Burley, Leeds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Burley |
|
|---|---|
 Looking east over Burley Model Allotments towards Leeds University |
|
 Burley
|
|
| OS grid reference | SE279351 |
| • London | 170 mi (270 km) SSE |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEEDS |
| Postcode district | LS3, LS4, LS6 |
| Dialling code | 0113 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
|
Burley is a part of Leeds, a big city in West Yorkshire, England. It's about 1 mile (1.6 km) north-west of the very center of Leeds. You can find it between Kirkstall Road (A65) to the south and Headingley to the north.
Contents
What Does 'Burley' Mean?
The name "Burley" first appeared in old records around 1195 as "Burteg." Later, around 1200, it was written as "Burcheleia." The name comes from old English words: burh, which means a 'fortification' or 'stronghold', and lēah, which means an 'open space in woodland'. So, Burley might have been an open area near an old fort.
A Look Back: Burley's History
Burley started as a small village. It grew a lot during the late Industrial Revolution, when factories and industries became very important. You can still see hints of its village past in street names like "The Village Street." The area around The Village Street, stretching to the railway line and north of Burley Road, is now a special "Conservation Area."
Many of the houses built in Burley were made of red brick. They were often smaller homes, including a style called "back-to-backs," where houses shared a back wall. Factories and shops were also mostly brick-built. Some older, larger stone buildings exist, like the fancy Cardigan Arms pub on Kirkstall Road. This pub was built before most of Burley grew up around it.
Mills and Workers' Homes
Towards the end of the 1800s, many mills were built along the River Aire. Some of these old mill buildings are still standing today. Homes for the mill workers and other people were built nearby, spreading further up the hill. Other businesses in Burley included printing, making clocks, dairies (for milk), and chemical factories.
Becoming Part of Leeds
Before 1904, Burley was part of a larger local government area called Headingley-cum-Burley. After that, it became officially part of the City of Leeds. Today, the church area of Burley still exists. Its borders are very similar to the LS4 postcode area. This is why LS4 is often used to mean "Burley," even though a small part of LS4 is actually in the Kirkstall church area.
Students Arrive
For many years, Burley was a place where many people worked in local industries. But in the late 1900s, the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University grew much bigger. This brought a lot of students to Burley and nearby areas like Hyde Park and Headingley. In the mid-2000s, large student accommodation buildings were built along the lower parts of Burley Road.
TV and Radio Studios
In 1968, Yorkshire Television opened the Leeds Studios. This was the first big employer in the area that wasn't a factory. Today, ITV Yorkshire, Hits Radio West Yorkshire, and Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire all have their studios on Kirkstall Road in Burley. The Home Office's immigration offices are also located there.
Burley's Community Life
St Matthias' Church is a beautiful stone church with a tall spire, built in 1854. It's a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. Another church, St. Simon's, used to be on Ventnor Street but was closed in the 1960s.
Burley has several pubs and clubs, including The Cardigan Arms, Bridgewater Arms, Burley Social Club, and Burley Conservative Club. For sports and fitness, there are three gyms, a 5-a-side football center, and a nine-hole golf course. Burley Branch Library used to be on Cardigan Road but closed in 2016 because the building was in poor condition.
Shopping and Fun
You can find small supermarkets like Iceland, Asda, Co-op, and Aldi in Burley. There are also smaller shops like One-Stop, Costcutter, and Premier. The main shopping areas are on Kirkstall Road and Burley Hill, with many shops and restaurants.
For entertainment, the Cardigan Fields leisure park has a multi-screen cinema, a nightclub, a gym, and a 10-pin bowling alley. You can also find restaurants like Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and Nando's there.
Nature and Green Spaces
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire form Burley's southern edge. These waterways are popular spots for people who enjoy walking, cycling, and fishing.
Burley Model Allotments are a special place with over 100 garden plots. They are located in what used to be a quarry. These allotments have been around since 1892! They were redesigned in the 1950s and officially reopened in 1958.
Local artists in Burley sometimes open their homes as galleries to show their artwork during an event called Triangle Art Day.
Homes in Burley
Burley is known for its red brick Victorian terraced houses. These include small "back-to-back" homes and "through terraces" (houses that go all the way through). In the 1900s, some private homes were built, including semi-detached houses around Burley Wood. There are also some areas with council houses from the 20th century. This includes a small group of pre-made concrete houses near the Yorkshire Television studios and another group closer to Kirkstall.
Many students live in Burley, either in private rented homes or in large student halls built in the mid-2000s. These include buildings like those now owned by CLV, Parklane Triangle, Unite Students, and Iconinc.
Getting Around: Transport
Burley is connected to Leeds city centre by the A65 and Burley Roads.
The railway arrived in Burley in 1848, but Burley Park railway station didn't open until 1988. Before that, the closest station was Headingley railway station. Burley Park station connects Burley to the city center, Headingley, Horsforth, Harrogate, Knaresborough, and York.
Many First Leeds bus services also link Burley to the city center and other towns like Bradford, Farsley, Horsforth, Kirkstall, and Headingley. Until 1959, the Leeds Tramway also ran through Burley.
Sports in Burley
Queens ARLFC is a rugby league team that plays in the Pennine League Premier Division. Their headquarters are at Burley Social Club. Burley United is a football team that plays at West Park football fields in Division 1 of the Sunday League. Burley RUFC is a rugby union team that plays in Yorkshire Division 3, with their matches held near Kirkstall Abbey.
Burley on Screen: Film and TV
Burley has been a filming location for several TV shows. The television drama Harry's Game used an estate in Burley (which has since been taken down) to look like Belfast. The Haddon Hall pub was used for filming scenes in The Beiderbecke Tapes. Burley Park railway station is sometimes used as "Hotton railway station" in the popular soap opera Emmerdale. Also, some scenes from Fat Friends were filmed in Burley.
Famous People from Burley
Many interesting people have connections to Burley:
- James Jepson Binns was a famous builder of pipe organs.
- Melanie Brown, also known as Scary Spice from the Spice Girls, grew up in Burley.
- Andrew Eldritch and Ben Gunn, members of the band the Sisters of Mercy, lived in Burley in the 1980s.
- The hardcore punk band the Flex is based in Burley.
- Several members of the hardcore punk band Higher Power have lived in Burley.
- Gary Marx, a founding guitarist for the Sisters of Mercy, also lived in Burley.
- John Smith (1797–1866) was a kind person, a banker, and lived in Burley House.
- Jimmy Savile was born in Burley.
Location Grid
 |
Headingley | |
||
| Kirkstall |  |
Woodhouse | ||
 Burley, Leeds  |
||||
 |
||||
| Wortley |
