwell, Oulton, Woodlesford, Mickletown and Allerton Bywater. It nestles in the triangle formed by Leeds, Castleford and Wakefield, and is between the... , Morley Morley, West Yorkshire Morley is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately south-west of Leeds city centre. Together with Drighlington, Gildersome, Churwell, Tingley and East/West Ardsley, the town had a population of 47,579 in... , New Farnley, 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... , Oulton Oulton, West Yorkshire Oulton is a village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, between Leeds and Wakefield. It is at the junction of the A639 and A642 roads. Though now adjoining the village of Woodlesford, it was once quite separate... , Pool-in-Wharfedale Pool-in-Wharfedale Pool in Wharfedale is a village and civil parish in the Lower Wharfedale area, 10 miles north of Leeds city centre and 2 miles east of Otley. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire and within the historic boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is in the LS21 ... , Pudsey Pudsey Pudsey is a market town in West Yorkshire, England. Once an independent town, it was incorporated into the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds in 1974, and is located midway between Bradford and Leeds city centres. It has a population of 32,391.... , 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... , Rawdon Rawdon Rawdon is a village in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Early beginnings:With William the Conqueror was a commander of archers named Paulyn who rendered such faithful and courageous service to the Norman cause that he was rewarded with lands, a portion of... , Scarcroft Scarcroft Scarcroft is an upmarket village and civil parish north east of Leeds city centre in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. The village lies on the main A58 road between Leeds and Wetherby. Scarcroft has a LS14 postcode and two of the most expenisve streets in Yorkshire... , Scholes Scholes, Leeds Scholes is a village between Leeds and Barwick-in-Elmet, West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Barwick in Elmet and Scholes in the City of Leeds. It is sometimes known as Scholes-in-Elmet to distinguish it from the Scholes, Holme Valley and Scholes, Cleckheaton in Kirklees,... , Swillington Swillington Swillington is a small village and civil parish near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. It is located east of the River Aire and surrounded by streams including Fleakingley Beck. As of 2001, Swillington had a population of about 3,530.Swillington used to be a... , Walton (Leeds) Walton, Leeds Walton is an affluent village and civil parish 2 miles east of Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. It is adjacent to Thorp Arch village and Thorp Arch Trading Estate. The village is in the LS 23 Leeds postcode area, The nearest locally important town is Wetherby, with Tadcaster and the large... , 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... , Yeadon Yeadon, West Yorkshire Yeadon is a town within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It is home to Leeds Bradford International Airport.-History:... |
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| City of Wakefield City of Wakefield The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other... |
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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.... |
Ackworth Ackworth, West Yorkshire Ackworth is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Pontefract, Barnsley and Doncaster on the small River Went. The village consists of four parts, High Ackworth, Low Ackworth, Ackworth Moortop, and Brackenhill... , Alverthorpe Alverthorpe Alverthorpe is a suburb of, and former village in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.-History:After the start of the Industrial Revolution woollen and worsted yarns were spun and woollen and worsted cloth woven in... , Castleford Castleford Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north... , Crigglestone Crigglestone Crigglestone is a village and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is recorded as "Crigeston" in the Domesday Book. In 1941, there was a disaster at Crigglestone Colliery; 22 men died underground. The site of the colliery is now an industrial estate.- External... , Crofton Crofton, West Yorkshire Crofton is a village near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is located roughly to the south east of the city and is roughly to the west of the town of Pontefract and from the town of Featherstone.-History:... , Fairburn Ings Fairburn Ings Fairburn is a small village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Situated approximately 10 miles to the east of Leeds, lying close to the A1 motorway and 4 miles from the M62 motorway.-Geology:The village sits on the eastern edge of a narrow... , Featherstone Featherstone Featherstone is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-west of Pontefract and has a population of 14,175.Featherstone railway station is on the Pontefract Line.