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{{Short description|Town in West Yorkshire, England}}
{{infobox UK place
{{About||people with the name|Garforth (name)|the island in Alaska|Garforth Island}}
|country = England
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
|latitude= 53.792
{{Use British English|date=October 2014}}
|longitude= -1.388
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name= Garforth
|population = c.15,000
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|53.792|-1.388|display=inline,title}}
|metropolitan_borough= [[City of Leeds]]
| official_name = Garforth
|metropolitan_county = [[West Yorkshire]]
|region= Yorkshire and the Humber
| pushpin_map = United Kingdom Leeds
| population = 19,811
|constituency_westminster= [[Elmet (UK Parliament constituency)|Elmet]]
| population_ref = (Garforth and Swillington Ward. [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]])<ref name="2011 census">{{NOMIS2011|id=1237321079|title=Garforth and Swillington Ward (as of 2011)|access-date=1 October 2018}}</ref>
|post_town= LEEDS
| metropolitan_borough = [[City of Leeds]]
|postcode_district = LS25
| metropolitan_county = [[West Yorkshire]]
|postcode_area= LS
|dial_code= 0113
| region = Yorkshire and the Humber
| constituency_westminster = [[Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)|Elmet and Rothwell]]
|os_grid_reference= SE403330
| post_town = LEEDS
| postcode_district = LS25
| postcode_area = LS
| dial_code = 0113
| os_grid_reference = SE403330
| static_image_name = Shopping Parade, Main Street, Garforth (19th July 2014).JPG
| static_image_caption = Shopping Parade, Main Street
| london_distance_mi = 165<!-- straight line per MOS – constant and comparable with other place distances -->
| london_direction = SSE
}}
}}


'''Garforth''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɑr|f|ər|θ}}) is a [[town]] in the [[metropolitan borough]] of the [[City of Leeds]], [[West Yorkshire]], England.
'''Garforth''' is a town within the [[City of Leeds]] [[metropolitan borough]], in [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]]. The [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]] lists 23,892 residents in the Garforth and Swillington ward - 80.57% of which are homeowners, 20% more than the average for [[Leeds]]. Garforth itself has around 15,000 of those people, and is the largest centre of population in the [[Elmet (UK Parliament constituency)|parliamentary constituency of Elmet]]. However, Elmet will cease to exist at the [[Next United Kingdom general election|next General Election]], and will be incorporated into the new [[United Kingdom constituencies|constituency]] of [[Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)|Elmet and Rothwell]].


It sits in the [[Garforth and Swillington (ward)|Garforth and Swillington]] ward of [[Leeds City Council]] and the [[Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)|Elmet and Rothwell]] [[United Kingdom constituencies|parliamentary constituency]]. As of 2011, the population of Garforth was 14,957, having decreased since the last census.{{efn|48 output areas in the [[Garforth and Swillington (ward)|Garforth and Swillington]] ward make up the Garforth area.}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ukcensusdata.com/garforth-and-swillington-e05001423#sthash.CHDzjlJZ.dpbs|title=Garforth and Swillington - UK Census Data 2011|first=Good Stuff IT|last=Services|website=UK Census Data|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref>
It owes its size to expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries during which the local land-owning [[Gascoigne family]] ran several coalmines in the area. The surrounding settlements of [[Micklefield]], [[Kippax, West Yorkshire|Kippax]], [[Swillington]], [[Methley]] and [[Allerton Bywater]] are all villages that prospered and grew as a result of the coal industry. Nowadays manufacturing and motor-vehicle repair account for more than a third of the workforce in the area.
It is {{Convert|6.5|mi}} east of Central [[Leeds]], {{Convert|16|mi}} south-west of [[York]] and {{Convert|10|mi}} north of [[Wakefield]]. It is mostly an [[Unparished area|Un-Parished area]], like much of [[City of Leeds|Greater Leeds]].


