Elland
Encyclopedia
Elland is a market town
in Calderdale
, in the county
of West Yorkshire
, England, south of Halifax
, by the River Calder
and the Calder and Hebble Navigation
. The area of Elland was called Elant in the Domesday Book. The town's name is derived from Old English meaning 'land by the water, river or land partly or wholly surrounded by water' It had a population in United Kingdom Census 2001
of 14,554.
as Elant, Elland was a centre of wool
production. The decline of the woollen industry
had a significant effect on the town, with many of the mills having been demolished or converted
to residence.
Elland is one of the relatively few cases retaining continuity of tenure from before the Norman Conquest
into the Middle Ages
, as the Elland family were, in origin, Anglo-Saxon
thegn
s. The Manor
of Elland, with Greetland
and Southowram
, forms an island of the Honour of Pontefract
in the surrounding Manor of Wakefield
. In 1350 Sir John de Eland was murdered, as was his son in the following year, which extinguished the family in the male line and the Manor of Elland passed into the hands of the Savile family. From this period, the manor house
ceased to be the principal dwelling of a gentry family, as the Saviles had their seat at the moated manor of Thornhill
. Elland manor house was therefore never completely reconstructed and, when it was dismantled and excavated in 1975 by the West Yorkshire Archaeology Unit, it was found to incorporate a 13th century solar wing
– one of the earliest secular
buildings in the county. The manor house stood on a knoll
aligned with the bridge over the River Calder
, and was destroyed during the construction of Calderdale Way bypass
. The farm buildings, however, survive.
At the request of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
, Edward II granted a charter
, to John de Eland, for a free market
on Tuesday at his Manor of Elland, and two fair
s.
Elland has been famous for its durable flagstone
s which, thanks to the nearby canal
, could be transported very economically all over the county, Elland was also the main manufacturer of Gannex
products, and is the home of the sweet factory Dobsons, which is still producing traditional boiled sweets.
Buildings of interest in the town include the Parish church
of St Mary's the Virgin, the former Rose and Crown Inn in Northgate, the Old Town Hall off Southgate, Southgate Methodist Church
, the reputedly haunted Fleece Inn at the top of Westgate, and Waxman ceramics on Elland Lane.
fired power station
located by the River Calder
. The power station was decommissioned and closed in 1991 and demolished in 1996 keeping with the trend of generating power at fewer but larger power stations away from towns.
, opened to the town in the late 16th century to serve the growing industrialisation
of the Calder Valley.
It was served by Elland railway station
until closure in 1962, however the line is still in use as a passenger service for the Caldervale Line
.
The A643 road
begins in Leeds
and used to end in Elland. The A643 Elland Road goes past the Leeds United AFC football ground, which is also named Elland Road
. It now ends at junction 23 of the M62 Motorway
.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
in Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England, south of Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, by the River Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
and the Calder and Hebble Navigation
Calder and Hebble Navigation
The Calder and Hebble Navigation is a Broad inland waterway in West Yorkshire, England, which has remained navigable since it was opened.-History:...
. The area of Elland was called Elant in the Domesday Book. The town's name is derived from Old English meaning 'land by the water, river or land partly or wholly surrounded by water' It had a population in United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
of 14,554.
History
Mentioned in the 1086 Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Elant, Elland was a centre of wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
production. The decline of the woollen industry
Textile manufacturing
Textile manufacturing is a major industry. It is based in the conversion of three types of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. These are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre, so is treated in depth...
had a significant effect on the town, with many of the mills having been demolished or converted
Mill conversion
Mill Conversion is a term used to describe the process whereby a usually historic mill or industrial factory building is restored or rehabilitated into another use, such as residential housing, retail shops, office, or a mix of these non-industrial elements...
to residence.
Elland is one of the relatively few cases retaining continuity of tenure from before the Norman Conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
into the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, as the Elland family were, in origin, Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
thegn
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
s. The Manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Elland, with Greetland
Greetland
Greetland is a village in the metropolitan borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It is located west of nearby Elland and south of Halifax.-Local history:The village may have been the site of a Roman settlement named Cambodunum...
and Southowram
Southowram
Southowram is a village in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England that stands on the hill top to the east of Halifax, on the south side of Shibden valley. It is a small Pennine village with outlying regions of Bank Top, Brookfoot and Siddal...
