Clifton Without facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton (Without)
Clifton (Without)
Population	5,246 (2011 census)
OS grid reference	SE585543
Civil parish	Clifton Without
Unitary authority	City of York
Ceremonial county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	YORK
Postcode district	YO30
Dialling code	01904
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	York Outer
List of places UK England Yorkshire 53°58′33″N 1°06′11″W / 53.975781°N 1.103031°W / 53.975781; -1.103031

Clifton Without is a part of the city of York in North Yorkshire, England. It's a suburb and a civil parish, which is like a local area with its own council. The name "Without" means it's the part of Clifton that was outside the old city boundaries.

This area is located about two miles north-west of central York, right on the A19 main road. In 2011, about 5,246 people lived here. Clifton Without is bordered by the River Ouse to the west and the River Foss to the east. It includes a mix of shops, businesses, and homes. You can also find natural spots like Clifton Ings, Clifton Backies, and Rawcliffe Lake here.

A Look Back: What is the History of Clifton Without?

From Airfield to Retail Park: How Clifton Without Changed

Back on May 27, 1933, an air circus came to York. They flew from a place called Rawcliffe meadow, which is now the big Clifton Moor Retail Park. This show proved that the area could be a good spot for a commercial airport for York.

So, in 1934, the York Corporation (the local government at the time) bought parts of Clifton Without and Rawcliffe. On July 4, 1936, the York Municipal Aerodrome officially opened. Before World War II started, a company called Yorkshire Air Services and Country Club Ltd managed the airfield. They ran a flying club and an air taxi service, but there were no regular flights.

When World War II began on September 1, 1939, the government took over the airfield for military use. It was renamed RAF Clifton. It became home to a group of Whitley Bomber planes.

Later, the airfield became even more important. It hosted reconnaissance aircraft, which are planes used for scouting, like the Westland Lysander and the North American Mustang. The airfield also had a large repair facility, staffed by civilians, where Halifax bomber planes were fixed.

The repair center closed in 1948. After that, the airfield went back to being a flying club. However, the Air Ministry (the government department in charge of airfields) charged very high rents, and the site was never officially closed down by the military. Because of this, the flying club shut down in the 1950s, and the airfield was no longer used.

You can still see parts of the old airfield today, including a small piece of the runway north of the York Outer Ring Road. The area where the airfield once stood is now covered by the Clifton Moor Retail Park, full of shops and businesses.

How Clifton Without Became Part of York

Historically, Clifton Without was part of the North Riding of Yorkshire. In 1974, it became part of the Ryedale district in North Yorkshire. Then, in 1996, it joined the City of York as part of its unitary authority. This means it's now directly managed by the City of York council.

How is Clifton Without Governed?

Clifton Without is part of the Rawcliffe and Clifton Without Ward within the City of York. A "ward" is like a local voting area. As of 2019, this ward is represented by three councillors: Darryl Smalley, Derek Wann, and Sam Waudby. They are all from the local Liberal Democrats party.

Clifton Without also has its own parish council. This council is made up of 10 councillors who work on local issues and represent the people living in the parish.

What is the Geography of Clifton Without?

The area of Clifton Without is bordered by the River Ouse to the west. To the east, you'll find the B1363 road and the River Foss. To the north, it meets the parish of Rawcliffe. The southern boundary runs past Homestead Park, then along the A19 road, and follows various roads and waterways like Bur Dyke.

Clifton Backies Nature Reserve

Clifton Without is home to the Clifton Backies Nature Reserve. In 2002, this area was officially named a local nature reserve. It's a special place because it has many different types of natural habitats, which means it supports lots of different animals, birds, insects, and plants.

This area was once part of the old Clifton Airfield. After its last use in the Berlin Airlift in the late 1940s, it was allowed to return to nature. The land originally belonged to St Mary's Abbey a long time ago. In medieval times, it was farmed using a system called "strip farming." You can still see the "ridge and furrow" pattern in the fields today, which shows how it was farmed in the past.

The meadows at Clifton Backies are home to short-tailed voles. The Bur Dyke waterway is a home for water voles, rabbits, foxes, weasels, common shrews, hedgehogs, bank voles, wood mouses, and even roe deer have been seen there. You might also spot bats flying over the meadows. Seasonal ponds provide good places for common frogs and smooth newts to breed. The Bur Dyke also has three-spined stickleback fish.

Many birds visit the area, including blackbirds, blue tits, great tits, wrens, dunnocks, robins, common chaffinches, bullfinches, blackcaps, whitethroats, willow warblers, fieldfares, redwings, herons, kingfishers, and chiffchaffs. A recent study found 22 types of butterflies here, such as speckled wood, holly blue, small copper, brown argus, and marbled white.

The plants in the area are also very diverse. You can find many types of wildflowers and grasses, including dog's tail, knapweed, red clover, great burnet, and pignut. Near the water, you might see plants like watercress and water forget-me-not.

What is the Economy of Clifton Without Like?

Clifton Without is home to the Clifton Moor Retail and Industrial Park. This is a large area with many well-known national stores and local shops. There are also small and medium-sized businesses, as well as places for entertainment.

How Do People Get Around in Clifton Without?

Because the A19 main road and the Clifton Retail Park are within Clifton Without, the area is well-served by many bus routes. This makes it easy for people to travel to and from the area.

What About Education in Clifton Without?

For younger students, primary education is provided by the Clifton with Rawcliffe Federation. This is a partnership between Rawcliffe Infant and Nursery School (for pupils up to Year 2) and Clifton with Rawcliffe Junior School (for older primary students). Both schools are on Rawcliffe Lane.

Secondary education is available at Vale of York Academy. This school is located on the same site as Clifton with Rawcliffe Junior School. It's an 11-16 comprehensive school, meaning it teaches students from age 11 to 16. The school has a special focus on arts. It opened in April 1941 and serves students from the city centre to the village of Skelton.

Are There Religious Sites in Clifton Without?

Clifton Moor Church opened in September 1998. It's a special church because it's a partnership between two different Christian groups: the Church of England and the Methodist Church. The York Council provided the land for the church, and the local community raised money to build it.

What Sports Can You Play in Clifton Without?

York Sports Club is located in the south of Clifton Without, near Clifton Ings. It's a big club that provides facilities for four different sports:

• York Cricket Club
• York Rugby Union Football Club
• York Squash Club
• York Tennis Club

York Cricket Club

York Cricket Club has been around for over 200 years! They first played matches in 1790. They moved to their current location in 1967. York Cricket Club was one of the founding members of the Yorkshire Cricket League in 1935 and has won it 10 times. They also won the National Knockout Cup in 1975. As of 2010, they have five senior men’s teams, nine junior teams (for ages 9 to 17), and one ladies’ team.

York Rugby Union Football Club (RUFC)

York RUFC moved to its current location at the same time as the Cricket Club. They have four senior teams, as well as junior, senior, and veteran teams. They have won the Yorkshire Shield three times. Their top team plays in the Yorkshire 1 league.

York Squash Club

York Squash Club has eight men's teams and two ladies' teams that play in the York and District League. As of 2010, their top three men's teams all play in Division 1.

York Tennis Club

York Tennis Club was formed in 1966 when two other clubs merged. They run 16 teams in both local and county leagues. They have six carpet-based courts, some of which have floodlights, and also shale courts. They have teams that play in various doubles and singles competitions, including the National League.

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