-History:... , Ferrybridge Ferrybridge Ferrybridge is a village in West Yorkshire, England at a historically important crossing of the River Aire. It is linked to other communities by the A1, which follows the route of the Great North Road.... , Fitzwilliam Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire Fitzwilliam is a small village on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It is located in the City of Wakefield district. Technically, it is part of the town of Hemsworth and governed by Hemsworth Town Council as well as Wakefield M.D.C., but the Land Registry and Post Office recognise Fitzwilliam... , Hemsworth Hemsworth Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311.... , Horbury Horbury -Demography:In 2008 Horbury had a largely white population compared with Yorkshire and the Humber.-Population change:The population of Horbury in 2001 was 10,002-Transport:... , Knottingley Knottingley Knottingley is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England on the River Aire and the A1 road. It has a population of 13,503.... , Newmillerdam Newmillerdam Newmillerdam is a village and suburb of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. The name also refers to the lake and country park adjacent to the village.... , Normanton Normanton, West Yorkshire Normanton is a town and civil parish within the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is northeast of Wakefield and southwest of Castleford, and at the time of the 2001 Census, the population was 19,949.-History:... , Nostell Nostell Nostell is a village in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, near Hemsworth. It is in the civil parish of Huntwick with Foulby and Nostell, which has a population of 90, and is the site of an Augustinian priory which received its charter in 1121.Nostell Priory is an 18th century... , Ossett Ossett Ossett is a market town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on junction 40 of the M1 motorway, half-way between Dewsbury, to the west, and Wakefield, to the east. In the 2001 census, it was classified as part of the West Yorkshire... , Outwood Outwood, West Yorkshire Outwood is a district to the north of Wakefield, a city in West Yorkshire, England. The district is centred on the A61 Leeds Road south of Lofthouse. It was originally a small pit village, but there has been so much new housing in the last twenty years that the old village is now only a minority of... , Pontefract Pontefract Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250... , Ryhill Ryhill Ryhill is a small village and civil parish situated on the B6428 road in West Yorkshire, England approximately 7 miles south east of the city of Wakefield. It has a population of 2,628.... , Sandal Sandal, Wakefield -Governance:Sandal was anciently a parish town in the Agbrigg Division of the wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley in the liberty of Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire. Following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, Sandal Magna became one of the 17 constituent parishes of the Wakefield Poor Law Union... , Sharlston, Stanley Stanley, West Yorkshire Stanley is an area in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is about north-east of Wakefield city centre.Stanley was an Urban District in the West Riding of Yorkshire prior to 1974, being made up the four electoral wards of Lake Lock, Outwood, Stanley and Wrenthorpe... , Walton (Wakefield) Walton, Wakefield Walton is a village and civil parish in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Wakefield. It has a population of 3,377. It is on the Barnsley Canal and includes Walton Hall, West Yorkshire, the home of Charles Waterton, the man who made Walton Hall into the first nature reserve in the country... , West Bretton West Bretton West Bretton is a village and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies from Wakefield, close to junction 38 of the M1 motorway. It has a population of 546.... |
|
Climate
West Yorkshire has an Oceanic climate, similar to almost all the United Kingdom. West Yorkshire tends to be cooler than counties further south, due to the inland location and high elevation (especially in the west of the county), and snow is common, as are sub-zero temperatures. In December 2010, many rivers in West Yorkshire froze over, such as the River Wharfe and River Aire.Temperatures vary throughout the year, often reaching 30°C, and in winter often fall to -16°C (as in December 2010), but in general they remain between -1°C and 20°C all year.
Governance
In Parliament, 15 out of 23 of West Yorkshire's M.P.s are LabourLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, 6 are Conservative and 2 are Liberal Democrats. At local level, the councils are generally divided, apart from the Wakefield district, which has long been one of the safest Labour councils in the country.
