Wrenthorpe
Encyclopedia
Wrenthorpe is a village north-west of Wakefield
, in West Yorkshire
, England
.
It is located in the Rhubarb Triangle
.
s compilation in 1086.
Pottery
has played an important role in Wrenthorpe's history, building from the presence of a few potters in the 15th century, to a thriving cottage industry that peaked in the 17th century, before declining over the course of the 18th. Such was the scale of pottery production, the village became known as "Potovens," attributed to the kilns used to fire finished pottery. Today reminders of this heritage can be found in local names, such as "Potovens Lane," together with the remains of pottery and clay tobacco pipes that can be found in the soil.
As the potteries went into decline coal mining
, already present on a smaller scale providing fuel for the potters' kilns, expanded to meet the needs of the industrial revolution
. Agriculture also grew more important to the area.
During the 19th and early 20th century rope
and woolen textile production joined coal and agriculture as Wrenthorpe's major industries, both disappearing over the course of the 20th century. Rhubarb
forcing houses have also been located in Wrenthorpe, contributing to West Yorkshire
's extensive Rhubarb growing industry.
in Wrenthorpe, both are pyramid schools of Outwood Grange Academy in nearby Outwood
.
Silcoates School
provides a private
education catering for ages 2 though to 18. The associated Sunny Hill House School provides private education for 2-7 year olds.
with facilities including hard tennis courts, a bowling green
, children's playground
, football pitch
and car parking. Park paths connect with the neighboring village of Alverthorpe
through Alverthorpe and Wrenthorpe Meadows, a Local Nature Reserve
with managed hay meadows and wetland
areas.
In addition a smaller recreation ground, with a football pitch, is located in the centre of the village at the foot of Sunny Hill on Wrenthorpe Lane.
Wrenthorpe Cricket Club has senior teams competing in the Central Yorkshire Cricket League. Wrenthorpe Cricket Club equalled the record of consecutive Heavy Woollen cup final victories, with four wins in a row. The feat was previously done 120 years ago by Dewsbury & Saville CC. The club also has a series of junior teams ranging from under 9's to under 17's.
The Wrenthorpe Rangers are a local football club with junior teams from U6 through to U18's and an open age teams that compete in the Wakefield Sunday league.
Wrenthorpe Badminton
Club offers both social and competitive play, with teams in the Castleford & District League and the Barnsley & District League. It also provides junior coaching for 10-16 year olds.
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....
, in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It is located in the Rhubarb Triangle
Rhubarb Triangle
The Rhubarb Triangle is a triangle in West Yorkshire, England located between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell famous for producing early forced rhubarb. It includes Kirkhamgate, East Ardsley, Stanley, Lofthouse and Carlton. The Rhubarb Triangle was originally much bigger covering an area between...
.
History
Although earlier remains, such as Roman coins and pottery, have been found in the area, the current settlement dates from after the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
s compilation in 1086.
Pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
has played an important role in Wrenthorpe's history, building from the presence of a few potters in the 15th century, to a thriving cottage industry that peaked in the 17th century, before declining over the course of the 18th. Such was the scale of pottery production, the village became known as "Potovens," attributed to the kilns used to fire finished pottery. Today reminders of this heritage can be found in local names, such as "Potovens Lane," together with the remains of pottery and clay tobacco pipes that can be found in the soil.
As the potteries went into decline 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,...
, already present on a smaller scale providing fuel for the potters' kilns, expanded to meet the needs of 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...
. Agriculture also grew more important to the area.
During the 19th and early 20th century rope
Rope
A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
and woolen textile production joined coal and agriculture as Wrenthorpe's major industries, both disappearing over the course of the 20th century. Rhubarb
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a group of plants that belong to the genus Rheum in the family Polygonaceae. They are herbaceous perennial plants growing from short, thick rhizomes. They have large leaves that are somewhat triangular-shaped with long fleshy petioles...
forcing houses have also been located in Wrenthorpe, contributing to 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....
's extensive Rhubarb growing industry.
Education
Wrenthrope is served by two state primary schools, Wrenthorpe Primary School and Jerry Clay Lane Junior & Infants School. As there is no state secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Wrenthorpe, both are pyramid schools of Outwood Grange Academy in nearby 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...
.
Silcoates School
Silcoates School
Silcoates School is a public school in Wakefield, England. It was founded in 1820 as the Northern Congregational School at Silcoates House, for the board and education of the sons of non-conformist clergy; it was located close to Ossett and Horbury, which both had unusually large nonconformist...
provides a private
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
education catering for ages 2 though to 18. The associated Sunny Hill House School provides private education for 2-7 year olds.
Recreation and sport
Wrenthorpe Park is a large public parkPark
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
with facilities including hard tennis courts, a bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
, children's playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, football pitch
Association football pitch
An association football pitch is the playing surface for the game of association football made of turf. Its dimensions and markings are defined by Law 1 of the Laws of the Game, "The Field of Play".All line markings on the pitch form part of the area which they define...
and car parking. Park paths connect with the neighboring village of 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...
through Alverthorpe and Wrenthorpe Meadows, a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local 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...
with managed hay meadows and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
areas.
In addition a smaller recreation ground, with a football pitch, is located in the centre of the village at the foot of Sunny Hill on Wrenthorpe Lane.
Wrenthorpe Cricket Club has senior teams competing in the Central Yorkshire Cricket League. Wrenthorpe Cricket Club equalled the record of consecutive Heavy Woollen cup final victories, with four wins in a row. The feat was previously done 120 years ago by Dewsbury & Saville CC. The club also has a series of junior teams ranging from under 9's to under 17's.
The Wrenthorpe Rangers are a local football club with junior teams from U6 through to U18's and an open age teams that compete in the Wakefield Sunday league.
Wrenthorpe Badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
Club offers both social and competitive play, with teams in the Castleford & District League and the Barnsley & District League. It also provides junior coaching for 10-16 year olds.