Garforth
West Yorkshire
Garforth did not have the makings of a town until the Victorian era. Before that time it consisted of a small village at Church Garforth and, across the fields, separate hamlets at Garforth Bridge, West Garforth, Moor Garforth and East Garforth.
Up to that time the main activities in the area had been agriculture, with a corn mill at Garforth Bridge, and also coal mining and quarrying.
The Main Street of the town was developed during Victorian times, stretching south along an existing lane from Moor Garforth, where a station had recently been opened.
However, it is only since the middle of the 20th century that new housing, schools, shops and some industrial units have seen the developed area of Garforth quadruple in size. The second station in the town at East Garforth is a relatively recent addition, just over 30 years old, to help commuting from residential developments in the area.
The most northern section of the M1 motorway, running just north of Garforth, is an even more recent addition, having been opened in 1999.
Town features
The town has pubs and social clubs.
Garforth has local traders and a supermarket.
The town has Post Offices.
The town has pharmacies.
Takeaway food outlets in the town include fish and chips, chinese, curries, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches.
The town has cafes and coffee shops.
Restaurant and bistro dining can be found in Garforth.
Places to stay in Garforth include hotel accommodation.
Garforth has a community hall - Garforth Miners Welfare Hall.
The town has a library.
Garforth has schools.
Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, other.
Travel
Bus travel
The town has bus services to neighbouring towns and villages and city centre.Garforth station
Station managed by: NORTHERN. Operator/s: NORTHERN, TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS.NATIONAL RAIL - Departure and station info
External link to National Rail live departure board for services at this station (opens in new tab).
East Garforth station
Station managed by: NORTHERN. Operator/s: NORTHERN.NATIONAL RAIL - Departure and station info
External link to National Rail live departure board for services at this station (opens in new tab).
Road travel
Garforth can be reached via the A63 A642 B6137 Places to visit
Middleton Railway
Moor Road, Hunslet, LeedsThe world's oldest working railway is now operated by volunteers who run trains mostly at weekends. The railway was first opened as a horse-drawn colliery railway in 1758 and was the first to successfully use steam locomotives commercially in 1812. The line was not built as a passenger railway, but solely for carrying coal. Passengers can now make the journey between Moor Road station and Park Halt at the edge of the attractive woodland of Middleton Park, where there are displays about the past coal mining in the area. The line has a timetable of diesel and steam operating days and special events and the engine shed is a celebration of the numerous manufacturers, among them Hudson, Hudswell Clarke and Manning Wardle, which once made Leeds the biggest producer of railway locomotives in the country. The railway is about 2 miles south of Leeds city centre close to Junctions 5 & 6 of the M621.
More information at the
Temple Newsam House
Temple Newsam Road, off Selby Road, near Colton, Temple Newsam House dates from Tudor and Jacobean times and is surrounded by more than 600 hectares of parkland and gardens, which include a rare breeds farm. The gardens were designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in the 1760s. Leeds City Council now own the country house and estate, which is open to the public. The house has previously been used as an art museum but there has now been refurbishment of rooms to period styles to match the outstanding restored exterior of this Grade I listed building. There are fees for admission to the house and to the farm.
More information at the
Lotherton
Lotherton, off B1217 Collier Lane, near Lotherton is a country house estate with eight acres of Edwardian gardens and an orchard, deer park and grassy fields beyond. The hall itself consists mainly of Victorian and Edwardian extensions of a Regency core and it is decorated to reflect upper class life in the early 1900s. Its museum includes dedicated fashion galleries. Lotherton also has a historic chapel dating from the 12th century which was once part of the mediaeval village of Luttrington. Wildlife World at Lotherton represents the development of a bird garden established in the 1980s, featuring Humbolt penguins among the birds and other animals. Free ticketed entry to the estate is available. See the Leeds City Council website for details of current opening arrangements.
More information at the
Find on map:
Royal Armouries Museum
The Royal Armouries opened a museum in Leeds in 1996 to display some of the large national collection of arms and armour historically based at the White Tower of the Tower of London. Housed in a purpose-built modern building at Leeds Dock, near the city centre, arms and armour from Britain and across the world is exhibited in themed galleries, with a programme of live shows and demonstrations. The museum opens daily from 10am to 5pm with last admisssion at 4.30pm.
More details at the
Emergency services
West Yorkshire PoliceWest Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Local government
Metropolitan district council
City of LeedsThe City of Leeds authority covers an area extending several miles beyond the city itself, including areas of agricutural land with widely spaced villages to the north east and several separate small towns including
Leeds is just one of a ring five metropolitan councils covering the many cities, towns and villages of the conurbation of West Yorkshire. Around one-third of the West Yorkshire population live in the Leeds metropolitan district, just over ¾ million at the time of the 2011 census.
In the City of Leeds metropolitan district a total of 99 councillors are elected. There are three councillors per ward across 33 wards. Councillors are usually elected for four-year terms, one councillor being elected in each of three years out of four. A Lord Mayor of Leeds is elected from the council each year.
Political composition after May 2023 election:
99 members
External link to Leeds City Council website.
County strategic authority
West Yorkshire Combined AuthorityCovers some combined services of the five metropolitan district councils of
Elected mayor:
Police and Crime Commissioner
The Police and Crime Commissioner for West YorkshireThis role has become one of the many responsibilities of the West Yorkshire elected mayor since May 2021.
Fire Authority
West Yorkshire Fire AuthorityThe fire authority is made up of elected members of each of the five metropolitan district councils of West Yorkshire - Bradford, Calderdale, Leeds, Kirklees and Wakefield.
Parliamentary constituency
Leeds EastElected MP: