Burley in Wharfedale
Coordinates: 53°54′49″N 1°44′53″W / 53.9137°N 1.7480°W
| Burley-in-Wharfedale | |
 Burley-in-Wharfedale
Burley-in-Wharfedale shown within West Yorkshire |
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| Population | 5,865 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SE165464 |
| Civil parish | Burley |
| Metropolitan borough | City of Bradford |
| Metropolitan county | West Yorkshire |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ILKLEY |
| Postcode district | LS29 |
| Dialling code | 01943 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament | Shipley |
| List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire | |
Burley-in-Wharfedale, is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Menston, Burley is part of Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford (though it has a Leeds postcode). It lies on the A65, approximately fourteen miles north-west of the centre of Leeds and nine miles north of Bradford, between Otley and Ilkley. Burley has a railway station on the Wharfedale line, with direct trains to Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley. It has a population of 5,865.[1]
Despite the good transport links to local urban areas Burley in Wharfedale retains its rural feel and setting in the green Wharfedale valley.
The village is adjoined by Burley Woodhead, a small cluster of farms and prestigious homes at the foot of Burley Moor.
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[edit] History
Originally a small agricultural community with likely Roman and Anglo-Saxon[citation needed] roots, Burley developed in the late 18th and 19th centuries into an industrial village with many residents employed at the cotton mills known as Greenholme Mills, which were powered from a goit fed from the River Wharfe.
The development of industrial and commercial centres in the nearby cities of Leeds and Bradford, combined with rail and bus links, prompted major changes to the village in the early 20th Century. Council housing was built in the 1920s and 1950s, as the village became a dormitory settlement for the two cities.
Developments in the second half of the twentieth century have seen Burley become a prosperous but socially diverse village. The village has a high percentage of elderly and retired people[citation needed], as well as many young families attracted by job opportunities, local schools and new housing developments.
Whilst the cotton mill no longer operates, the village retains a strong range of local businesses and a strong community atmosphere.
In 2006, following a petition to the local authority and permission from the Secretary of State, Burley gained its own Parish Council.
[edit] Landmarks
The village has two state primary schools, Burley and Woodhead Primary School and Burley Oaks Primary School, along with Ghyll Royd School, a private primary and nursery school for boys.
It also has an Anglican Church, an United Reformed Church, a Methodist and a Catholic Church. The Anglican Church, the Parish Church of St Mary's (pictured) has a prominent spire.
Burley has a range of public buildings, such as the Queens' Hall, originally built as a lecture hall for mill workers. Recent work by community groups has resulted in developments including a new nature reserve and village green. The recently redeveloped village green features a central water feature.
The Malt Shovel public house is another distinctive building in the village centre.
Power to the mill was provided via a goit to take river from the River Wharfe and this has recently been utilised to provide Hydro electric power . A large weir remains and there are stepping stones across the river linking footpaths from each bank. An internet campaign is pressing for the stepping stones to be restored.
[edit] Housing
Burley has a range of housing types and ages. Recently the former hospital has been converted into private townhouses and flats. The village centre has small clusters of terrace houses and cottages.
[edit] Famous residents
Burley Woodhead was also the home of the late Richard Whiteley, a popular television celebrity, until his death in 2005. It may also have been the birthplace of Walter of Burley (1274-1344), a medieval English logician and theologian.
[edit] Location grid
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Askwith | |
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| Ben Rhydding |  |
Menston | ||
 Burley in Wharfedale  |
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| Burley Woodhead |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population". Office for National Statistics. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8271.xls. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Burley in Wharfedale |
- Burley in Wharfedale Community Web Site Official Burley in Wharfedale village web site, from Burley Community Council
- Burley in Wharfedale at the Open Directory Project
- Salem United Reformed Church in Burley in Wharfedale
- Information about Burley from local Councillor Matt Palmer