, forms an island of the Honour of Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
in the surrounding Manor of Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
. In 1350 Sir John de Eland was murdered, as was his son in the following year, which extinguished the family in the male line and the Manor of Elland passed into the hands of the Savile family. From this period, the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
ceased to be the principal dwelling of a gentry family, as the Saviles had their seat at the moated manor of Thornhill
Thornhill, West Yorkshire
Thornhill, is a village in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Thornhill was absorbed into Dewsbury County Borough in 1910. It is located on a hill on the south side of the River Calder, and has extensive views of Dewsbury, Ossett and Wakefield...
. Elland manor house was therefore never completely reconstructed and, when it was dismantled and excavated in 1975 by the West Yorkshire Archaeology Unit, it was found to incorporate a 13th century solar wing
Solar (room)
The solar was a room in many English and French medieval manor houses, great houses and castles, generally situated on an upper storey, designed as the family's private living and sleeping quarters...
– one of the earliest secular
Secularity
Secularity is the state of being separate from religion.For instance, eating and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there may not be anything inherently religious about them...
buildings in the county. The manor house stood on a knoll
Hillock
A hillock or knoll is a small hill, usually separated from a larger group of hills such as a range. Hillocks are similar in their distribution and size to small mesas or buttes. The term is largely a British one...
aligned with the bridge over the River Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
, and was destroyed during the construction of Calderdale Way bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
. The farm buildings, however, survive.
At the request of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey was a prominent English nobleman and military commander during the reigns of Henry III of England and Edward I of England. During the Second Barons' War he switched sides twice, ending up in support of the king, for whose capture he was present at Lewes in 1264...
, Edward II granted a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
, to John de Eland, for a free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
on Tuesday at his Manor of Elland, and two fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
s.
Elland has been famous for its durable flagstone
Flagstone
Flagstone, is a generic flat stone, usually used for paving slabs or walkways, patios, fences and roofing. It may be used for memorials, headstones, facades and other constructions. The name derives from Middle English flagge meaning turf, perhaps from Old Norse flaga meaning slab.Flagstone is a...
s which, thanks to the nearby canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
, could be transported very economically all over the county, Elland was also the main manufacturer of Gannex
Gannex
Gannex is a waterproof fabric invented in 1951 by Joseph Kagan, a British industrialist and the founder of Kagan Textiles, of Elland, which made raincoats...
products, and is the home of the sweet factory Dobsons, which is still producing traditional boiled sweets.
Buildings of interest in the town include the Parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St Mary's the Virgin, the former Rose and Crown Inn in Northgate, the Old Town Hall off Southgate, Southgate Methodist Church
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, the reputedly haunted Fleece Inn at the top of Westgate, and Waxman ceramics on Elland Lane.
Elland power station
Elland power station was a small coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fired power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
located by the River Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
. The power station was decommissioned and closed in 1991 and demolished in 1996 keeping with the trend of generating power at fewer but larger power stations away from towns.
Transport
Elland is served by the Calder and Hebble NavigationCalder and Hebble Navigation
The Calder and Hebble Navigation is a Broad inland waterway in West Yorkshire, England, which has remained navigable since it was opened.-History:...
, opened to the town in the late 16th century to serve the growing industrialisation
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
of the Calder Valley.
It was served by Elland railway station
Elland railway station
Elland Railway Station served the town of Elland in West Yorkshire, England until 1962.Plans to re-open the station in 2000 were cancelled due to lack of funds....
until closure in 1962, however the line is still in use as a passenger service for the Caldervale Line
Caldervale Line
The Caldervale Line is a railway route in Northern England between the cities of Leeds and Manchester as well as the seaside resort of Blackpool...
.
The A643 road
A643 road
The A643 is a main road in West Yorkshire, England.It starts at the Armley Gyratory and ends at junction 23 of the M62 Motorway and is approximately long....
begins in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and used to end in Elland. The A643 Elland Road goes past the Leeds United AFC football ground, which is also named Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
. It now ends at junction 23 of the M62 Motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
.