Pontefract facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pontefract |
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| Town | |
 Top left, clockwise: Old Town Hall, All Saints' Church, Pontefract Castle, Market Place, The Buttercross and St Giles' Church and Pontefract Racecourse. |
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 Pontefract
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| Population | 30,881 (North+South Wards 2011) |
| OS grid reference | SE455215 |
| • London | 257 mi (414 km) |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PONTEFRACT |
| Postcode district | WF8 |
| Dialling code | 01977 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Pontefract is a historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the City of Wakefield area. The town is located east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. In 2011, about 30,881 people lived there.
Pontefract's motto is Post mortem patris pro filio. This is Latin for "After the death of the father, support the son." It shows the town's support for the King during the English Civil War.
Contents
- What Does the Name Pontefract Mean?
- A Look Back in Time: Pontefract's History
- How Pontefract is Governed
- Pontefract's Economy and Industry
- Local Facilities and Services
- Media, Arts, and Entertainment
- Sports in Pontefract
- Getting Around: Transport
- Famous People from Pontefract
- Images for kids
- See also
What Does the Name Pontefract Mean?
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The name "Pontefract" comes from Latin words meaning "broken bridge." This name likely comes from an event in 1069.
At that time, William the Conqueror was traveling through Yorkshire. He was trying to stop an uprising. Near where Pontefract is today, local fighters had broken a bridge over the River Aire. They blocked William's path. This broken bridge was very important for travel between Pontefract and other towns. Historians believe this event gave the town its name.
Pontefract was not mentioned in the famous Domesday Book of 1086. However, it was recorded as "Pontefracto" in 1090.
A Look Back in Time: Pontefract's History
Ancient Times: Neolithic and Roman Periods
In 2007, a very old site called Ferrybridge Henge was found near Pontefract. This henge is a type of ancient monument built by people in the Neolithic period (New Stone Age). It was discovered during building work for new houses.
The modern town is also close to an old Roman road. This road, now called the A639, was likely an alternative route for Roman soldiers and traders. It helped them travel between Doncaster and York. This route may have been used to avoid crossing the large Humber river during bad weather.
The time in Yorkshire's history between 954 and 1068 is called the Anglo-Scandinavian age. During this period, the area of Pontefract had two main settlements: Tanshelf and Kirkby.
Many place names in Yorkshire from this time end with '-by', which is a Danish word. Kirkby is an example. Also, main streets in Pontefract today often use the Danish word 'gate', like Bailygate.
Tanshelf was a large settlement when the Domesday Book survey was done in 1086. It had a church, a fishery, and three mills. Archaeologists have found parts of an old church under Pontefract Castle. The oldest grave there dates back to around 690.
Medieval Times: Castles and Kings
After the Normans took over England in 1066, much of Yorkshire was given to William the Conqueror's followers. One of them was Ilbert de Lacy. He built a castle in Tanshelf.
Pontefract Castle started as a wooden "motte and bailey" castle before 1086. It was later rebuilt using stone. The de Lacy family lived there for over 200 years.
Sadly, King Richard II was murdered at the castle in 1400. We don't know exactly how he died. Some say he was starved to death, others that he was killed.
Early Modern History: Civil War and Changes
Pontefract suffered a lot during the English Civil War. The castle was attacked three times by Oliver Cromwell's forces. He called it "one of the strongest inland garrisons in the kingdom." These attacks left the town very poor and with fewer people.
In 1649, after the third attack, the people of Pontefract asked Parliament to destroy the castle. They feared another siege. So, in April 1649, the castle began to be taken down. Today, you can visit the castle ruins.
Pontefract Priory, a religious house founded in 1090, was closed down in 1539 by the king.
How Pontefract is Governed
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Pontefract is part of the City of Wakefield. It is run by Wakefield Council. The town is split into two voting areas: Pontefract North and Pontefract South.
Important politicians from Pontefract include Geoff Lofthouse. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1978 to 1997. He even became Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.
Yvette Cooper became the MP for the Pontefract and Castleford area in 1997. She has held many important roles in government and in the opposition. The area has a history of mining and industry, and its voters usually choose Labour MPs.
Pontefract's Economy and Industry
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Pontefract has been a market town for hundreds of years. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday, with a smaller market on Fridays. The covered market is open every day except Sunday.
