Yeadon, West Yorkshire

Yeadon

High Street, Yeadon
Yeadon
Yeadon shown within West Yorkshire
Population 22,233 (Ward. Otley and Yeadon. 2011)
OS grid reference SE219398
• London 205mi
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LEEDS
Postcode district LS19
Dialling code 0113
Police West Yorkshire
Fire West Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
EU Parliament Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament

Yeadon is a town within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the City of Leeds ward Otley and Yeadon. Leeds Bradford International Airport is located immediately east of the town. The population according to the 2011 Census was 22,233.[1]

History

At the time of the Anglo-Saxons in the early 7th century much of the Aire valley was still heavily wooded, although perhaps Yeadon stood out above the tree line. The place name is probably derived from two Old English words meaning "high hill", as -don is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word for hill.

Between 675 and 725 AD there was a Christian settlement in Airedale and other Norse settlements followed. Viking settlers called the highest point in the area Yeadon Haw. The suffix haw appears to have been tautological, as it was likely derived from the Old Norse haugr, which also means "hill".[2] When the Domesday Book was compiled, Rawdon, Horsforth and Yeadon were classified as Terra Regis—land owned by the king.

Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Yeadon was formed out of Guiseley in 1845.[3] It was a centre of woollen manufactures in the 19th century, particularly noted for its women's apparel.[3] Its board of health was established in 1863.[3] It had a cattle fair every year on the first Monday in April and the Yeadon Feast in the third week of August, which was held on Albert Square at the top of the High Street. The fair continued until the early 1980s, when housing for the elderly was built on the site.

Increasing social unrest and labour disputes in the early 20th century led to a major lockout and subsequent hunger marches in 1913. As a result of the dispute, the working week in the textile mills was shortened, and workers received a pay rise, although this fell short of the demands of the trade unions who in consequence streamlined their organisation.[4]

Legacy

In chronostratigraphy, the term Yeadonian—for a British sub-stage of the Carboniferous period—is derived from the study of a geological site at the brick and tile works in Yeadon.[5]

Public transport

Yeadon had a rail connection from Guiseley which opened in 1894. The line was closed in 1964.[6] It is now a nature path and most of its length can still be walked, from the Old Engine Fields, off Henshaw Lane down Guiseley retail park where it joined the Guiseley Branch Line. The line continued over Henshaw Lane where an old bridge can still be seen. Immediately after the bridge was the railway station, near the Station Inn in the (now) council storage yard. The line terminated opposite Trinity Church (previously Benton Congregational Church) in Rawdon. Yeadon Station was mostly used for goods, and the line served several large mills directly along its route (Leafield Mill, Kirk Lane Mill, Westfield Mill, Green Lane Mill, a soap works and a dye works). The only passenger trains were special services. The first train to leave Yeadon Station in 1905 held 500 people. The following year, trains took passengers from Yeadon to Blackpool.

Yeadon (Green Lane) was connected by tram to Leeds from 1909 until the 1950s. Yeadon has bus connections to Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and the airport. The local services are operated by First Leeds, Yorkshire Tiger and Transdev Keighley. Most school services are operated by CT Plus with some operated by Transdev Blazefield. The nearest open railway station is Guiseley.

Religion

St John the Evangelist Church

Yeadon was part of the old, large Guiseley Parish but a church, St John the Evangelist Church, was built in 1844[7] as a Commissioners' church with a grant of £300. It was designed by Walker Rawsthorne. There is also a Roman Catholic church (St Peter and St Paul)[8] and a Methodist church.[9]

Landmarks

Yeadon Tarn

Yeadon is northwest of Leeds, at one of the highest points of the city, making it an unusual location for an airport. Yeadon Tarn (also known as Yeadon Dam) is located between High Street and the airport runway. During the Second World War it was drained to prevent enemy aircraft using its reflection as a landmark to identify the nearby Avro factory.[10] The tarn is used for sailing and fishing. Mallard ducks, swans and a sizable population of Canada geese can be found at the tarn. There is a BMX bike track adjacent to it, with competitions held in the summer.

Yeadon Town Hall, the main civic building in the town, is known for its distinctive clock tower. The building was used as a registrar's office in the Yorkshire Television programme The Beiderbecke Tapes.

