Woodhouse, Leeds
Encyclopedia
Woodhouse is a largely residential area just north of the city centre of Leeds
and home to the University of Leeds
. It is in the Hyde Park and Woodhouse ward
of City of Leeds
metropolitan district. It was described in 1853 as a "large and handsome village". Woodhouse is now a largely working-class area, with a racially diverse population and a sizeable student community.
The area climbs a hill rising from Woodhouse Moor
, adjacent to the University of Leeds, and backs onto woodland known as Woodhouse Ridge
, a part of the Meanwood Valley Trail
and the Forest of Leeds
.
Older residences are largely redbrick back-to-back
and 'through' terraced housing. There are also concrete council houses (the Holborn Estate) and a mixture of more modern buildings, particularly student accommodation. There is a small amount of light industry. The (C of E) parish church of St Mark's, currently disused but being renovated for use by Gateway Church Leeds, lends its name to streets around and the St Mark's Residences of the university. The church building was used as the exterior of The Parish Church of St Mathews in the film Beiderbecke Affair. Other older buildings include Quarry Mount Primary School, and several public houses. On Holborn Approach is the Temperance Hall and Mechanics' Institute which was opened by Samuel Smiles
in 1851 as an alternative to local pubs for socialising. It cost £900 and is of red bricks with yellow sandstone details. It is now used as a church.
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 home to the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. It is in the Hyde Park and Woodhouse 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:...
of City of Leeds
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 district. It was described in 1853 as a "large and handsome village". Woodhouse is now a largely working-class area, with a racially diverse population and a sizeable student community.
The area climbs a hill rising from Woodhouse Moor
Woodhouse Moor
Woodhouse Moor is an open space approximately one mile from Leeds city centre, West Yorkshire, England. Today it consists of 3 parts: a formal park, Woodhouse Moor , of around 26 hectares in area on the west of Woodhouse Lane , and two other open areas on the east of it...
, adjacent to the University of Leeds, and backs onto woodland known as Woodhouse Ridge
Woodhouse Ridge
Woodhouse Ridge is a strip of woodland on the South West hillside of the Meanwood valley in urban area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Locally known as 'the Ridge', the area is notable as a significant area of mature woodland in an otherwise highly developed urban area...
, a part of the Meanwood Valley Trail
Meanwood Valley Trail
The Meanwood Valley Trail is a waymarked footpath and annual footrace route in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It runs for a distance of from the statue of Henry Rowland Marsden, 1878, on Woodhouse Moor, close to the University of Leeds, through Headingley, Meanwood and Adel to Breary Marsh,...
and the Forest of Leeds
Forest of Leeds
The Forest of Leeds was originally the Forest of Loidis in which what is now Leeds arose. It now refers to patches of woodland throughout the metropolitan district, managed by Leeds City Council amounting to 1200 hectares...
.
Older residences are largely redbrick back-to-back
Back-to-back houses
Usually of low quality and high density, they were built for working class people and because three of the four walls of the house were shared with other buildings and therefore contained no doors or windows, back-to-back houses were notoriously ill-lit and poorly ventilated and sanitation was of...
and 'through' terraced housing. There are also concrete council houses (the Holborn Estate) and a mixture of more modern buildings, particularly student accommodation. There is a small amount of light industry. The (C of E) parish church of St Mark's, currently disused but being renovated for use by Gateway Church Leeds, lends its name to streets around and the St Mark's Residences of the university. The church building was used as the exterior of The Parish Church of St Mathews in the film Beiderbecke Affair. Other older buildings include Quarry Mount Primary School, and several public houses. On Holborn Approach is the Temperance Hall and Mechanics' Institute which was opened by Samuel Smiles
Samuel Smiles
-Early life:Born in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, the son of Samuel Smiles of Haddington and Janet Wilson of Dalkeith, Smiles was one of eleven surviving children. The family were strict Cameronians, though when Smiles grew up he was not one of them...
in 1851 as an alternative to local pubs for socialising. It cost £900 and is of red bricks with yellow sandstone details. It is now used as a church.