There are currently plans for a tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
system in West Yorkshire, but those for a Leeds Supertram
Leeds Supertram
The Leeds Supertram was a proposed light rail/tram system in Leeds and West Yorkshire in England.-Initial proposals:Proposals for the reinstatement of trams or a light rail system in Leeds which were withdrawn in 1959 have been ongoing since the 1970s with various plans for varying light rail...
were rejected by the government in 2005.
Certain services are provided across the county by West Yorkshire Joint Services
West Yorkshire Joint Services
West Yorkshire Joint Services provides certain public services to the five districts of West Yorkshire, England . It is jointly funded by the five district councils, pro rata to their population, and is run by a committee of equal numbers of councillors from the five councils...
, and the West Yorkshire Police
West Yorkshire Police
West Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing West Yorkshire in England. It is the fourth largest force in England and Wales by number of officers, with 5671 officers....
and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
The West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is the county-wide, statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England...
are also county-wide.
Demography
| District | Area km2 | Population | Population density |
|---|---|---|---|
| 366.42 | 497,400 | 1,346 | |
| Calderdale Calderdale The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name... |
363.92 | 200,100 | 545 |
| Kirklees Kirklees The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite... |
408.60 | 401,000 | 975 |
| 551.72 | 761,100 | 1,360 | |
| 338.61 | 321,600 | 949 | |
Economy
| Year | Regional Gross Value Added | Agriculture | Industry | Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 21,302 | 132 | 7,740 | 13,429 |
| 2000 | 27,679 | 80 | 8,284 | 19,314 |
| 2003 | 31,995 | 91 | 8,705 | 23,199 |
Industries
West Yorkshire grew up around several industries. Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield were grown through the development of woollenWoolen
Woolen or woollen is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn...
mills, Leeds' traditional industry was the manufacturing of cloth, while heavier engineering industries facilitated growth in South Leeds. Wakefield, Castleford, Pontefract and South and East Leeds were traditional coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
areas. The woollen and cloth industries declined throughout the twentieth century, while mining in West Yorkshire declined through the late 1980s and 1990s, leaving only Kellingley Colliery
Kellingley Colliery
Kellingley Colliery is one of the newest of the few deep coal mines left in Britain today. It is situated at Beal in North Yorkshire, about east of Knottingley in West Yorkshire, on the A645, although the postal address is Knottingley, West Yorkshire, and east of Ferrybridge power station. The...
and a few open cast mines today.
Leeds has since attracted investment from financial institutions, to become a recognised financial centre, with many bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s, building societies and insurance companies having offices in the city. Wakefield has also attracted many service based industries, inparticularly call centres. Two of the big four supermarkets are from West Yorkshire. Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
is based in Bradford, while Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
is based in Leeds. Netto
Netto
Netto is Danish/Norwegian/Swedish/Dutch/German for "net" . In most European languages the word "netto" refers to net worth or net pay.It may also refer to:...
have their British headquarters in South Elmsall.
Transport
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
, M1
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...
and the A1(M) pass through the county, as well as the internal urban motorways in 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 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...
. West Yorkshire has two mainline railway stations, Leeds and Wakefield Westgate
Wakefield Westgate railway station
Wakefield Westgate railway station is the mainline railway station for the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on the western edge of the main city centre, on the opposite side from Wakefield's other station, Kirkgate.-Services:...
. Leeds railway station is the only Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
principal station in Yorkshire and North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
, and one of only three in the North of England along with Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...
and Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
. Other important railway stations in West Yorkshire include Bradford Interchange, Bradford Forster Square
Bradford Forster Square railway station
Bradford Forster Square station is a railway station in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The majority of services to/from the station use Class 333 electrified trains operated by Northern Rail, on the Airedale Line to Skipton, the Wharfedale Line to Ilkley and the Leeds-Bradford Line to Leeds.The...
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield railway station
Huddersfield railway station serves the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England.The station is managed by First TransPennine Express who provide trains between the North East, North and East Yorkshire, and Leeds to the east and Manchester Piccadilly and North West.It is also served by local...
