West Ardsley
Encyclopedia
West Ardsley is commonly used to refer to an area on the south-west edge of the City of Leeds
metropolitan borough
, possessing a WF postcode in the WF3 (Wakefield) postcode area while the village telephone numbers
are "0113", the Leeds prefix.. It roughly approximates to an amalgamation of Tingley
, Woodkirk
, Hill Top, Upper Green and Common Side. The parish church is at Woodkirk. Being in the middle of several towns, West Ardsley has become a dormitory settlement.
West Ardsley was part of the Ardsley Urban district
1894-1937, which also included Tingley
and East Ardsley
and was then part of Morley
Municipal borough
1937-1974. The village once formed part of the former Municipal Borough
of Morley, and is still classed as part of Morley in the census. However, it is technically separate, and is not governed by Morley Town Council
. West Ardsley is in the Leeds City Council ward called Ardsley and Robin Hood ward
, which elects three councillors to Leeds City Council
, and is in the Morley and Outwood
parliamentary constituency.
West Ardsley appears on ordnance survey
1:50,000 map sheet 104, however the nearby settlement of East Ardsley
(or Ardsley East) is in larger print. In truth, although there are many roadsigns pointing to "West Ardsley" and some clubs and local organisations refer to it in their name, there is no one single, self-contained area with the name. The hamlets of Tingley
, Hill Top, Upper Green and Common Side have merged together through urban sprawl whilst Woodkirk remains isolated. The post office took the decision to classify all addresses in the former area as "Tingley
, Wakefield" whilst Woodkirk remains separate and comes under Dewsbury's address.
Historically, Ardsley is a derivative of 'Erdeslau' - under which name it appears in the Domesday Book
. The details are available at the national archive website. In Arthur Mee's The King's England series, he wrote under Woodkirk, "Sometimes called 'West Ardsley'." This was incorrect, yet Woodkirk
was the centre of the parish, as it had the church.
West Ardsley is also the home of the annual Lee Gap fair - a horse fair originally chartered by King Stephen
in 1139 (citation) - which makes it reputedly England's oldest horse fair. The fair used to stretch over two weeks, but as the horse trade has diminished now takes place only on the first and last days of that fortnight - known as "first o'lee" and "latter lee". Today, the main attendees are Gypsies and .
There is a historic parish of West Ardsley, whose parish boundaries all fall within the "Ardsley and Robin Hood" ward.
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
metropolitan borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
, possessing a WF postcode in the WF3 (Wakefield) postcode area while the village telephone numbers
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom
The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning telephone numbers in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies...
are "0113", the Leeds prefix.. It roughly approximates to an amalgamation of Tingley
Tingley
Tingley is a settlement in West Yorkshire, England, forming part of the parish of West Ardsley and of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.It is situated midway between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford but is considered part of Morley...
, Woodkirk
Woodkirk
Woodkirk is an ancient village between Leeds and Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. The parish church is a grade II listed building. It is traditionally the centre of the parish of West Ardsley, but Tingley is now a much larger settlement....
, Hill Top, Upper Green and Common Side. The parish church is at Woodkirk. Being in the middle of several towns, West Ardsley has become a dormitory settlement.
West Ardsley was part of the Ardsley Urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
1894-1937, which also included Tingley
Tingley
Tingley is a settlement in West Yorkshire, England, forming part of the parish of West Ardsley and of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.It is situated midway between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford but is considered part of Morley...
and East Ardsley
East Ardsley
East Ardsley is a village within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated south of Leeds city centre...
and was then part of Morley
Morley, West Yorkshire
Morley is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately south-west of Leeds city centre. Together with Drighlington, Gildersome, Churwell, Tingley and East/West Ardsley, the town had a population of 47,579 in...
Municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
1937-1974. The village once formed part of the former Municipal Borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
of Morley, and is still classed as part of Morley in the census. However, it is technically separate, and is not governed by Morley Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
. West Ardsley is in the Leeds City Council ward called Ardsley and Robin Hood ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
, which elects three councillors to Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council is the local authority for the City of Leeds metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.-History:The city council was established in 1974, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973...
, and is in the Morley and Outwood
Morley and Outwood (UK Parliament constituency)
Morley and Outwood is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
parliamentary constituency.
West Ardsley appears on ordnance survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
1:50,000 map sheet 104, however the nearby settlement of East Ardsley
East Ardsley
East Ardsley is a village within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated south of Leeds city centre...
(or Ardsley East) is in larger print. In truth, although there are many roadsigns pointing to "West Ardsley" and some clubs and local organisations refer to it in their name, there is no one single, self-contained area with the name. The hamlets of Tingley
Tingley
Tingley is a settlement in West Yorkshire, England, forming part of the parish of West Ardsley and of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.It is situated midway between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford but is considered part of Morley...
, Hill Top, Upper Green and Common Side have merged together through urban sprawl whilst Woodkirk remains isolated. The post office took the decision to classify all addresses in the former area as "Tingley
Tingley
Tingley is a settlement in West Yorkshire, England, forming part of the parish of West Ardsley and of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.It is situated midway between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford but is considered part of Morley...
, Wakefield" whilst Woodkirk remains separate and comes under Dewsbury's address.
Historically, Ardsley is a derivative of 'Erdeslau' - under which name it appears in the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
. The details are available at the national archive website. In Arthur Mee's The King's England series, he wrote under Woodkirk, "Sometimes called 'West Ardsley'." This was incorrect, yet Woodkirk
Woodkirk
Woodkirk is an ancient village between Leeds and Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. The parish church is a grade II listed building. It is traditionally the centre of the parish of West Ardsley, but Tingley is now a much larger settlement....
was the centre of the parish, as it had the church.
West Ardsley is also the home of the annual Lee Gap fair - a horse fair originally chartered by King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
in 1139 (citation) - which makes it reputedly England's oldest horse fair. The fair used to stretch over two weeks, but as the horse trade has diminished now takes place only on the first and last days of that fortnight - known as "first o'lee" and "latter lee". Today, the main attendees are Gypsies and .
There is a historic parish of West Ardsley, whose parish boundaries all fall within the "Ardsley and Robin Hood" ward.