Leyburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leyburn |
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 Leyburn Market Square |
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 Leyburn
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| Population | 2,183 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SE114904 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEYBURN |
| Postcode district | DL8 |
| Dialling code | 01969 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Leyburn is a busy market town in North Yorkshire, England. It sits on the northern bank of the River Ure in a beautiful area called Wensleydale. Long ago, this area was part of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The name Leyburn comes from old words meaning 'clearing by the stream'. In 2011, about 2,183 people lived in Leyburn.
Contents
Leyburn's History
Leyburn was first mentioned in a very old book called the Domesday Book in 1086. Back then, it didn't have many people. Leyburn grew because a nearby town called Wensley became less important. Wensley used to be the main market town in Wensleydale. But in 1563, a terrible sickness called the plague hit Wensley, and many people left.
By the 1600s, Leyburn started to become more important. In 1686, King Charles II gave Leyburn permission to hold a market. This helped the town grow even more. The Leyburn Town Hall was built in 1856 and now has shops inside.
How Leyburn is Governed
Leyburn has its own local council that helps run the town. This council is based in a building called Thornborough Hall, which was built in the 1830s. Thornborough Hall also has the local library, a place where official records are kept, and some offices.
The town is part of the Richmond (Yorks) area for the UK Parliament. This area is currently represented by a member of the Conservative Party. The person who represents Leyburn in Parliament since 2015 is Rishi Sunak, who used to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Leyburn's Location
Leyburn is about 19 miles (30 km) west of Northallerton, which is the main town in the county. It's located on the northern side of the River Ure. Leyburn is also very close to the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This park is a beautiful area of hills and valleys. The valley where Leyburn sits is called Wensleydale. It gets its name from the village of Wensley, which is about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) to the west. There's also a special nature reserve nearby called Leyburn Old Glebe.
People of Leyburn
In 2011, a survey showed that 2,554 people lived in the Leyburn area (including a nearby village called Harmby). Most people (98.2%) were white British. About 95.5% of the people living in Leyburn were born in the United Kingdom.
Most people in Leyburn (75.6%) said they had religious beliefs. The largest group (74.9%) were Christian. About 16.2% said they had no religion.
Leyburn's Economy
Leyburn is often called a "gateway town" to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This means many visitors come through Leyburn to explore the park, which helps the town's businesses. Tourism is very important here.
The main market square in Leyburn is full of shops, pubs, and restaurants. You'll find well-known shops like Co-op Food and One Stop. There are also famous local businesses like Milners of Leyburn, a department store that opened in 1882 and is still run by the same family! Campbell's of Leyburn is another old grocery store, started in 1868.
Every Friday, a traditional outdoor market is held in the square. There's also a livestock auction where farm animals are bought and sold, which started in 1918.
Outside the market square, you can find a local brewery and a chocolate maker.
One of the biggest businesses in Leyburn is Tennants Auctioneers. They are one of the largest auction houses in the UK! They hold many sales each year, attracting buyers and sellers from all over the world. Next to Tennants is The Garden Rooms, a large place for events and exhibitions.
Leyburn's Landmarks
The Leyburn Shawl is a long, flat ridge of land about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, just west of the town. It offers amazing views of Wensleydale. Legend says that Mary, Queen of Scots, dropped her shawl here when she was escaping from Bolton Castle nearby.
In the market square, there is a war memorial shaped like a cross. It remembers the people who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Leyburn Hall is another old building, dating back to 1750.
Places of Worship
Leyburn has four Christian churches:
- St Peter and St Paul's Roman Catholic church, built in 1835.
- The Wensleydale Evangelical Church, built in 1875.
- The Leyburn Methodist Church, built in 1884.
- The Anglican church of St Matthew, built in 1868.
Getting Around Leyburn
Leyburn has its own railway station on the heritage Wensleydale Railway. This railway is a special line where old trains run. You can take trains west to Redmire or east to Bedale and Northallerton.
Local buses can take you to nearby towns like Hawes, Northallerton, Richmond, and Ripon.
The town is on two main roads: the A684 road (which goes between Northallerton and Kendal) and the A6108 (which goes between Scotch Corner and Ripon).
Education in Leyburn
Leyburn has a secondary school called The Wensleydale School. It has over 500 students, including a sixth form for older students. Most students from the surrounding area go to this school. In 2006, it became a Specialist Science College, focusing on science education.
The town's primary school is Leyburn Community Primary School. Most of its students go on to The Wensleydale School. There used to be a second primary school, St Peter and St Paul RC primary school, but it closed in 2011 because it had very few students.
Culture and Community
Sports in Leyburn
Leyburn has a football club called Leyburn FC. Another local team, Leyburn United JFC, focuses on younger players aged 4 to 14.
There's also a rugby union club called Wensleydale RUFC. They were promoted to a higher league in 2018–19.
Leyburn used to have a golf club, but it closed in the late 1950s.
Big cycling events have passed through Leyburn. The Tour de Yorkshire went through the town in May 2018. The torch relay for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London also came through Leyburn.
Cinema and Theatre
Leyburn once had a cinema called The Elite, which opened in 1928 and could seat 500 people. It also hosted plays and music shows. It closed in 2007, reopened briefly, but then closed permanently in 2008. Now, a smaller 64-seat cinema is located in The Old School House, which used to be the St Peter and St Paul primary school building.
Media and Film
Leyburn is served by local newspapers like Northern Echo and the Darlington & Stockton Times.
Local TV news comes from BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. You can also listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio York, Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire, and Dales Radio.
Leyburn has appeared in TV shows, including The Department Store: Milner's on BBC Four and the 1960s drama Heartbeat.
Events in Leyburn
The Dales Festival of Food and Drink used to be a popular event. It started in 2002 to help the area after a farming crisis. It grew very popular, but eventually, it started losing money. The last festival was held in 2019.
A 1940s weekend takes place in Leyburn at the end of July. The Wensleydale agricultural show happens on the third Saturday in August. The local Rotary Club also organizes the Wensleydale Wander, which are long walks of 12 miles (19 km) or 22 miles (35 km) in March or April.
Public Services
Leyburn has a Medical Practice for local healthcare. The closest hospital is Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, about 19 miles (30 km) away. Emergency ambulances are provided by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, and there's also a volunteer Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Leyburn has a fire and police station. The fire station is staffed by retained firefighters, who are on call. The police and fire services now share the same building, as the old police station closed in 2021.
Famous People from Leyburn
- Liam Darville, a semi-professional footballer, was born in Leyburn in 1990.
- Footballers Michael Dawson and his older brother, Andy, are from Leyburn.
- George Gargrave, an English mathematician, was born in Leyburn in 1710.
- George Bland Humble, a headmaster, was born in Leyburn Moor House in 1839.
- Charles Herbert Kitson, an organist and music teacher, was born in Leyburn in 1874.
Images for kids
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Leyburn Market Square
See also
In Spanish: Leyburn para niños