, Halifax
Halifax railway station
Halifax railway station serves the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Caldervale Line and is west from .The station at Halifax is an example of a single island platform acting as two platforms. Platform 2 heads eastbound, towards Bradford while Platform 1 heads westbound...
, Dewsbury
Dewsbury railway station
Dewsbury railway station serves the town of Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, England. The station is south west of Leeds on the Huddersfield Line.The station is managed by TransPennine Express trains and it is the stop between Leeds and Huddersfield.-History:...
, Keighley
Keighley railway station
Keighley railway station serves the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England.First opened in March 1847 by the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway , the station is located on the Airedale Line north west of Leeds. It is managed by Northern Rail, who operate most of the passenger trains...
and Shipley
Shipley railway station
Shipley railway station serves the town of Shipley in West Yorkshire, England.Train services are mostly commuter services between Leeds and Bradford, the Airedale Line , and the Wharfedale Line...
. West Yorkshire also has Yorkshire's largest airport, Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of Leeds city centre itself...
.
Unlike South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire has no light transit system; the Leeds Supertram
Leeds Supertram
The Leeds Supertram was a proposed light rail/tram system in Leeds and West Yorkshire in England.-Initial proposals:Proposals for the reinstatement of trams or a light rail system in Leeds which were withdrawn in 1959 have been ongoing since the 1970s with various plans for varying light rail...
was proposed, but was later cancelled after the withdrawal of government funding; the Leeds Trolleybus
Leeds Trolleybus
A Leeds trolleybus system served the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England between 1911 and 1928, and a very different new system for Leeds, known as the New Generation Transport - NGT project, is currently proposed....
is the current proposed scheme. Public transport is run under the authority of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority and was originally formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport...
(Metro).
Places of interest
Historic environment
See also: List of castles in West YorkshireSee also: List of historic houses in West Yorkshire
- Bretton Hall
- Cliffe Hall, also known as Cliffe Castle, KeighleyKeighleyKeighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
- East Riddlesden HallEast Riddlesden HallEast Riddlesden Hall is a 17th century manor house in Keighley, West Yorkshire, now owned by the National Trust. The hall was built in 1642 by a wealthy Halifax clothier, James Murgatroyd. There is a medieval tithebarn in the grounds....
- Esholt Hall, EsholtEsholtEsholt is a village between Shipley and Guiseley, in the metropolitan district of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.- Derivation of name :The name "Esholt" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area of ash trees....
- Firsby Hall
- Halifax Piece HallHalifax Piece HallThe Halifax Piece Hall is a building in the town centre of Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, originally built as a sales centre for woollen handloom weavers. It opened on 1 January 1779, with over 300 separate rooms arranged around a central courtyard. The term piece refers to pieces of cloth that...
- Harewood HouseHarewood HouseHarewood House is a country house located in Harewood , near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is a member of Treasure Houses of England, a marketing consortium for nine of the foremost stately homes in England...
- Kershaw House
- Keighley and Worth Valley RailwayKeighley and Worth Valley RailwayThe Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a long branch line that served mills and villages in the Worth Valley and is now a heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England. It runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station...
- Kirklees Hall/PrioryKirklees HallKirklees Hall is a 16th century Grade I listed Jacobean hall, close to the English village of Clifton in Calderdale, West Yorkshire. The first evidence of a hall constructed at Kirklees was that of Sir Thomas Gargrave, who conveyed the property to the Pilkington family. Lady Armytage, sold the...
- Kirkstall AbbeyKirkstall AbbeyKirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded c.1152. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices of Henry...
- Roman LagentiumLagentiumLagentium or Legiolum was the Roman name for the fort and surrounding civilian settlement which was built around the year 74 by the Roman Empire. The English town of Castleford, West Yorkshire, is now built on what was the fort....
(CastlefordCastlefordCastleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
) - Ledston Hall, LedstonLedstonLedston is a village and civil parish north of Castleford and east of Leeds in the county of West Yorkshire, England. The village is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough...
