Farnley, Leeds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Farnley |
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 The Butterbowl public house |
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 Farnley
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| Population | 24,213 (Farnley and Wortley ward, 2011) |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEEDS |
| Postcode district | LS12 |
| Dialling code | 0113 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Farnley is a lively area in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It's about 2 miles (3 km) southwest of Leeds city centre. Farnley sits between other areas like Wortley, Bramley, and the countryside near Pudsey and Gildersome. It's part of the LS12 Leeds postcode area. The area, including Farnley and Wortley ward, had about 24,213 people living there in 2011. New Farnley is a nearby village where many people live and travel from for work.
Contents
Discovering Farnley
Farnley's Rich History
Farnley village, also known as Old Farnley, started as a small farming community a very long time ago. It dates back to the Middle Ages. Back then, it was called Fernelei and was part of the King's land. The original village grew up around Cross Lane. This lane led to Farnley Hall and the Farnley Manor House.
For many years, different families owned the land in Farnley. In 1497, it passed to the Danby family. They owned it for about 300 years. Later, James Armitage bought the land. Farnley used to have a lot of trees. Farnley Wood was once a secret meeting place. In 1663, people met there to plan a rebellion against King Charles II. This event is known as the Farnley Wood Plot. The rebellion did not get enough support and failed. Many people involved were punished.
People in Farnley often worked in the many mills nearby. These included the Butterbowl Mill. There were also three mills near Post Hill. These mills helped make wool and other goods.
How New Farnley Grew
New Farnley didn't exist as a village until the early 1800s. This was when Edward Armitage started the Farnley Iron Works and Farnley Fireclay. He needed many workers for his factories. So, he built houses for them. This new area became known as New Farnley.
As more factories opened in the 1800s, the area grew quickly. What was once Low Moor Side became part of New Farnley. The Bawn area became part of Farnley. Because these two places were so close, the whole area was often called New Farnley. The original village around Hall Lane became known as Old Farnley.
Life in Farnley Today
In Old Farnley, you can find St Wilfrid's Church. St Michael's Church is in Farnley Park, close to the grand stately home of Farnley Hall.
The shops in Old Farnley include a hair salon, a newsagent, and a mini-mart. There's another group of shops in Farnley (where Bawn village used to be). These include a pizza takeaway, another newsagent, a mini-mart, a butcher, and the Cow Close Community Corner.
Farnley has several schools for young people. These include Cobden Primary School, Lawns Park Primary School, and The Farnley Academy. Buses also serve Old Farnley. The name "Old Farnley" helps avoid confusion with Farsley, another area in Leeds.
Exploring New Farnley
New Farnley is a village in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It's about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) southwest of Leeds city centre. The A58 main road, which goes from Leeds to Halifax, passes through it. New Farnley is about 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of Farnley.
New Farnley's History
New Farnley grew from two older settlements: Upper Moor Side and the modern village center. You can still see buildings from the late 1600s and early 1700s in both places. The land was part of the ancient Farnley manor. Over time, different families owned it, including the Armitages.
A Roman coin from the 200s was found here. This suggests Romans might have been in the area. One field is called 'Castle Hill'. Some local stories say it was a Roman army camp. There are also old Saxon field names in the village. You can even see remains of medieval farming patterns.
From early times, people used the natural resources here. This led to factories and mines. As these industries grew, many houses were built for workers in the 1800s. Even with all this industry, some farms still operate in the area today.
What You'll Find in New Farnley
As more people moved to New Farnley, St James's church and the Lancasterian School were built. There was also a Methodist chapel. In the 1800s, homes for the poor (alms houses) and a village school were built.
Today, New Farnley has a village co-op with a post office. There's also the Village Chippy, which is over 120 years old and said to be haunted! You'll find a pub, a barber shop, and a beauty salon. The schools include Cobden Primary and Lawns Park Primary Schools, and The Farnley Academy. There are also two churches.
The community center is in the middle of the village. It's run by local volunteers and is a busy place. It hosts groups for parents and toddlers. It also has community nights for events like Halloween and Christmas.
Getting Around Farnley
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Sports in Farnley
Farnley is well-known in Leeds for its sports. The Farnley Falcons are an amateur Rugby league club. They play in the Pennine League and other local competitions. Their home ground is at the Farnley Sports & Social Club, often called 'The Nest'.
Other sports teams also play from the Farnley Sports and Social Club. Farnley Sports FC plays football on Saturdays. They have been very successful, winning their league and getting promoted. West Leeds Wortley is a Sunday football team that also plays here.
Wortley Ladies Women's Football Teams also play at Farnley Cricket Club. They have a First Team and a Reserve Team. Both teams have won their divisions and moved up to higher leagues. New Farnley has its own Ladies football team too. They play their home games at the Chapel Lane ground.
Famous Faces from Farnley
Many notable people have connections to Farnley. These include sports stars like Kalvin Phillips, a footballer who plays for Leeds United. Also, Michael McIlorum, a rugby league player for Catalan Dragons, is from here.
Other famous people have lived in Farnley. These include Gary Kelly, a former footballer for Leeds United and the Republic of Ireland national football team. Comedian and actor Leigh Francis has also lived in Farnley.
A medieval landowner named Margaret de Neville was born in Farnley.
