Rothwell, UK (former) - City and Town Halls on Waymarking.com

Historically Rothwell was a rural market town that during the industrial revolution expanded when coal mines were opened in the surrounding area.

In 1894 the town became an Urban District Council and in 1895 this gothic revival town hall and clock tower were built.

In 1974 local governance of the area was transferred from Rothwell Urban District Council to Leeds City Council and the building is now just council offices.

"Rothwell is a market town in the south-east of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated between Leeds and Wakefield.

It sits in the Rothwell ward of Leeds City Council and Elmet and Rothwell parliamentary constituency. Rothwell is also part of the West Yorkshire Urban Area.

Rothwell has a population of 21,010, and the Rothwell ward has an estimated population of 32,365. At the 2011 Census only the Leeds Metropolitan Ward remained. This had a population of 20,354. The town has benefited from recent improvements in the transport infrastructure, most notably the nearby A1/M1 link road and the Stourton park and ride. The nearest railway station is Woodlesford.

History

Rothwell was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Rodewelle".

One of the royal lodge's documented owners was John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, who is supposed to have killed the last wild boar in England while hunting nearby[citation needed]; hence a boar's head formed part of the arms of the former Rothwell Urban District Council. The parish church (Church Street) is dedicated to Holy Trinity and is on the site of an Anglo Saxon predecessor. The current church, which has a ring of eight bells, is of medieval origins but was substantially rebuilt in the 19th century: the tower retains medieval fabric believed to be from the 15th century.

John Blenkinsop (1783–1831) is buried at Holy Trinity Church. He was a pioneer in the use of steam locomotives on the nearby Middleton Railway.

The town was granted the rights of a market town in the 15th century and a twice-yearly fair. The tradition of a fair is maintained by the annual carnival which is organised by the Rothwell Entertainments Committee. May Day is celebrated beside the stone cross and on the Pastures on the first Monday Bank Holiday in May, while Rothwell Carnival is held in Springhead Park on the second Saturday of July every year.

An arch made of whale jawbones has marked the northern boundary by the junction with Wood Lane and the A61 road for over 100 years.

Rothwell is part of the historic Rhubarb Triangle, with the town and surrounding areas famed for having once produced 90% of the world's winter forced rhubarb from the forcing sheds that were common across the fields there[citation needed].

20th century

St George's Hospital was situated off Wood Lane where now exists Castle Lodge Avenue and associated houses. It was built in 1903 to a design by Leeds architect Edward J. Dodgshun by the Rothwell, Methley and Hunslet Joint Isolation Hospital Committee which was formed under the Isolation Hospitals Act 1893 by an order of the West Riding County Council 10 January 1900. When first constructed it was known as the New Union Workhouse and Infirmary for the Hunslet Union, On being taken over by the Leeds Public Assistance Committee in 1934 it was renamed St George’s Hospital. In 1934 it was transferred to the Leeds Health Committee. In 1948, the hospital was managed by the Leeds Group B Hospital Management Committee. After local government reorganisation in 1974 it was transferred to the Leeds Eastern District and soon after to the Leeds Western District. The hospital was closed in December 1991. From 1934 the hospital provided accommodation for the elderly ill, patients with chronic and acute mental illness, persons with learning disabilities, a maternity ward and a separate isolation ward. The site was developed for housing at the start of the 21st century but the original tall clock tower remains.

Rothwell Temperance Band is a Championship section brass band founded in Rothwell in 1984. Although they do not rehearse in Rothwell itself, they have strong connections with the town and hold many concerts for the local community. They actually rehearse in Wakefield. The closest Champion Section Brass Band is the Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band, formerly of the Yorkshire Imperial Copperworks based in Stourton, from which the band is named. The Imps, as they are more commonly known, merged with the original Rothwell Band (founded 1881) in the 1990s.

Rothwell has a long history of coal mining. It was a site of early mining, using a system known as bell pits. Coal mining has been carried out in the area for over 600 years, though coal production stopped on 9 December 1983. There were many local pits including the Fanny, the Rose and Rothwell Water Haigh. In 1995, Leeds City Council and Leeds Groundwork formed a partnership which, together with local residents and community groups, transformed the former colliery into a 50-hectare country park.

Rothwell was constituted an urban district in the West Riding of Yorkshire under the Local Government Act 1894. In 1937 it was expanded by taking in the Methley urban district and Hunslet Rural District.

It was incorporated into the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire by the Local Government Act 1972. Its inclusion in the Leeds district as opposed to the Wakefield metropolitan district was controversial: originally planned for the Leeds district, it was added to the Wakefield district at the request of residents, but then moved to the Leeds district by the House of Lords.

21st century

Name: Rothwell District Council Offices Address: Marsh Street Rothwell, West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS26 0AD Date of Construction: 1895 Web Site for City/Town/Municipality: [Web Link] Architect: Not listed Memorials/Commemorations/Dedications: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Post at least one original photo of the building that is a different view from the one on the page and describe your visit, including the date. Add any additional information that you may have about this building. A GPSr photo is NOT required

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.