West Yorkshire
Encyclopedia : W : WE : WES : West Yorkshire
| |
| Geography | |
| Status | Ceremonial and Metropolitan county (no county council) |
|---|---|
| Origin | 1974 |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Area - Total | Ranked 29th 2,029 km² |
| ONS code | 2F |
| NUTS 3 | UKE4 |
| Demographics | |
| Population - Total (2004 est.) - Density | Ranked {{English cerem counties / km² |
| Ethnicity | 88.6% White 8.7% S.Asian |
| Politics | |
| Members of Parliament | |
| Districts | |
 | |
It is composed of the districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield. It was formed in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972. Its county council was abolished in 1986 making its metropolitan boroughs de facto unitary authorities, although the county still exists in law and ceremonially. In Parliament, all but two of West Yorkshire's M.P.s are Labour. At local level, the councils are generally divided, apart from the Wakefield district, which has long been one the safest Labour councils in the country. The Wakefield district's industrial heritage of coal-mining tends to set it apart from the others somewhat.
Since the abolition of the county council, some services previously controlled by it are now run by joint boards, such as emergency services (West Yorkshire Police) and public transport (West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive). There are currently plans for a tram system in West Yorkshire, but those for a Leeds Supertram were rejected by the government in 2005.
Economy
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of West Yorkshire at current basic prices [published] (pp.240-253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.| Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 21,302 | 132 | 7,740 | 13,429 |
| 2000 | 27,679 | 80 | 8,284 | 19,314 |
| 2003 | 31,995 | 91 | 8,705 | 23,199 |
Note 1: includes hunting and forestry
Note 2: includes energy and construction
Note 3: includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured
Note 4: Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
Towns and villages
- Ackworth
- Baildon, Bailiff Bridge, Batley, Beeston, Bingley, Birkby, Boston Spa, Bradford, Brighouse
- Castleford, Cleckheaton, Copley, Cragg Vale, Cullingworth
- Denby Dale, Dewsbury
- Elland, Emley, Esholt
- Fairburn Ings, Fitzwilliam
- Garforth, Golcar, Gomersal, Greetland, Guiseley
- Halifax, Harewood, Hartshead, Hartshead Moor,Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Heckmondwike, Hemsworth, Heptonstall, Holmfirth, Honley, Horbury, Horsforth, Huddersfield
- Ilkley
- Keighley, Kirkburton, Kirkstall
- Ledsham, Ledston, Leeds, Linthwaite
- Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield, Morley, Mytholmroyd
- New Mill, Newmillerdam, New Farnley, Nostell
- Oakworth, Ossett, Oxenhope, Otley, Oulton
- Pontefract, Pudsey
- Queensbury
- Rastrick, Riddlesden, Ripponden, Rothwell
- Saltaire, Sandal, Scammonden Scarcroft, Scholes, Shelley, Shepley, Shibden, Shipley, Silsden, Slaithwaite, Sowerby Bridge, Stanbury
- Temple Newsam, Thornbury, Thornton, Thornhill, Todmorden, Tong
- Wakefield, Walton, West Bretton, Wetherby, Whitkirk, Wilsden,
- Yeadon
Places of interest
Historic environment
- Harewood House
- Cliffe Hall, also known as Cliffe Castle
- Esholt Hall
- Firsby Hall
- Kirklees Hall
- Ledston Hall
- Linthwaite Hall
- Linton Hall
- Lotherton Hall
- Kershaw House
- East Riddlesden Hall
- Oulton Hall
- Sandal Castle
- Shelley Hall
- Shibden Hall
- Tong Hall
- Bretton Hall
- Kirkstall Abbey, Kirklees Priory, Nostell Priory, Pontefract Priory
- Wetherby Castle
- Scarcroft Water Mill
- Roman Lagentium (Castleford)
- Saltaire, a model village
- Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Museums
- Bronte Parsonage Museum, Haworth
- Royal Armouries museum, Leeds
- Colne Valley Museum
- Pennine Farm Museum, Ripponden
- Pontefract Museum
- West Yorkshire Folk Museum, Shibden
- National Mining Museum for England (Netherton)
- National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton
- Tolson Museum, Dalton (Huddersfield)
Natural environment
- Emley Moor, site of the tallest self-supporting structure in the UK (a TV mast)
- Walton Hall, West Yorkshire, home of naturalist Charles Waterton and the world's first nature reserve
- RSPB Fairburn Ings - wetland centre for birds
- Seckar Woods LNR, a Local Nature Reserve
- New Swillington Ings Nature Reserve
- Otley Chevin - extensive wooded parkland on high ground with extensive views North over Wharfedale and South as far as the Peak District
- Harewood Estate - Leeds Country Way public footpath runs through the estate, beautiful landscaped gardens and home to Red Kites amongst many other birds
Waterways
- Scammonden Water, Deanhead Reservoir - both in the moors near Ripponden
- River Aire, River Calder, River Hebble, River Spen, River Worth
- Aire & Calder Navigation
- Calder and Hebble Navigation
- Huddersfield Broad Canal
- Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Standedge Tunnel
- Leeds and Liverpool Canal
- Knottingley & Goole Canal
- Rochdale Canal
Entertainment
- [Leeds City Guide]
- [The Pulse of West Yorkshire - commercial radio station covering Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale and parts of Leeds]
- [Pulse Classic Gold - commercial radio station covering Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale and parts of Leeds]
See also
- The Kingdom of Elmet
- West Yorkshire Urban Area
| Metropolitan County of West Yorkshire |
|
City of Bradford | City of Leeds | City of Wakefield Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale | Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees |
| Districts of Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| Barnsley | Bradford | Calderdale | Craven | Doncaster | East Riding of Yorkshire | Hambleton | Harrogate | Hull | Kirklees | Leeds | North Lincolnshire | North East Lincolnshire | Richmondshire | Rotherham | Ryedale | Scarborough | Selby | Sheffield | Wakefield | York | |
| Counties with multiple districts: North Yorkshire - South Yorkshire - West Yorkshire |
- redirect
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