The town is famous for its liquorice sweets. The well-known Pontefract cakes are made here. Even though the liquorice plant is no longer grown in the town, two factories, Haribo and Valeo Confectionery, make these sweets. Pontefract holds an annual Liquorice festival. In 2012, a local farmer started growing liquorice in Pontefract again.
In the past, there were many coal mines near Pontefract. The last one, Prince of Wales Colliery, closed in 2002. This led to high unemployment in the area. The old colliery site has now been turned into a large housing estate.
Local Facilities and Services
Pontefract has several schools. Carleton High School and the King's School are for students aged 11–16. There is also a college for older students, New College, Pontefract.
The Pontefract Museum is in the town centre. It is in an old library building. Beneath the museum is an ancient hermitage, which is a small dwelling for a religious person. You can visit it on certain days.
A new Pontefract Hospital opened in 2010. Near the hospital are the Friarwood Valley Gardens. These gardens have a rose garden, a sensory garden, and an avenue of cherry trees.
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The local police force is West Yorkshire Police. The town's police team is now at the new fire station. Fire services are provided by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The new fire station also covers the nearby town of Knottingley.
Ambulance services are provided by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Their base is in the nearby town of Castleford.
The Territorial Army, Army Cadets, and Air Training Corps all have a presence in Pontefract. They are based at the historic Pontefract Barracks building.
Media, Arts, and Entertainment
Local news and TV shows for Pontefract come from BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Leeds, Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire, Heart Yorkshire, Hits Radio West Yorkshire, and Capital Yorkshire. There is also a community online radio station called 5 Towns FM.
The local newspaper is the Pontefract and Castleford Express.
In April 2020, Pontefract was in the news for its art. A local artist, Rachel List, painted murals to honor key workers and the NHS during the coronavirus outbreak.
Sports in Pontefract
Pontefract is home to many sports, including rugby, football, and squash. Famous squash players Lee Beachill and James Willstrop train at Pontefract Squash Club.
Pontefract Racecourse is the longest horse racing track in Europe. It is about 2 miles long. Flat horse races are held there from late March to late October. A new sports centre opened at Pontefract Park in 2021.
Pontefract has its own non-league football club, Pontefract Collieries F.C.. They are known as "Ponte Colls." The town also has the Pontefract Knights rugby league football club.
Pontefract RUFC is the town's rugby union club. Rugby Union has been played in Pontefract since the 1800s.
Getting Around: Transport
Pontefract is close to major roads like the A1 and the M62. You can get onto these roads easily from the town.
Bus services are provided by Arriva Yorkshire. The main bus hub is Pontefract bus station.
There are three railway stations in Pontefract:
- Pontefract Baghill connects to York and Sheffield.
- Pontefract Monkhill and Pontefract Tanshelf connect to Leeds, Wakefield Westgate, and Wakefield Kirkgate.
- You can also catch trains from Bradford Interchange to London that stop at Pontefract Monkhill.
The closest airport is Leeds Bradford.
Famous People from Pontefract
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Many notable people have connections to Pontefract:
- Darren Appleton (born 1976) – A professional pool player and world champion.
- Jesse Hartley (1780–1860) – A civil engineer who designed many parts of Liverpool Docks.
- Barbara Castle (1910–2002) – A well-known Labour Party politician.
- John Poulson (1910–1993) – An architectural designer.
- Margaret Drabble (born 1939) – A novelist who lived in Pontefract during World War II.
- Mick Jackson (born 1947) – A musician who wrote the song "Blame It on the Boogie."
- Helen Baxendale (born 1970) – An actress known for shows like Cold Feet and Friends.
- Chris Silverwood (born 1975) – A former cricketer for England and coach of the England Men's Cricket team.
- Jamie Davis (born 1981) – An actor known for Footballers' Wives and Casualty.
- Rob Burrow (1982–2024) – A famous rugby league player for Leeds Rhinos.
- Toby Kebbell (born 1982) – An actor who has been in movies like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Kong: Skull Island.
- James Willstrop (born 1983) – A top squash player who became World No.1 in 2012.
- Tim Bresnan (born 1985) – A cricketer who played for England.
- Max Litchfield (born 1995) and Joe Litchfield (born 1998) – Brothers who are both successful swimmers.
Images for kids
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Pontefract collage
See also
In Spanish: Pontefract para niños