==Etymology==
More recent expansion can also be traced to a combination of overall economic success in Leeds, and the fact that Garforth is well served by transport links. The [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]] and [[M1 motorway|M1]] are minutes away, and both have recently been linked by an extension of the M1 which passes to the West and North of the town, with two nearby access points at Junctions 46 and 47. The M1 extension has led to rapid development of commercial, light industrial and residential sites clustered around Junctions 46 and 47. There are two railway stations, [[Garforth railway station|Garforth]] and [[East Garforth railway station|East Garforth]], both on the mainline route between [[Leeds]], [[York]], and North Eastern England to Scotland, and between Leeds, [[Selby]] and [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] and the [[Yorkshire]] coastal resorts. Effectively, people can commute to, or visit, a wide variety of destinations quite easily, and still live in a self-contained township surrounded by open countryside, woodlands and rural villages.
The place-name ''Garforth'' appears first in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as ''Gereford'' and ''Gereforde'', with ''gar-'' spellings first appearing in 1336 in the form ''Garford''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Garforth {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SE4033/garforth/ |website=opendomesday.org |access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Garforth :: Survey of English Place-Names |url=https://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/browse/West+Riding+of+Yorkshire/Garforth/5328827bb47fc40c81006111-Garforth |website=epns.nottingham.ac.uk |access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref> The name seems to derive from the [[Norsemen|Norse]] words ''gāra'' ('triangular plot of land', derived from the word ''gār'', 'spear') and ''ford'' ('ford)', and thus meant 'ford at a triangular plot of land'.{{cn|date=March 2023}} Or perhaps; Spear of the River Crossing.{{cn|date=March 2023}}


The plot is thought to have lain at a sharp turn in the road now called The Beck. Spellings beginning with ''ger-'' reflect the [[Old Norse]] counterpart of Old English ''gāra'', ''geiri'', and therefore the existence of Norse-influenced pronunciations of the name existing alongside Old English ones.<ref name=":0">Harry Parkin, ''Your City's Place-Names: Leeds'', English Place-Name Society City-Names Series, 3 (Nottingham: English Place-Name Society, 2017).</ref>{{rp|47}} Correspondingly, the district also once included the place Church Garforth, whose name is first attested in the fifteenth century as ''Kirkgarford''; here again the form ''kirk'' reflects the Old Norse form of the word ''church'', ''kirkja''.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|35–36}}
Some famous residents and ex-residents of Garforth include, [[Rachel Cairns]], [[Chris Silverwood]], [[Dave Seaman (DJ)|Dave Seaman]] and [[Andrew White (musician)|Andrew White]], of the [[Kaiser Chiefs]]. The town was also the birthplace, of Second World War hero, Sir Augustus Walker of the [[Royal Air Force]].


==History==
==Schools in Garforth==
Garforth owes its size to expansion in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries during which the local land-owning [[Gascoigne family]] ran several coalmines in the area. The surrounding settlements of [[Micklefield]], [[Kippax, West Yorkshire|Kippax]], [[Swillington]], [[Methley]] and [[Allerton Bywater]] [[Great Preston|Great]] and [[Little Preston]] are all villages that prospered and grew as a result of the coal industry. Nowadays manufacturing and motor-vehicle repair account for more than a third of the workforce in the area.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}


More recent expansion can also be traced to a combination of overall economic success in Leeds, and that Garforth is served by transport links. The [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]] and [[M1 motorway|M1]] are minutes away, and both have recently been linked by an extension of the M1 which passes to the west and north of the village, with two nearby access points at Junctions 46 and 47. The M1 extension led to rapid development of commercial, light industrial and residential sites clustered around Junctions 46 and 47. The village rail link to [[Kippax, West Yorkshire|Kippax]] and [[Castleford]] was closed under the [[Beeching Axe]] of the 1960s.
[[File:Garforth Community College.jpg|thumb|right|[[Garforth Community College]]
Home to one secondary school and five primary schools.


Garforth has been home to first Garforth Scout Group since 1908. Garforth & District Lions Club was formed in 1972.
[[Garforth Community College]], a [[high school|secondary school]] and [[sixth form]] for pupils aged 11-18 is located on Lidgett Lane in Garforth. The school itself has over 2000 students and staff. It is also one of the pioneering schools behind finger-print placed lunch payment system. Furthermore, Garforth Community College runs the [[Garforth Art Festival]], which is a display of musical talent.


==Economy==
Over the street from Garforth Community College is the newly refurbished Strawberry Fields Primary school, formerly known as West Garforth Primary School. As well as Strawberry Fields, Garforth is home to Ninelands Lane Primary School, Green Lane Primary School,[[East Garforth Primary School]] and St Benedict's Primary School, which is a [[Catholic school]].
Originally a coal mining area, the collieries of much of east Leeds and surrounding areas closed in the 1960s, although further south mining was still strong in the 1990s and is still prevalent to some degree today. Garforth has increasingly become a [[commuter town]] for Leeds, York & [[City of Wakefield]] area. {{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} There is a light industrial estate to the north of the village which provides some employment, such as [[Ginetta Cars]], while the neighbouring Thorpe Business Park in [[Colton, Leeds|Colton]] also provides employment. Garforth's rail connections and access to the [[M1 motorway|M1]], [[A1(M)]] and [[M62 motorway|M62]] have made it a desirable area for commuters to live.