- Linthwaite Hall, LinthwaiteLinthwaiteLinthwaite is a village in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated 4 miles west of Huddersfield, on the A62 in the Colne Valley...
- Linton Hall
- Lotherton HallLotherton HallLotherton Hall is a country house near Aberford, West Yorkshire, England. It lies a short distance from the A1 motorway, 200 miles equidistant between London and Edinburgh....
- Middleton RailwayMiddleton RailwayThe 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...
, the world's oldest steam railway - Nostell PrioryNostell PrioryNostell Priory is a Palladian house located in Nostell, near Crofton close to Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, approached by the Doncaster road from Wakefield...
- Oakwell HallOakwell HallOakwell Hall is an Elizabethan Manor House located in the village of Birstall, West Yorkshire, England and set in period gardens surrounded by of country park....
- Oulton HallOulton HallOulton Hall in Oulton, West Yorkshire, England was originally a stately home with extensive grounds and gardens which are now the golf course. It spent a short period of time as a mental health institute but is now a 4 star hotel...
, OultonOulton, West YorkshireOulton is a village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, between Leeds and Wakefield. It is at the junction of the A639 and A642 roads. Though now adjoining the village of Woodlesford, it was once quite separate... - Pontefract CastlePontefract CastlePontefract Castle is a castle in the town of Pontefract, in the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It was the site of the demise of Richard II of England, and later the place of a series of famous sieges during the English Civil War-History:...
- Pontefract PrioryPontefract PrioryPontefract Priory was a Cluniac monastery dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, founded about 1090 by Robert de Lacy, and located in Yorkshire, England. It existed until the dissolution of the monasteries...
, PontefractPontefractPontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
- Queen's Park, CastlefordCastlefordCastleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
- Roundhay ParkRoundhay ParkRoundhay Park in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, is one of the biggest city parks in Europe. It has over of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens which are owned by Leeds City Council. The park is one of the most popular attractions in Leeds, nearly a million people visit each year...
Leeds - SaltaireSaltaireSaltaire is a Victorian model village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
, a model villageModel villageA model village is a type of mostly self-contained community, in most cases built from the late eighteenth century onwards by industrialists to house their workers... - Sandal CastleSandal CastleSandal Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Sandal Magna, a suburb of the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, overlooking the River Calder. It was the site of royal intrigue, the opening of one of William Shakespeare's plays, and was the source for a common children's nursery rhyme.-The...
- Scarcroft Watermill, ScarcroftScarcroftScarcroft is an upmarket village and civil parish north east of Leeds city centre in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. The village lies on the main A58 road between Leeds and Wetherby. Scarcroft has a LS14 postcode and two of the most expenisve streets in Yorkshire...
- Shelley Hall, ShelleyShelley, West YorkshireShelley is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, 3 miles north of Holmfirth and 6 miles south east of Huddersfield. It sometimes appears as Shelley Woodhouse and has a population of 3,059 . It is part of the Kirkburton ward of the local council. Road transport links are...
- Shibden HallShibden HallShibden Hall is a historic house located in a public park at Shibden, West Yorkshire, England. It dates back to around 1420, when it was recorded as being inhabited by one William Otes. Prior to 1619, it was then owned by the Savile and Waterhouse families. The three families' armorial symbols are...
- Shipley Glen TramwayShipley Glen TramwayThe Shipley Glen Tramway is a historic funicular tramway situated in the wooded Shipley Glen near the village of Saltaire in the English county of West Yorkshire....
- Tong Hall, TongTong, West YorkshireTong is a Ward in City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, named after Tong village which is its oldest settlement.- Geography :...
- Wetherby Castle, WetherbyWetherbyWetherby 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...
Museums
- Abbey House MuseumAbbey House MuseumAbbey House Museum in Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is housed in the gatehouse of the ruined Kirkstall Abbey, a grade II* listed building....
