Little London, Leeds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little London |
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 Little London Community Centre |
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 Little London
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| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEEDS |
| Postcode district | LS7 |
| Dialling code | 0113 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Little London is a neighborhood in Leeds, England. It is located just north of the city center and the Leeds Inner Ring Road. The area got its name in the 1800s because its houses and buildings were considered as fancy as those in London!
Later, in the 1950s and 60s, many council homes were built. Today, you'll find a mix of tall apartment buildings and smaller houses. Little London is part of the Little London and Woodhouse area, which is managed by the City of Leeds Council. The neighborhood is divided into four main parts: Lovell Park, Oatlands, Carlton, and the Servias.
Contents
A Look at Little London's Past
Little London started growing in the 1700s around a place called The Leylands. It was mostly home to workers in the textile factories nearby. In 1865, Carlton Barracks opened here, and it's still used today.
By the 1950s, many of the old back-to-back houses were in poor condition. So, the area was rebuilt as part of a slum clearance plan. At the same time, the Leeds Inner Ring Road and the Sheepscar Interchange were built, changing how the area looked. As part of this rebuilding, Camp Road, the main street, was renamed Lovell Park Road and Oatlands Lane. A few older buildings, like All Souls' Church, still stand from before the 1960s and 1970s redevelopment. More recently, in the 2010s, the area had another, smaller update.
Exploring Little London Today
Little London is very close to the Sheepscar Interchange. This is a big road junction where the A61 (which goes towards Harrogate) and the A58 (which goes towards Wetherby) meet the Leeds Inner Ring Road.
The Oatlands Estate
East of Lovell Park Road is the Oatlands estate. Many of its street names include "Oatland." This area is home to Little London Community Primary School. It first opened in 1974, then closed after a fire in 1995. It was refurbished and reopened in 1999. The Oatlands estate also has a community center and three tall apartment blocks.
The Carlton Estate
To the west is the Carlton estate. It has two 12-story apartment buildings, Carlton Croft and Carlton Close, which were built in 1965 and have since been updated. This estate is named after the 19th-century Carlton Barracks, which is still in use. The local pub is called The Leeds Rifleman. Its name was changed in 1984 to honor the Leeds Rifle Regiment. There used to be more pubs and clubs in Little London, but The Leeds Rifleman is now the only one left.
The Lovell Park Estate
South of Claypit Lane is the Lovell Park estate.
Modernizing Little London
Starting in 2010, the Carlton Estate began a big makeover. Both of the old Carlton Towers apartment blocks, built in the 1950s, were taken down. After they were removed, new, smaller houses and medium-sized buildings were constructed. New shops and a community center were also built.
Later in the 2010s, the tall apartment blocks in the Oatland Estate were updated and given new outer coverings. The blocks in the Lovell Park estate were also refurbished, but they kept their original brick exteriors. Around the same time, the Holbeck area of Leeds was also redeveloped in a similar way.
Getting Around Little London
The area is very close to the Sheepscar Interchange, where the A58 and A61 roads meet the Leeds Inner Ring Road. There isn't a train station nearby. Buses that serve the area are run by First Leeds. You can also easily walk to Leeds City Centre from Little London.
Images for kids
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Primary School
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Part of the Carlton estate
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Subway from the Carlton estate to Oatland Towers
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More modern buildings on Carlton Gate
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Carlton Barracks 2007
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The Leeds Rifleman
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Carlton Towers flats 1-49, ready to be taken down
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Carlton Towers flats 50-99 after being taken down
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A view over Sheepscar, Lovell Park and Little London, taken from Bandstead Park in Harehills.
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