Cross Gates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cross Gates |
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 Welcome to Cross Gates roundabout with Cross Gates Sculpture |
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 Cross Gates
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| Population | 7,770 |
| OS grid reference | SE362345 |
| 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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Cross Gates, sometimes spelled Crossgates, is a busy area in the east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
It's located between Seacroft and Swarcliffe to the north, and Whitkirk and Colton to the south. Killingbeck is to the west, and Austhorpe is to the south-east. Nearby areas like Manston and Pendas Fields are also usually considered part of Cross Gates. This area is an important travel spot for people living in the large housing estates of Seacroft, Whinmoor, and Gipton.
In 2011, about 7,770 people lived in Cross Gates. The wider area, known as the Cross Gates & Whinmoor ward, had a population of 22,099.
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Where is Cross Gates?
This area is about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Leeds city centre. It's part of the LS15 Leeds postcode area.
What Does the Name Mean?
The name Cross Gates was first recorded in 1771. Experts believe the word gates here means 'roads' in an old local dialect. So, Cross Gates likely meant 'crossroads', a place where different roads met. This is different from earlier ideas that it meant a gate across a road.
A Look Back at Cross Gates' History
Cross Gates was once a very small place. In the 1600s, it was just one or two cottages on the edge of a large open area called Whinmoor.
In 1796, the land around Whinmoor was divided into fields, and new roads were built. One of these was the long, straight Austhorpe Road, built in 1804. Back then, Cross Gates had only about 16 cottages near a gate that crossed a road. This gate probably stopped farm animals from wandering off the common land.
Coal Mining and Growth
Coal mining began in Cross Gates in 1811. More mines opened in 1827 and later. In 1834, the Leeds and Selby Railway was built through Cross Gates. Tracks from the railway led to the mines, helping the area grow quickly.
More buildings started to appear:
- The Traveller's Rest Public House opened in the 1860s.
- The first church, Manston St. James C of E, was built in 1848. This saved people a long journey to other churches.
- The first school opened in 1857 on Austhorpe Road.
- A Methodist Chapel opened in 1882.
When the local coal mines closed in 1882, Cross Gates changed. It became a 'commuter village' where people lived but traveled to work. Since it was far from Leeds city centre and its factories, wealthier people from Leeds moved here. They could easily get to the city by train.
In the 1900s, Cross Gates became a true suburb of Leeds. The open fields between Cross Gates and Leeds were filled with new houses. Many new homes were also built around Austhorpe, Whitkirk, and Manston.
The Barnbow Tragedy
The worst disaster in Leeds' history happened on 5 December 1916, during World War I. It was at the Barnbow Munitions Factory. This factory made guns and ammunition.
On that day, 35 women workers, aged 14 and older, were killed in an explosion in Hall 42. The factory was huge, employing 16,000 people from many towns. It even had its own railway station for the workers. A brave mechanic named William Parking saved many factory workers during the explosion.
Today, there are two memorials to remember those who died: one in Manston Park and another on Cross Gates Road.
Homes in Cross Gates
The houses in Cross Gates include detached homes, semi-detached homes, and terraced houses. You can find older Victorian terraced houses, especially around Austhorpe Road. There are also some fancier Victorian villas on streets like Tranquility Avenue. Newer apartments have also been built near the Crossgates Shopping Centre.
Manston Park
Manston Park is a large park in Cross Gates. It has football pitches, a bowling green, tennis courts, and a playground. Leeds City Council owns and manages the park, which first opened in August 1925.
Getting Around Cross Gates
Cross Gates railway station is on the line that goes from Leeds to Selby. Many people use this station to travel to Leeds or York city centres for work or school. In June 2006, Cross Gates station won an award for being the "Best Kept Railway Station" in all of Yorkshire!
Cross Gates is also close to major roads like the A64 and the M1. The A6120 Leeds Outer Ring Road, also known as "Station Road," is the main road through the area. A new road called the "Manston Lane Link Road" (MLLR) is being built to connect a new part of Leeds to the M1 motorway.
Local Businesses
A large factory called ROF Leeds (Royal Ordnance Factory) was once located at Barnbow. It made guns and ammunition. Later, Vickers Defence Systems bought the building and produced the Challenger 2 tank there. The factory closed in 2004 and was taken down in 2018.
The bus company Optare, which used to be called Charles H Roe, also had a factory on Manston Lane. It closed in 2011, and production moved elsewhere.
Other businesses in the area include the haulage company J Long & Sons and the major printing company Communisis.
'Gates' Sculpture
In 2009, a special sculpture was put on the roundabout on the Leeds Ring Road. It cost £143,000 and was designed by architect John Thorp. The sculpture has three large metal gates with a big 'X' in each design. This 'X' is meant to represent the 'cross' in Cross Gates, linking to the town's history.
The sculpture also has three stone signs that say "Welcome to Cross Gates." The gates were first painted red, black, and white, but these colours were changed to red, blue, and silver. This was because the original colours were the same as a rival football team, Manchester United! People in Cross Gates have different opinions about the sculpture; some like it, and some don't.
Images for kids
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Welcome to Cross Gates roundabout with Cross Gates Sculpture
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Memorial plaque in Manston Park
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Manston Park
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Vickers factory (closed)
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Cross Gates sculpture
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Seacroft/Swarcliffe | |
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| Halton/Killingbeck |  |
Barwick-in-Elmet | ||
 Cross Gates  |
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| Colton/Austhorpe |