, LeedsLeedsLeeds 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... - Armley Mills Industrial MuseumArmley Mills Industrial MuseumThe Armley Mills Leeds Industrial Museum is a museum of industrial heritage located in Armley, west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It includes collections of textile machinery, railway equipment and heavy engineering amongst others....
, Leeds - Bankfield MuseumBankfield MuseumBankfield Museum is a grade II listed historic house museum, incorporating a regimental museum and textiles gallery in Boothtown, Halifax, England...
, HalifaxHalifax, West YorkshireHalifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece... - Bradford Industrial MuseumBradford Industrial MuseumBradford Industrial Museum, established 1974 in Moorside Mills, Eccleshill, Bradford, United Kingdom, specializes in relics of local industry, especially printing and textile machinery, kept in working condition for regular demonstrations to the public...
, Eccleshill/Fagley, BradfordBradfordBradford 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... - Brontë Parsonage MuseumBrontë Parsonage MuseumThe Brontë Parsonage Museum is maintained by the Brontë Society in honour of the famed Brontë sisters – Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë – in their old home located in Haworth, West Yorkshire, an area of England covered in much open, expansive moorland...
, HaworthHaworthHaworth is a rural village in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is located amongst the Pennines, southwest of Keighley and west of Bradford. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope... - Colne Valley MuseumColne Valley MuseumThe Colne Valley Museum is located within the Colne Valley at Golcar, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. The museum consists of three converted 19th century weaver's cottages. The museum provides an insight into what life was like for a weaver in the early 1850s. The museum includes a clog...
, GolcarGolcarGolcar is a village located on a hillside crest above the Colne Valley in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield, and just north of the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal...
, HuddersfieldHuddersfieldHuddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city.... - EurekaEureka! (museum)Eureka! The National Children's Museum is an interactive educational museum for children in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. It is run as an educational charity and not-for-profit organisation....
, Halifax - Leeds City MuseumLeeds City MuseumLeeds City Museum, originally established in 1819, re-opened on 13 September 2008 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is housed in the former Mechanics' Institute built by Cuthbert Brodrick, in Millennium Square, which has been redeveloped to a design by Austin-Smith:Lord architects and Buro...
, Leeds - National Coal Mining Museum for EnglandNational Coal Mining Museum for EnglandThe National Coal Mining Museum for England is based at the site of Caphouse Colliery in Overton, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1988 as the Yorkshire Mining Museum and was granted national status in 1995.-History:...
OvertonOverton, WakefieldOverton is a small village in West Yorkshire, England, between Wakefield and Huddersfield. It lies about south west of Wakefield, south of Ossett, west of Netherton and south west of Horbury....
, WakefieldWakefieldWakefield 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.... - National Media Museum, Bradford
- Pennine Farm Museum, RippondenRippondenRipponden is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax, on the River Ryburn. It is the site of a Roman settlement, and there is a Roman Road over nearby Blackstone Edge, a rocky ridge of Millstone Grit...
, Halifax - Pontefract MuseumPontefract MuseumPontefract Museum is a local museum in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. The collections cover archaeology, archives, decorative and applied art, fine art, photographs and social history.- History :...
- Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds
- Thackray MuseumThackray Museumright|thumb|Thackray MuseumThe Thackray Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is a museum of the history of medicine adjacent to St James's Hospital. Since it opened in 1997 it has won "Museum of the Year" and other awards....
, Leeds - The Hepworth WakefieldThe Hepworth WakefieldThe Hepworth Wakefield is an art gallery in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, which opened on 21 May 2011. The gallery, is situated on the south side of the River Calder and takes its name from artist and sculptor Barbara Hepworth who was born and educated in the city.The gallery was designed by...
- Thwaite MillsThwaite MillsThwaite Mills is an industrial museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is a fully restored working water-powered mill built in 1823-25, harnessing the power of the River Aire, and claims to be "one of the best last remaining examples of a water-powered mill in Britain." It is administered by...