==Amenities==
Garforth's amenities are similar to some towns in the City of Leeds, such as [[Otley]] and [[Wetherby]]. Garforth has two [[Tesco|Tescos]] (Extra and Express), and a [[Lidl]] supermarket, [[the Original Factory Shop]] department store, several [[public house]]s in the town centre, a [[Co-operative Group|Co-operative]], Greggs, Dominoes, Budgens, Costa, Subway, and other shops such as newsagents, charity shops, travel agents and banks. Garforth civic amenities include a library and a one stop centre run by [[Leeds City Council]]. A coffee shop on Main Street functions partly as a [[social enterprise]], giving its profits to projects in the village. There are also a number of take away food outlets.

The lively Garforth Community Choir was formed in October 2015 and meets at Garforth Academy on Wednesdays at 7.00&nbsp;pm, in school term time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themaindeal.co.uk/garforth-community-choir.html|title=Garforth Community Choir|website=The Main Deal|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref>

Garforth has ten traditional public houses, a mix of restaurants/cafes/wine bars, and a number of social/affiliated clubs.

There are two indoor play areas for children and a large [[skatepark]].

Garforth also plays home to two brass bands, both of which rehearse and perform in and around the local area. There is Garforth Jubilee Band, currently conducted by Martin Bird, who are a non-contesting brass band, and there is Garforth Brass, who are a contesting brass band.

==Transport==
{{multiple image|caption_align=center|image1=Garforth railway station (19th July 2014) 006.JPG|caption1=[[Garforth railway station]]|width1=200|image2=East Garforth station 4.jpg|caption2=[[East Garforth railway station]]|width2=200}}
Garforth is situated on the [[A63 road|A63]], which links it with the [[M1 Motorway|M1]] and the [[A1(M)]], the [[M62 Motorway|M62]] also lies close by to the south of the village.

Garforth has two railway stations. [[Garforth railway station]] lies to the north of the village centre, whist [[East Garforth railway station]], which opened in the 1980s, lies to the east of the village, both stations on the mainline route between [[Leeds]], [[York]] and North Eastern England to Scotland, and between Leeds, [[Selby]] and [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] and the [[Yorkshire]] coastal resorts. There are also rail links to [[Manchester]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Blackpool]].

Garforth's bus services are provided by [[First Leeds]] and [[Arriva Yorkshire]].

===High Speed Two===
Under proposals released on 28 January 2013, Garforth would see the [[High Speed 2]] railway line built close to the village, running adjacent to the M1 motorway. The High Speed Line would cross the existing railway line close to Thorpe Park to the west of the village. This line would carry the spur away from Leeds, towards the [[East Coast Main Line]] at [[Church Fenton]].<ref> [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/68988/hs2-arp-000-dr-rt-55001_3-0.pdf Map], High Speed Rail Link, Retrieved 20 October 2014</ref> (Update) The decision to cancel the eastern leg was announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October 2023 at the Conservative Party Conference

==Education==
[[File:GarforthCC2009.jpg|thumb|right|[[Garforth Academy]]]]
Education establishments in Garforth include a secondary school, primary schools and a vocational performing arts college.

[[Garforth Academy]], a [[high school|secondary school]] and [[sixth form]] for pupils aged 11–18 is located on Lidgett Lane in Garforth. The school has over 2,000 pupils and staff{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}. Garforth Community Arts School (situated in Garforth Academy) runs the [[Garforth Arts Festival]], which is a display of artistic works.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

Opposite Garforth Academy is the recently refurbished{{when|date=October 2014}} Strawberry Fields Primary School, formerly known as West Garforth Primary School. Other Garforth schools are Ninelands Primary School, Green Lane Primary Academy, East Garforth Primary Academy and St Benedict's Primary School, which is a [[Catholic school]].

