Methley
Encyclopedia
Methley is a dispersed village in the City of Leeds
metropolitan borough
, south east of Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
. It is located near Rothwell
, Oulton
, Woodlesford
, Mickletown
and Allerton Bywater
. It nestles in the triangle formed by Leeds, Castleford
and Wakefield
, and is between the confluence of the River Aire
and River Calder
. The latter is crossed by Methley Bridge, the A639 road, about a mile south east of the village. It is often claimed that the village is the second largest in England (in terms of area).
Today, the village is often described in terms of the area around Church Lane, Main Street and Pinfold Lane. However, the buildings on these streets largely date from the 20th century - and this area does not represent the original geographical centre of the village. The original village was established near to St. Oswald's Church, and in particular along Churchside. This is reflected in the 17th and 18th century buildings along Churchside and parts of Watergate.
Part of the village (the area south and west of the M62 motorway
) was ceded to the City of Wakefield
Metropolitan borough
in the 1990s. This area, which includes the hamlets of Newmarket and Scholey Hill, is now subject to a planning dispute regarding an industrial and leisure development which if approved may result in increased traffic levels in the village - particularly along the A642, B6135 (Newmarket Lane and Watergate), Park Lane and Churchside.
Methley Hall was the former seat of the Earl of Mexborough
. The Hall, which featured in a 1907 edition of Country Life, was demolished in 1958, although the Mexborough Estate are still important landowners in the district. Queen Mary (Mary of Teck
), consort of H. M. King George V
, visited the village in 1935 and stayed at the Hall as a guest of the Earl. Titus Salt
appears to have leased Methley Hall from the Earl of Mexborough between 1856 and 1865.
Methley was once served by three railway stations - Methley North (closed 1957), Methley Junction (closed 1943), Methley South (closed 1960). The original railway line through the village was built by the North Midland Railway
in 1840, as part of the Derby
to Leeds
main line. This route now forms part of the Hallam (Leeds
- Sheffield
) and Pontefract
Lines.
St. Oswald's Church had a spire from the mid-18th century to 1937. The spire became unsafe and was dismantled. The Castleford
-born artist Henry Moore
was a frequent visitor to the church. Nikolaus Pevsner
documented the church and Methley Hall as part of his Buildings of England series in the late 1950s. Alan Bennett
visited the church in December 1998 as mentioned in his collection of writings Untold Stories (2005), a visit which was filmed as part of a special The South Bank Show
charting the writer's early life.
The composer Edward Elgar
was friends with the former owner (Mr. Embleton) of 'The Cedars' - now a residential home - and often stayed in the village. Nick Hodgson
, drummer of the Leeds band the Kaiser Chiefs
, has family connections with the village. The band officially opened the new village primary school in 2006.
The famous Yorkshire Imperial Band
, formerly the Yorkshire Imperial Copperworks Band, used to rehearse regularly in the village until recently. The band who have won in their illustrious history the Champions of Great Britain title and three British Open titles is one of the country's most famous brass band
s and have a long history in producing quality recordings and concerts are also featured regularly on the BBC.
Methley was surveyed by the Tudor cartographer, Christopher Saxton
, author of the first atlas of England (1577). However, the map is now lost.
The village has a long history of coal mining
. At one stage there were five mines in operation in the village - Saville Colliery, Methley Junction, Foxholes (Scholey Hill), Newmarket, and Newmarket Silkstone. The last pit (Saville Colliery) closed in the mid-1980s.
The village has a long history of growing turnips and hosts the second largest turnip
convention in the world. The 2006 Judges Choice winner was local historian Barbara Haydock from Guiseley
. There is also a variety of plum which may be named after the village.
A scarecrow
festival
is held in the village each year. All residents are eligible to enter the competition.
Methley was a possible alternative name for Fritz Lang's Metropolis
.
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...
, south east of 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...
, 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located near Rothwell
Rothwell, West Yorkshire
Rothwell is a market town on the River Dolphin in the south east of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, situated between Oulton to the east, Belle Isle to the west, Woodlesford to the north east and Robin Hood to the south west. Swillington, Methley and Kippax are located...
, Oulton
Oulton, West Yorkshire
Oulton is a village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, between Leeds and Wakefield. It is at the junction of the A639 and A642 roads. Though now adjoining the village of Woodlesford, it was once quite separate...
, Woodlesford
Woodlesford
Woodlesford is a village in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England, six miles south-east of Leeds city centre. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. Woodlesford is formerly part of the Rothwell Urban District...
, Mickletown
Mickletown
Mickletown is a village east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, near Methley and on the River Aire. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.The Leeds Country Way and the Trans Pennine Trail both pass Mickletown....
and Allerton Bywater
Allerton Bywater
Allerton Bywater is a semi-rural village and civil parish in the south-east of City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The village itself is north of Castleford and lies in the WF10 Castleford postcode area...