, Leeds - Tolson MuseumTolson MuseumThe Tolson Museum is a local museum in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It is housed in a Victorian mansion in Knowle Park on Wakefield Road which was given to the town in memory of two brothers killed in World War I and was originally a natural history museum...
, Dalton, Huddersfield - Wakefield MuseumWakefield MuseumWakefield Museum is a local museum in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, north England, covering the history of the city of Wakefield and the local area from preistoric times onwards.- Overview :...
, Wakefield - West Yorkshire Folk Museum, Shibden HallShibden HallShibden Hall is a historic house located in a public park at Shibden, West Yorkshire, England. It dates back to around 1420, when it was recorded as being inhabited by one William Otes. Prior to 1619, it was then owned by the Savile and Waterhouse families. The three families' armorial symbols are...
, Halifax - Yorkshire Sculpture ParkYorkshire Sculpture ParkThe Yorkshire Sculpture Park in West Bretton, Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England is an open-air gallery showing work by UK and international artists, including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth...
, West BrettonWest BrettonWest Bretton is a village and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies from Wakefield, close to junction 38 of the M1 motorway. It has a population of 546....
, Wakefield
Natural environment
- Emley Moor, site of the tallest self-supporting structure in the UK (a TV mast)
- Harewood EstateHarewood HouseHarewood House is a country house located in Harewood , near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is a member of Treasure Houses of England, a marketing consortium for nine of the foremost stately homes in England...
– Leeds Country Way public footpath runs through the estate, beautiful landscaped gardens and home to Red Kites amongst many other birds - Ilkley MoorIlkley MoorIlkley Moor is part of Rombalds Moor, the moorland between Ilkley and Keighley in West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. The peat bogs rise to 402 m above sea level...
, part of Rombalds Moor - New SwillingtonSwillingtonSwillington is a small village and civil parish near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. It is located east of the River Aire and surrounded by streams including Fleakingley Beck. As of 2001, Swillington had a population of about 3,530.Swillington used to be a...
Ings Nature Reserve - Otley ChevinThe ChevinThe Chevin is the name given to the ridge on the south side of Wharfedale in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, overlooking the market town of Otley.-History and features:...
– extensive wooded parkland on high ground with extensive views North over Wharfedale and South as far as the Peak District - RSPB Fairburn IngsRSPB Fairburn IngsFairburn Ings RSPB reserve is a flagship RSPB nature reserve in the county of West Yorkshire, England; established in 1968. It is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in conjunction with the local council....
– wetland centre for birds - Seckar Woods LNR, a Local Nature ReserveLocal Nature ReserveLocal nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
- Walton Hall, West YorkshireWalton Hall, West YorkshireWalton Hall is a stately home in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Wakefield. It was built in the Palladian style around 1767 on an island within a 26 acre lake, on the site of a former moated medieval hall. It was the ancestral home of the naturalist and traveller Charles Waterton, who...
, home of naturalist Charles WatertonCharles WatertonCharles Waterton was an English naturalist and explorer.-Heritage and Life:"Squire" Waterton was born at Walton Hall, Wakefield, Yorkshire to Thomas Waterton and Anne Bedingfield. He was of a Roman Catholic landed gentry family descended from Reiner de Waterton...
and the world's first nature reserveNature reserveA 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...
Waterways
- Scammonden ReservoirScammonden ReservoirScammonden Reservoir is a water reservoir in West Yorkshire, England. The area of the water surface when the reservoir is full is . The level of the bellmouth overflow above sea level is . The reservoir holds 7800 million litres. Its length is .-History:...
, Deanhead ReservoirDeanhead ReservoirDeanhead Reservoir is a reservoir near Scammonden, in the metropolitan district of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.It is named after Dean Head, the village that was mostly submerged during construction of the dam...