[[SLP College]] is a further education college in Garforth, providing specialist vocational training in dance and performing arts. Founded as a dance school, it later developed a full-time performing arts course and is now a course provider for the [[Trinity College, London]] professional performing arts qualifications. The college is accredited to the [[Council for Dance Education and Training]] and one of the colleges selected to award the government [[Dance and Drama Awards]].{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}


==Sport==
==Sport==
[[File:Genix Healthcare Stadium, Garforth.jpg|thumb|right|Genix Healthcare Stadium]]
There are two rugby clubs in Garforth, one League and one Union. Garforth Tigers/Tigresses ARLFC play Rugby League and are based at Glebelands Park. They have junior (from ages 3-18) and senior teams (from the age of 16) competing in the Yorkshire League.<ref>{{cite web |title=home |url=http://www.garforthtigers.com/ |access-date=23 April 2018 |website=Garforth Tigers ARLFC}}</ref> There is also a men's Rugby Union team: Garforth RUFC, who play their matches on Garforth Academy's playing fields.<ref name="GRUFC">{{cite web |title=Men's/Women's clothing&shoes Wholesale Outlet - garforthrufc.org.uk |url=http://www.garforthrufc.org.uk/ |access-date=23 April 2018 |website=www.garforthrufc.org.uk}}</ref>


Local football teams are [[Garforth Town A.F.C.]], Garforth Villa Football Club, Garforth W.M.C. A.F.C. and Garforth Rangers A.F.C. Garforth Town play at the Genix Healthcare Stadium (formally known as Wheatley Park) which is located in the corner of the Cedar Ridge estate of Garforth.
There are multiple sports teams in the local area. Garforth itself has two cricket clubs.


There are also two cricket clubs,<ref name=churchcricket>{{Cite web|url=http://garforthparishchurch.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715092658/http://garforthparishchurch.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp|url-status=dead|title=Garforth Parish Church Cricket Club|archive-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> Garforth C.C. & Garforth Church Parish C.C., the Squash and Leisure Centre.<ref>[http://www.leeds.gov.uk/page.aspx?pageidentifier=429939C8CA41921380256E1A003A1591 Garforth Badminton Centre] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316142143/http://www.leeds.gov.uk/page.aspx?pageidentifier=429939C8CA41921380256E1A003A1591 |date=16 March 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.garforthtoday.co.uk/your-garforth/Garforth-Squash-and-Leisure-Centre.3885956.jp|title=Garforth Today}}</ref> and a Premier World Fitness Centre.
Nearby rugby clubs include the towns own [[Garforth RUFC]], [[Leeds Rhinos]] and [[Castleford Tigers]].


Garforth Golf Club has a course designed by [[Alister MacKenzie]].<ref name=golf>{{Cite web|url=http://www.garforthgolfclub.co.uk/index.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125003544/http://www.garforthgolfclub.co.uk/index.php|url-status=dead|title=Garforth Golf Club|archive-date=25 January 2009}}</ref>
Local [[football (soccer)|football]] clubs include [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]], [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]], [[York City F.C.|York City]] and [[Huddersfield Town F.C.|Huddersfield Town]]. Locally there are [[Garforth Town A.F.C.|Garforth Town]], [[Garforth A.F.C.]], [[Garforth W.M.C. A.F.C]] and [[Garforth Rangers A.F.C.]] [[Brazil]]ian football legend [[Sócrates]] was briefly a player-coach for Garforth Town at the end of 2004. Former Brazillian international [[Cafu]] signed for the club in 2008.


==Location Grid==
==Climate==
The nearest weather station is in [[Wakefield]], {{Convert|13|mi}} to the north. Garforth is notable for recording one of the latest instances of {{convert|-10|°C|°F}} in the United Kingdom, on 24 April 1908, the temperature fell to {{convert|-12.8|°C|°F}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trevorharley.com/weather-april.html|title=Weather April|website=www.trevorharley.com}}</ref>
<br>
{{NSEW|[[Wetherby]]|[[Castleford]]|[[Sherburn in Elmet]]|[[Leeds]]|||||}}


{{Weather box|location = Wakefield
==References==
|metric first = Yes
{{Reflist}}
|single line = Yes
|Jan high F = 44
|Feb high F = 44
|Mar high F = 49
|Apr high F = 53
|May high F = 60
|Jun high F = 65
|Jul high F = 69
|Aug high F = 69
|Sep high F = 63
|Oct high F = 56
|Nov high F = 49
|Dec high F = 45
|Jan low F = 36
|Feb low F = 36
|Mar low F = 37
|Apr low F = 39
|May low F = 45
|Jun low F = 50
|Jul low F = 54
|Aug low F = 54
|Sep low F = 50
|Oct low F = 45
|Nov low F = 39
|Dec low F = 37
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.41
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.50
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.67
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.46
|May precipitation inch = 2.19
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.63
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.01
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.50
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.53
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.91
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.06
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.62
|source 1 =<ref>{{Citation
|url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/UKXX0152
|title=Average Weather for Wakefield, ENG - Temperature and Precipitation
|publisher=Weather.com
|access-date=22 November 2009
|archive-date=20 October 2012
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020192619/http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/UKXX0152
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}


