Leyburn

This article is about the English town of Leyburn. For the Australian town, see Leyburn, Queensland

Leyburn
Leyburn Market Square
Leyburn  Leyburn shown within North Yorkshire
Population	1,844 (2001)
OS grid reference	SE114904
Civil parish	Leyburn
District	Richmondshire
Shire county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LEYBURN
Postcode district	DL8
Dialling code	01969
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Richmond
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Leyburn is a busy market town and civil parish in the district of Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England sitting above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. Historically within the North Riding of Yorkshire, the name was derived from 'Ley' or 'Le' (clearing), and 'burn' (stream), meaning clearing by the stream. The town boasts two markets, several pubs, two banks with cash machines, and many small specialty stores. Market day is Friday. It is served by local buses that connect to Richmond, Hawes and Bedale. The local Rotary Club sponsors the annual Wensleydale Wander in March or April. The Wander is an organised walk with two options; a shorter walk of 12 miles (19 km) and a longer walk of 22 miles (35 km).

Town information and business

Leyburn had a population of 1,844 at the 2001 census, but this swells in summer due to its picturesque position in proximity to the Yorkshire Dales national park. It contains a range of public services, with two primary schools and a secondary school which serves the whole of Wensleydale, a police station and a medical centre. A wide range of independently owned shops are situated around a market square with a number of pubs and bars to entertain tourists and locals. It is home to Tennant's auction house, a small department store called Milner's and others, including: Campbell's supermarket, a chocolate shop, a range of oriental takeaways, electrical stores, a hunting and sports shop and also an art shop.

Annually there is a Dales Festival of Food and Drink, held over May Day bank holiday weekend and also an annual Wensleydale agricultural show at the end of August.

Although a small town, Leyburn is home to a railway station on the re-opened Wensleydale Railway which offers tourist rides throughout the dale, mostly on diesel multiple units but occasionally on a steam train. The town of Leyburn has got a 6,000-square-foot (560 m²) antiques centre on Harmby Road. The town also has a local market in the town centre every Friday and a farmers' market which specialises in local meats once a month.

Leyburn has also appeared in various television programmes including: The Department Store: Milner's, on BBC Four in 2008, and has featured in the 1960s-set drama series, Heartbeat.

Education

The town's secondary school, the Wensleydale School, has just over 500 pupils studying there. It serves the whole of Wensleydale which includes the towns and villages between Leyburn and Hawes. The school also has a sixth form with around 80 students enrolled. Past students have gone on to study at some of the country's best universities, including Cambridge. Around 30 years ago the Wensleydale School boasted the longest corridor in England when some of the pupils had lessons at the old Yorebridge Grammar School in Askrigg. In recent years the Wensleydale School became a Specialist Science College. The town's primary school is Leyburn Community Primary School, from where a vast majority of the pupils proceed to the Wensleydale School for secondary education. St Peter and St Paul Roman Catholic Primary School has now closed.

Notable people

Leyburn is the home town of Tottenham Hotspur and England footballer Michael Dawson and his elder brother Andy Dawson who plays for Hull City and has been a regular first team player throughout the Tigers' climb through the four English football league divisions.