– both in the moors near RippondenRippondenRipponden is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax, on the River Ryburn. It is the site of a Roman settlement, and there is a Roman Road over nearby Blackstone Edge, a rocky ridge of Millstone Grit... - River AireRiver AireThe River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
, River CalderRiver Calder, West YorkshireThe River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
, River HebbleRiver HebbleHebble Brook is the body of water passing from Ogden Reservoir south, at Ogden, Halifax. The reservoir itself is sourced from water draining off Skirden Edge, through Skirden Clough, to the west and from the north the reservoir takes in water from Deep Gulf and Spa Flat, above the now disused Fly...
, River SpenRiver SpenThe River Spen is a river in the county of West Yorkshire, England and is a tributary of the River Calder. It rises north of Cleckheaton, runs through Liversedge and flows into the River Calder, West Yorkshire south of Dewsbury at Ravensthorpe. The average rainfall for the river valley is between...
, River WorthRiver WorthThe River Worth is a river in West Yorkshire, England. It flows from minor tributaries on the moors above Watersheddles Reservoir down the Worth Valley to Haworth, where it is joined by Bridgehouse Beck which flows from Oxenhope... - Aire and Calder NavigationAire and Calder NavigationThe Aire and Calder Navigation is a river and canal system of the River Aire and the River Calder in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. The first improvements to the rivers above Knottingley were completed in 1704 when the Aire was made navigable to Leeds and the Calder to...
- Calder and Hebble NavigationCalder and Hebble NavigationThe Calder and Hebble Navigation is a Broad inland waterway in West Yorkshire, England, which has remained navigable since it was opened.-History:...
- Huddersfield Broad CanalHuddersfield Broad CanalThe Huddersfield Broad Canal is a wide-locked navigable canal in Yorkshire in northern England.The waterway is 3¾ miles long and has 9 wide locks...
- Huddersfield Narrow CanalHuddersfield Narrow CanalThe Huddersfield Narrow Canal is an inland waterway in northern England. It runs just under from Lock 1E at the rear of the University of Huddersfield campus, near Aspley Basin at Huddersfield to the junction with the Ashton Canal at Whitelands Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne...
, Standedge TunnelStandedge TunnelsThe Standedge Tunnels are four parallel tunnels that run beneath the Pennines at the traditional Standedge crossing point between Marsden and Diggle, on the edges of the conurbations of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester respectively, in northern England.There are three railway tunnels and a... - Leeds and Liverpool CanalLeeds and Liverpool CanalThe Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
- Rochdale CanalRochdale CanalThe Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
See also
- List of Lord Lieutenants of West YorkshireLord Lieutenant of West YorkshireThe office of Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974.*Kenneth Hargreaves 1 April 1974 – 1978 *William Bulmer 1978–1985*John Taylor, Baron Ingrow 1985–1992...
- List of High Sheriffs of West YorkshireHigh Sheriff of West YorkshireThe High Sheriff of West Yorkshire is a current High Sheriff title which has existed since 1974, the holder is changed annually every March. For around 1,000 years the entire area of Yorkshire was covered by a single High Sheriff of Yorkshire...
- The Kingdom of ElmetElmetElmet was an independent Brythonic kingdom covering a broad area of what later became the West Riding of Yorkshire during the Early Middle Ages, between approximately the 5th century and early 7th century. Although its precise boundaries are unclear, it appears to have been bordered by the River...
- West Yorkshire Urban AreaWest Yorkshire Urban AreaThe West Yorkshire Urban Area is a term used by the Office for National Statistics to refer to a conurbation in West Yorkshire, England, based around the cities of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, and the large town of Huddersfield...
- West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance ServiceWest Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance ServiceWest Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service, or 'WYMAS', was the NHS ambulance service covering West Yorkshire and the western side of North Yorkshire. On July 1, 2006 it was merged to the single Yorkshire Ambulance Service.-History:...
- West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)The West Yorkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. In 1958 it amalgamated with The East Yorkshire Regiment to form The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire...