Barwick-in-Elmet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barwick-in-Elmet |
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 Barwick Maypole, village cross, The Gascoigne Arms and The Black Swan |
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 Barwick-in-Elmet
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| OS grid reference | SE399373 |
| Civil parish |
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| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEEDS |
| Postcode district | LS15 |
| Dialling code | 0113 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Barwick-in-Elmet (say it like Barrick-in-Elmet) is a village in West Yorkshire, England. It's about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Leeds city centre. This village is special because it's one of only three places in the area linked to the ancient kingdom of Elmet. The other two are Scholes-in-Elmet and Sherburn-in-Elmet.
Barwick-in-Elmet is part of the civil parish of Barwick in Elmet and Scholes. It also falls within the Harewood area of Leeds City Council.
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What's in a Name?
The name Barwick comes from old English words. Bere means 'barley' and wīc means 'settlement' or 'farm'. So, Barwick likely means 'a barley farm'. It could also mean a special farm on an estate used by the lord.
The name first appeared in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Bereuuith and Bereuuit. The part 'in Elmet' was added later to tell it apart from other places named Barwick. For example, in 1301, it was called Berewyke juxta Abberford, meaning 'Barwick-by-Aberford'. The name Berewyke in Elmet was first used in 1329.
A Look Back in Time: Barwick's History
Barwick-in-Elmet has a very long history! You can still see earthworks, which are mounds and ditches, from a huge Iron Age fort. This fort was built on a place called Wendel Hill, near the village.
Later, the same spot was used for a Norman motte-and-bailey castle. Even more recently, during the Second World War, it became an observation post. Today, this land is owned by a trust that helps the community.
An ancient British kingdom called Elmet (in Welsh, Elfed) once covered this area. Some historians believe that Barwick was the capital, or a very important place, in this old kingdom.
The Domesday Book from 1086 mentions Barwick as a farming settlement. We also know from a tax survey in 1379 that about 197 adults lived in around 100 homes here.
For a long time, the Gascoigne family owned the Manor of Barwick and Scholes.
In 1720, the first known school in Barwick-in-Elmet opened its doors. Later, in the mid to late 1700s, Morwick Hall was built for Edward Gray, who was the Lord Mayor of Leeds twice.
By 1821, the village had grown to a population of 1,481 people.
A railway line opened in 1874, connecting Cross Gates to Wetherby. There was a station in nearby Scholes. This made it easier for people to travel to Leeds city centre. However, the railway line closed in 1965.
Throughout the 1900s, Barwick-in-Elmet continued to grow. Many new houses were built by private companies and the local council. Older cottages in the village centre were turned into shops and small businesses.
For most of its history, Barwick was a farming village. From the late 1600s to the early 1900s, many people also worked in local mines. Today, Barwick still feels like a rural, farming village. But it's also home to many different businesses and people who work in nearby Leeds and York.
How Barwick is Governed
Barwick-in-Elmet is part of the civil parish of Barwick and Scholes. This parish is managed by Leeds City Council. Barwick is in the Harewood area of the Leeds City Council. For national elections, Barwick is in the parliamentary constituency of Elmet and Rothwell. Since 2010, the Member of Parliament (MP) for this area has been Alec Shelbrooke from the Conservative Party.
The Famous Maypole
One of the most famous things about Barwick is its tall wooden maypole. It stands 86 feet (26 m) high where Main Street and the Cross meet. This makes it the second tallest maypole in the UK!
Every three years, a special maypole festival is held on Spring Bank Holiday. This event brings many people to the village. During the festival, the maypole is carefully lowered, checked, fixed, and then put back up.
The festival is full of fun activities. There's a parade with floats decorated by local groups. Children perform traditional maypole dancing, and there's also morris dancing. You can find a street craft market, and a Maypole Queen is chosen.
The most exciting part is raising the maypole. Traditionally, it was done by hand using ropes and ladders. Even now, the maypole is carried by hand from Hall Tower Hill to the village centre. During the raising ceremony, a brave local villager climbs halfway up the pole to unhook the guide ropes. Then, with the crowd cheering them on, they climb all the way to the top! At the very top, they spin 'the fox' weather vane. This is a custom that people believe brings good luck to the village. The last festival was on May 29, 2017. The next one is planned for June 2, 2022.
Next to the maypole, there's a stone cross. It looks like an old village cross, but it's actually a memorial built in an old style to remember those who died in the First World War.
Village Life: Shops and Services
Barwick has three public houses (pubs): the New Inn, the Black Swan, and the Gascoigne Arms. There are also two general stores, one of which has a post office. You can find a fish and chip shop, an Italian takeaway, a bicycle store, a florist's, a baker's, a hair and beauty salon, and a car mechanics.
If you need more shops, you can visit nearby Garforth, Cross Gates, Seacroft, and Wetherby, which all have supermarkets. For secondary schools, there are options in Pendas Fields, Garforth, Seacroft, Boston Spa, and Wetherby.
Places to Worship
Barwick has two small churches. One is a Church of England church, and the other is a Methodist church. Barwick parish church, called All Saints' Church, is a very old and important building. It has parts that date back to Anglo-Saxon and Norman times, with additions from the 1300s and later.
The Methodist church was built in 1900. It's a Wesleyan chapel located near the maypole. It replaced an older church from 1804, which is now used for community activities.
Local News and Entertainment
For local news, you can read the Wetherby News. The main regional newspaper is the Yorkshire Evening Post. Local TV news and shows are provided by BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire.
You can listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio Leeds, Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire, Pulse 1, Heart Yorkshire, and Capital Yorkshire. If you want to watch a movie, there are cinemas in nearby Leeds, Wetherby, and Castleford.
Other Places Called Barwick
Did you know there are other places called Barwick? In England, you can find villages named Barwick in Norfolk and Somerset. There's also a suburb of Stockton-on-Tees called Ingleby Barwick. And across the ocean, there's a town called Barwick in Georgia, USA!
Location Grid
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Potterton | |
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| Scholes |  |
Aberford | ||
 Barwick-in-Elmet  |
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| Garforth |