Governance

Yeadon Town Hall

Yeadon, along with neighbouring towns Guiseley and Rawdon, formed Aireborough Urban District, which was created in 1937 and abolished in 1974. Yeadon still hosts local Rugby Union side Aireborough RUFC at Nunroyd Park.[11] Yeadon (except for the area north of Swincar Avenue on Kirk Lane, and the area south of the A65) is now in the Leeds City Council Ward of Otley & Yeadon. It is represented by three councillors. As of 2017 these are Ryk Downes, Colin Campbell and Sandy Lay of the Liberal Democrat. Leeds City Council now control the public services in Yeadon. Yeadon falls into two constituencies; the majority is in Leeds North West, which is held by the Liberal Democrats, represented by Greg Mulholland, and some falls into Pudsey, which is held by the Conservative Party, represented by Stuart Andrew.

Amenities

Yeadon has a developed town centre and most of the businesses are situated around the High Street. There is a Morrisons supermarket as well as several other chains of shops, such as KC's Express (est. 1994). There are also building societies, estate agents and public houses. There are also both Travelodge and Premier Travel Inn hotels situated near the airport.

Sports

Cricket has been played in Yeadon at least since around 1850 when scores of people were reported to play on Yeadon Moor after work ended on a Saturday teatime. Play continued as long as the light would allow. The origins of cricket in Yeadon are not definitely known, but at that time Yeadon boasted two teams, Topenders and Lowenders. The two teams decided to amalgamate at a meeting held in the Old Victoria Hotel, at the junction of Sandy Way and the Green, in 1859. The newly amalgamated club adopted the name Yeadon United Cricket Club, ‘united’ being dropped some time later.

The legendary W. G. Grace played at the Swan ground in 1877 with a United South XI. Grace was bowled for nought by an elated bowler who was then admonished by his captain for removing the man the crowd had paid to see.

Economy

Jet2.com's headquarters at Leeds Bradford International Airport

Avro had a factory next to Yeadon Aerodrome from 1938 to 1946 which produced many of the company's wartime planes, including the Lancaster, Lincoln, York and Anson. Approximately 700 Lancasters were produced at Yeadon. The town retains links with Leeds Bradford International Airport, with a considerable percentage of the local population employed there. Aviation heritage in Yeadon is kept alive by the activities of 2168 (Yeadon) Squadron Air Training Corps.[12]

The airline, Jet2.com, has its head office at Leeds Bradford Airport,[13] as does Dart Group, Jet2.com's parent company.[14]

Organisations

The national charity Epilepsy Action has its headquarters in the town.

Notable residents

The former Yorkshire and England cricket captain Brian Close lived in the town during his childhood.

Location grid


References

Citations

  1. ↑ "City of Leeds ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  2. ↑ Yeadon Local History (Education and Outreach Coordinator, West Yorkshire Archaeology Service. November 2009)
  3. 1 2 3 EB (1888).
  4. ↑ Macartney, Patrick (1991). The Yeadon Lockout and Hunger Marches of 1913.
  5. ↑ Cleal, C.J., Thomas, B.A., 1996 British Upper Carboniferous Stratigraphy Vol 11 of the Geological Conservation Review series
  6. ↑ "Yeadon Branch (Guiseley to Yeadon)". Lost Railways West Yorkshire. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "St John's Church, Yeadon".
  8. ↑ "SS Peter and Paul, Yeadon".
  9. ↑ "Yeadon Methodist Church".
  10. ↑ "BBC - WW2 People's War - Life in Old Bramhope in Wartime - Part 1". BBC. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  11. ↑ "ARUFC - CLub Contacts". www.aireboroughrufc.org. Archived from the original on 2 February 2004. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  12. ↑ "2168 (Yeadon) Squadron - Air Training Corps - Home of the Merlins". www.2168atc.org. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  13. ↑ "Jet2.com builds on its foundations at Leeds Bradford - literally!". Jet2.com. 6 February 2006. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  14. ↑ "Contacts". Dart Group. Retrieved 31 December 2011. Registered Office Dart Group PLC Low Fare Finder House Leeds Bradford International Airport Leeds LS19 7TU United Kingdom

Bibliography

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