Woodhouse Moor
Encyclopedia
Woodhouse Moor is an open space approximately one mile (1.6 km) from Leeds
city centre, West Yorkshire
, England
. Today it consists of 3 parts: a formal park, Woodhouse Moor (sometimes referred to as Hyde Park - see below), of around 26 hectares in area on the west of Woodhouse Lane (the A660
), and two other open areas on the east of it. These are known as the Monument (or Upper) and Cinder (or Gravel, or Lower) Moors which are used for events such as circuses and sporting matches, and sometimes car parking. Woodhouse Moor is north-west of Leeds city centre and is bounded by Woodhouse
, the University of Leeds
, Burley
, Hyde Park
, and Headingley
.
As of 2005 the park had just under 3 million visits a year and is the second most popular urban park in Leeds . The park has five main paths which meet in the centre, each is tree-lined and they divide the park into different areas of usage.
In the New Year Honours 2009
, Head Gardener John Egan was awarded an MBE
for services to the community.
The park was once part of a much larger moor of the same name, including land now occupied by the University of Leeds
. As high position above Leeds, it has been a military rallying point, and Rampart Road is named after the ramparts which were once there. During the English Civil War
, in 1642, Parliamentary forces led by Thomas Fairfax
massed on Woodhouse Moor before taking Leeds from the royalists.
The land was acquired by Leeds Corporation for the sum of £3,000 on 19 May, 1857 . Clarendon Road, which runs alongside Woodhouse Moor, used to be Reservoir Street because of a reservoir
belonging to Leeds Corporation Waterworks
. The reservoir was begun in 1837, after cholera
epidemics swept Leeds in 1832, and was covered over in 1863. Two stone lodges were built alongside the reservoir in 1840; one still stands (behind the gardener's cottage near the Victoria Monument); the other was converted into an observatory in 1906, and subsequently demolished.
In 1858 Queen Victoria
, in Leeds for the opening of the Town Hall
, visited the Moor and listened to 26,000 Sunday School
children sing hymns as the teachers tried to control them using placards with instructions such as 'Prepare to Cheer', 'Sing', 'Silence', and 'Dismiss'.
The road north of Woodhouse Moor Park is called Hyde Park road, indicating the former name. As with Hyde Park, London
this was a place where crowds would gather to hear public speakers, on specially built platforms.
In the beginning of the 20th century, there were extensive pleasure gardens and features such as a bandstand and (from 1919) a First World War tank. With the Second World War, the tank was melted down and the Moor given over to more utilitarian purposes such as air raid shelters
and allotments
(some of which still exist). In 1937 some statues were moved from the centre of Leeds, to the Moor, including those of Queen Victoria and Sir Henry Marsden
.
The Moor was one of the locations of the Festival of Britain
in 1951, opened by the Princess Royal (later Queen Elizabeth II
).
Monument, by George Frampton
it was originally placed at Leeds Town Hall
. Near Hyde Park
corner is a statue of Sir Robert Peel by William Behnes
and at the opposite corner where Moorland Road meets Clarendon road is a statue of the Duke of Wellington
by Carlo Marochetti
. The statue on Monument Moor, on the opposite side of the A660
to the main body of the Moor, is of Henry Rowland Marsden
, a Liberal Mayor of Leeds for 1875-6. These statues are regularly the subject of pranks by mischievous students, and can often be seen with paint on them or traffic cones on their heads.
The park has playgrounds, allotments, skateboard and BMX
park, formal gardens, and large areas of grassland. It is also the southern end of the Meanwood Valley Trail
, a footpath through woods and parks to Golden Acre Park
.
Unity Day is held in the park on the first Saturday of August to help unite the community following riots in the local area in 1995. 2000 saw a spate of street robberies which featured on BBC's Crimewatch
, with some victims being assaulted on Chesnut Avenue (see Most Burgled Street in England in Hyde Park, Leeds
article).
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...
city centre, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Today it consists of 3 parts: a formal park, Woodhouse Moor (sometimes referred to as Hyde Park - see below), of around 26 hectares in area on the west of Woodhouse Lane (the A660
A660 road
The A660 is a major road in West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. The A660 is approximately long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale...
), and two other open areas on the east of it. These are known as the Monument (or Upper) and Cinder (or Gravel, or Lower) Moors which are used for events such as circuses and sporting matches, and sometimes car parking. Woodhouse Moor is north-west of Leeds city centre and is bounded by Woodhouse
Woodhouse, Leeds
Woodhouse is a largely residential area just north of the city centre of Leeds and home to the University of Leeds. It is in the Hyde Park and Woodhouse ward of City of Leeds metropolitan district. It was described in 1853 as a "large and handsome village"...
, the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, Burley
Burley, Leeds
Burley is a suburb of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, characterised by the red brick terraced housing, much of which was built in the period 1899 - 1903 and green spaces. Sometimes called 'The Cardigan Triangle , it stretches north from the main Kirkstall Road, towards Hyde Park and...
, Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Leeds
Hyde Park is an inner-city area of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated between the University of Leeds and Headingley.It is mainly in the Hyde Park & Woodhouse ward, though some areas of what is often considered to be Hyde Park lie within the Headingley Ward . The boundary is...
, and 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...
.
As of 2005 the park had just under 3 million visits a year and is the second most popular urban park in Leeds . The park has five main paths which meet in the centre, each is tree-lined and they divide the park into different areas of usage.
