Adel, Leeds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adel |
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 Adel Church |
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 Adel
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| Population | 19,430 (ward. Adel and Wharfedale) |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEEDS |
| Postcode district | LS16 |
| Dialling code | 0113 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Adel is a lovely suburb located in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It's surrounded by other areas like Weetwood to the south, Cookridge and Holt Park to the west, and Alwoodley and Moortown to the east. To the north, you'll find Bramhope, Arthington, and Eccup.
Adel is part of the Leeds City Council area called Adel & Wharfedale. It's also in the Leeds North West area for national elections. It can be tricky to find the exact borders of Adel. However, Adel Church and its two schools are east of Otley Road (the A660), even though the post office is on that road.
Contents
A Look Back: Adel's History
Adel has a very long history! It's located near where a Roman fort once stood. An old Roman road, which connected Tadcaster to Ilkley, passed nearby. In the 1960s, some of the old Roman stones that made up a footpath were removed because they were unsafe.
Roman Times in Adel
Many interesting items from the Roman period have been found in Adel. These include special inscribed stones and even altars. An altar is like a small table used for religious offerings. Some of these discoveries are now on display at the Leeds City Museum. In 1849, a stone coffin was also found on Addle Mill Farm.
People used to think the Roman name for this area was Burgodunum or Burgodurum. This name might mean "the Fort by the Waterway." It's likely that an Angle village grew up around the Roman fort, and a church was built there.
How Adel Got Its Name
Adel is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book, which was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. In this book, it was called Adele. Another spelling, Addle, was used until 1816. Most experts believe the name Adel comes from an old English word, adela, meaning "dirty or muddy place." However, some think it might come from a person's name, like Ada, combined with an old English word for "open ground."
The original parish of Adel was quite large. It stretched all the way to the River Wharfe in the north. It included Adel itself, along with Arthington, Breary, Cookridge, and Eccup.
In 1152, a Cistercian abbey called Kirkstall was founded nearby. Around the same time, the Church of St John the Baptist was built in Adel. This new church replaced an older Saxon building. Even though the current church is from the Norman period, it looks a bit like the very old Anglo-Saxon church in Ledsham village. That church is known as the oldest building in West Yorkshire!
Adel Church: A Historic Building
The Church of St John the Baptist in Adel is truly special. Many people say it's "one of the best and most complete Norman churches in Yorkshire." It's so important that it's a Grade I listed building. This means it's a building of exceptional historical interest.
Amazing Features of Adel Church
The church was built in the Romanesque style between 1150 and 1170. It hasn't changed much since then! The main entrance has a beautifully carved arch with animal heads and zig-zag patterns. Inside, you can see 81 decorative corbels on the walls. These are carved stone supports that show animals and scenes like Christ's baptism and crucifixion. The arch leading to the front of the church has 37 funny "beakheads" and more zig-zag patterns.
The church also has a medieval font, which is a basin used for baptisms. It has a lovely oak cover designed by Eric Gill. There's also a famous bronze doorknocker, sometimes called a Sanctuary Ring. The original was stolen in 2002, so the one you see now is a copy. The original was made around 1200 and showed a monster's head with a man's head coming out of its mouth. Some people think this showed a warning about the Day of Judgment, but others believe it just shows the man waking up or coming out of the mouth.
To protect the church from stone thefts, all the paving stones in the graveyard are now engraved with crosses.
Here's a fun fact: the grandparents of the Princess of Wales were married at Adel Church in December 1946!
Nature's Spot: Adel Dam
Adel Dam is a wonderful wildlife reserve that opened in May 1968. It's managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. The reserve covers 19 acres and has two hides. These are special spots where you can watch birds and other animals without disturbing them. The Leeds Birdwatchers' Club first developed this site, and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust took over in 1987.
Adel Today: What's Here?
Today, Adel is mostly a place where people live. It has a lovely countryside feel, being close to Adel Crags and the Meanwood Valley Trail. There are two primary schools here: St John the Baptist Primary School and Adel Primary School.
As mentioned before, Adel is part of the Adel and Wharfedale ward for Leeds City Council. It's also in the Leeds North West area for national elections, represented by Katie White MP.
Gardens and Community Fun
Near Adel Church, you'll find York Gate. This is an old farmhouse with a beautifully designed garden and even a maze made of paving stones in the driveway! The gardens are owned by Perennial, a charity that helps gardeners. They are open to the public at certain times.
Also close to the church is the Adel Memorial Hall and its sports ground. This hall opened in 1928 to remember those who died in the First World War. A large 20-ton stone outside the hall was moved there in 1922. The hall is home to the Bowmen of Adel, an archery club, and Adel Players, a group that puts on plays three times a year.
Sports and More in Adel
Adel is home to Headingley Golf Club, which is the oldest golf club in Leeds. You can also find Adel Methodist Church and Adel Quaker Meeting House, which dates back to 1868.
Just to the west of Adel are the University of Leeds sports grounds. Leeds Adel Hockey Club, a big hockey club with teams for men, women, mixed groups, and juniors, is based here.
Adel is connected to Leeds city centre by buses, including the 28 route. You might notice that the Asda supermarket in Holt Park is sometimes called "Asda at Adel." This is because Adel is a very old name for the area, much older than "Holt Park."
Adel Crag: A Climbing Spot
Adel CragAdel Crag is a rocky area near Adel Woods Car Park. It's made of a type of rock called gritstone. It's a popular spot for bouldering, which is a type of rock climbing done on smaller rocks without ropes. There are 17 different climbing routes that climbers have recorded here!
See Also
- St John the Baptist Church, Adel
- Adel and Wharfedale (ward)