. It nestles in the triangle formed by Leeds, Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
and 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....
, and is between the confluence of the River Aire
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
and 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 latter is crossed by Methley Bridge, the A639 road, about a mile south east of the village. It is often claimed that the village is the second largest in England (in terms of area).
Today, the village is often described in terms of the area around Church Lane, Main Street and Pinfold Lane. However, the buildings on these streets largely date from the 20th century - and this area does not represent the original geographical centre of the village. The original village was established near to St. Oswald's Church, and in particular along Churchside. This is reflected in the 17th and 18th century buildings along Churchside and parts of Watergate.
Part of the village (the area south and west 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...
) was ceded to the City of Wakefield
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
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...
in the 1990s. This area, which includes the hamlets of Newmarket and Scholey Hill, is now subject to a planning dispute regarding an industrial and leisure development which if approved may result in increased traffic levels in the village - particularly along the A642, B6135 (Newmarket Lane and Watergate), Park Lane and Churchside.
Methley Hall was the former seat of the Earl of Mexborough
Earl of Mexborough
Earl of Mexborough, of Lifford in the County of Donegal, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1766 for John Savile, 1st Baron Pollington, Member of Parliament for Hedon and New Shoreham...
. The Hall, which featured in a 1907 edition of Country Life, was demolished in 1958, although the Mexborough Estate are still important landowners in the district. Queen Mary (Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
), consort of H. M. King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, visited the village in 1935 and stayed at the Hall as a guest of the Earl. Titus Salt
Titus Salt
Sir Titus Salt, 1st Baronet , born in Morley, near Leeds, was a manufacturer, politician and philanthropist in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. His father Daniel Salt was a businessman and was sent Titus to Batley Grammar School...
appears to have leased Methley Hall from the Earl of Mexborough between 1856 and 1865.
Methley was once served by three railway stations - Methley North (closed 1957), Methley Junction (closed 1943), Methley South (closed 1960). The original railway line through the village was built by the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
in 1840, as part of the Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
to 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...
main line. This route now forms part of the Hallam (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...
- Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) and 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...
Lines.
St. Oswald's Church had a spire from the mid-18th century to 1937. The spire became unsafe and was dismantled. The Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
-born artist Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
was a frequent visitor to the church. Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
documented the church and Methley Hall as part of his Buildings of England series in the late 1950s. Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
visited the church in December 1998 as mentioned in his collection of writings Untold Stories (2005), a visit which was filmed as part of a special The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show was a television arts magazine show, originally made by London Weekend Television , presented by Melvyn Bragg, broadcast on ITV and seen in over 60 countries worldwide — including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States...
charting the writer's early life.
The composer Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
was friends with the former owner (Mr. Embleton) of 'The Cedars' - now a residential home - and often stayed in the village. Nick Hodgson
Nick Hodgson
Nicholas James David Hodgson is the drummer, backing vocalist and principal song-writer of English indie band Kaiser Chiefs....
, drummer of the Leeds band the Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
, has family connections with the village. The band officially opened the new village primary school in 2006.
The famous Yorkshire Imperial Band
Yorkshire Imperial Band
The Yorkshire Imperial Band, also known as the Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band and the Yorkshire Imps, is a brass band from West Yorkshire, England...
, formerly the Yorkshire Imperial Copperworks Band, used to rehearse regularly in the village until recently. The band who have won in their illustrious history the Champions of Great Britain title and three British Open titles is one of the country's most famous brass band
Brass band (British style)
A British-style brass band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardised range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around local industry and communities...
s and have a long history in producing quality recordings and concerts are also featured regularly on the BBC.
Methley was surveyed by the Tudor cartographer, Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton was an English cartographer, probably born in the parish of Dewsbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England around 1540....
, author of the first atlas of England (1577). However, the map is now lost.
The village has a long history of coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
. At one stage there were five mines in operation in the village - Saville Colliery, Methley Junction, Foxholes (Scholey Hill), Newmarket, and Newmarket Silkstone. The last pit (Saville Colliery) closed in the mid-1980s.
The village has a long history of growing turnips and hosts the second largest turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
convention in the world. The 2006 Judges Choice winner was local historian Barbara Haydock from Guiseley
Guiseley
Guiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Otley and Menston, it is a suburb of north west Leeds. At the 2001 census, Guiseley together with Rawdon had a population of over 21,000. The A65, which passes through the town, is the...
. There is also a variety of plum which may be named after the village.
A scarecrow
Scarecrow
A scarecrow is, essentially, a decoy, though traditionally, a human figure dressed in old clothes and placed in fields by farmers to discourage birds such as crows or sparrows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.-History:In Kojiki, the oldest surviving book in Japan...
festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
is held in the village each year. All residents are eligible to enter the competition.
Methley was a possible alternative name for Fritz Lang's Metropolis
Metropolis (film)
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
.