In the New Year Honours 2009
New Year Honours 2009
The New Year Honours 2009 principally for the United Kingdom as well as the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 31 December 2008, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2009....
, Head Gardener John Egan was awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
for services to the community.
History
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. As high position above Leeds, it has been a military rallying point, and Rampart Road is named after the ramparts which were once there. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, in 1642, Parliamentary forces led by Thomas Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
massed on Woodhouse Moor before taking Leeds from the royalists.
The land was acquired by Leeds Corporation for the sum of £3,000 on 19 May, 1857 . Clarendon Road, which runs alongside Woodhouse Moor, used to be Reservoir Street because of a reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
belonging to Leeds Corporation Waterworks
WaterWorks
WaterWorks is a water park owned by Cedar Fair, located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. When it debuted in 1992, it was originally named Hurricane Reef...
. The reservoir was begun in 1837, after cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemics swept Leeds in 1832, and was covered over in 1863. Two stone lodges were built alongside the reservoir in 1840; one still stands (behind the gardener's cottage near the Victoria Monument); the other was converted into an observatory in 1906, and subsequently demolished.
In 1858 Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, in Leeds for the opening of the 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:...
, visited the Moor and listened to 26,000 Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
children sing hymns as the teachers tried to control them using placards with instructions such as 'Prepare to Cheer', 'Sing', 'Silence', and 'Dismiss'.
The road north of Woodhouse Moor Park is called Hyde Park road, indicating the former name. As with Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
this was a place where crowds would gather to hear public speakers, on specially built platforms.
In the beginning of the 20th century, there were extensive pleasure gardens and features such as a bandstand and (from 1919) a First World War tank. With the Second World War, the tank was melted down and the Moor given over to more utilitarian purposes such as air raid shelters
Air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
and allotments
Allotment (gardening)
An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
(some of which still exist). In 1937 some statues were moved from the centre of Leeds, to the Moor, including those of Queen Victoria and Sir Henry Marsden
Henry Rowland Marsden
Henry Rowland Marsden was a philanthropist and Mayor of Leeds for 1873 to 1875, said to be the most popular Victorian mayor of Leeds....
.
The Moor was one of the locations of the Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
in 1951, opened by the Princess Royal (later Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
).
Statues
There are several Victorian statues in the park: near the Woodhouse Lane, Clarendon Road junction is the VictoriaVictoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
Monument, by George Frampton
George Frampton
Sir George James Frampton, RA was a notable British sculptor and leading member of the New Sculpture movement.-Early life and career:...
it was originally placed at 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:...
. Near Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Leeds
Hyde Park is an inner-city area of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated between the University of Leeds and Headingley.It is mainly in the Hyde Park & Woodhouse ward, though some areas of what is often considered to be Hyde Park lie within the Headingley Ward . The boundary is...
corner is a statue of Sir Robert Peel by William Behnes
William Behnes
William Behnes was an English sculptor of the early 19th century.Born in London, Behnes was the son of a Hanoverian pianoforte-maker and his English wife. His early life was spent in Dublin where he studied art at the Dublin Academy....
and at the opposite corner where Moorland Road meets Clarendon road is a statue of the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
by Carlo Marochetti
Carlo Marochetti
Baron Carlo Marochetti was a sculptor, born in Turin but raised in Paris as a French citizen.-Life:Carlo Marochetti was born on 4 January 1805. His first teachers were François Joseph Bosio and Antoine-Jean Gros in Paris. Here his statue of A Young Girl playing with a Dog won a medal in 1829, and...
. The statue on Monument Moor, on the opposite side of the A660
A660 road
The A660 is a major road in West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. The A660 is approximately long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale...
to the main body of the Moor, is of Henry Rowland Marsden
Henry Rowland Marsden
Henry Rowland Marsden was a philanthropist and Mayor of Leeds for 1873 to 1875, said to be the most popular Victorian mayor of Leeds....
, a Liberal Mayor of Leeds for 1875-6. These statues are regularly the subject of pranks by mischievous students, and can often be seen with paint on them or traffic cones on their heads.
Activities
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
park, formal gardens, and large areas of grassland. It is also the southern end of the Meanwood Valley Trail
Meanwood Valley Trail
The Meanwood Valley Trail is a waymarked footpath and annual footrace route in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It runs for a distance of from the statue of Henry Rowland Marsden, 1878, on Woodhouse Moor, close to the University of Leeds, through Headingley, Meanwood and Adel to Breary Marsh,...
, a footpath through woods and parks to Golden Acre Park
Golden Acre Park
Golden Acre Park is a public park between Adel and Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England , administered by Leeds City Council. It is on the A660 Otley Road and covers an area of ....
.
Unity Day is held in the park on the first Saturday of August to help unite the community following riots in the local area in 1995. 2000 saw a spate of street robberies which featured on BBC's Crimewatch
Crimewatch
Crimewatch is a long-running and high-profile British television programme produced by the BBC, that reconstructs major unsolved crimes with a view to gaining information from the members of the public. The programme is usually broadcast once a month on BBC One...
, with some victims being assaulted on Chesnut Avenue (see Most Burgled Street in England in Hyde Park, Leeds
Hyde Park, Leeds
Hyde Park is an inner-city area of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated between the University of Leeds and Headingley.It is mainly in the Hyde Park & Woodhouse ward, though some areas of what is often considered to be Hyde Park lie within the Headingley Ward . The boundary is...
article).
External links
- Woodhouse Moor Online
- Leeds City Council Website Woodhouse Moor Park
- Unity Day website