==See also==
==Notable people==
Notable residents and ex-residents of Garforth include:England and Yorkshire cricketer [[Chris Silverwood]];<ref>{{cite web|title = The Home of CricketArchive|url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4345/4345.html|website = cricketarchive.com|access-date = 7 September 2015}}</ref> DJ [[Dave Seaman]];<ref>{{cite web|title = Superstar DJ<br />Superstar DJ Dave Seaman|url = http://www.dmcworld.net/interviews/entry/interviews/superstar-dj-superstar-dj-dave-seaman.html|access-date = 7 September 2015}}</ref> [[Andrew White (musician)|Andrew White]] of the [[Kaiser Chiefs]];<ref>{{cite web|title = 'My dad doesn't think playing a guitar is a sensible job and he's probably right'|url = http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/my-dad-doesn-t-think-playing-a-guitar-is-a-sensible-job-and-he-s-probably-right-1-4342221|work= Yorkshire Post|access-date = 7 September 2015}}</ref> [[John Birch (rugby league)|John Birch]] of [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]], England & Great Britain rugby league teams; and BAFTA nominated comedian [[Liam Williams (comedian)|Liam Williams]], who created and stars in ''[[Ladhood]] '', a comedy TV series based on his experience of growing up in Garforth.<ref>{{cite web|title = Ladhood - BBC iPlayer|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p07t80ht/ladhood|website = bbc.co.uk/iplayer|access-date = 26 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Ladhood review – boisterous comedy smells like teen spirit ... and Lynx|url = https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/nov/24/ladhood-review-boisterous-comedy-smells-like-teen-spirit-and-lynx|newspaper = The Guardian| date=24 November 2019 |access-date = 26 November 2019 | last1=Nicholson | first1=Rebecca }}</ref> The village was also the birthplace of Second World War airman, [[Sir Augustus Walker]] of the Royal Air Force.<ref>{{cite web|title = An ordinary house, an extraordinary hero|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/an-ordinary-house-an-extraordinary-hero-1-2071502|work= Yorkshire Evening Post|access-date = 7 September 2015}}</ref> [[Jack Charlton]] owned a menswear shop in the town, and was a resident for a number of years along with a number of sportspeople at various times.
*[[Garforth Town A.F.C.]]


==References in literature==
==External links==
The book ''The Modfather'' was set in Garforth in the late 1970s and early 1980s detailing David Lines adolescence in the village and his obsession with [[Paul Weller]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Harris|first1=John|title=The Jam? They were a way of life|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/feb/03/popandrock.paulweller|access-date=29 January 2016|work=The Guardian|date=3 February 2006}}</ref>


==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Garforth Main Street.jpg|Main Street, Garforth
File:The Original Factory Shop, Garforth.jpg|The Original Factory Shop
File:The Miners, Garforth.jpg|The Miners, a pub in Garforth
File:St Mary's Church, Garforth - geograph.org.uk - 96466.jpg|[[St. Mary's Church, Garforth|St Mary's Church]]
</gallery>


==See also==
*[http://www.garforth.leeds.sch.uk/ Garforth Community College]
*[http://www.garforth.net/ Garforth's Website]
*[[Listed buildings in Garforth and Swillington]]
*[[Garforth Town A.F.C.]]
*[http://www.garforthtoday.co.uk/ YEP Garforth Today Community Website]
*[http://www.garforthtown.com/ Garforth Town]
*[http://www.garforthjetsbadminton.co.uk/ Garforth Jets Badminton Club]
*[http://www.garforthrangers.co.uk/ Garforth Rangers]
*[http://www.garforthartsfestival.co.uk/ Garforth Art Festival]
*[http://www.goinlocal.co.uk/ LS25 Community Web site]
*[http://www.1stgarforth.org.uk/ 1st Garforth Scout Group]


==References==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Garforth/index.html |title=The Ancient Parish of Garforth |publisher=[[GENUKI]]}} Historical and genealogical resource
{{Reflist}}
{{notelist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Garforth}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081009183056/http://www.garforth.leeds.sch.uk/ Garforth Community College]
*[http://www.garforth.net/ "Garforth Today & Garforth Yesteryear"], Garforth.net (First Bookshop, Bridlington)
*[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Garforth/index.html "The Ancient Parish of Garforth"], [[GENUKI]].org.UK


{{Portalbar|Yorkshire|England|United Kingdom}}
{{NSEW|[[Barwick-in-Elmet]]|[[Kippax, West Yorkshire|Kippax]]|[[Micklefield]]|[[Austhorpe]]|||||}}
{{West Yorkshire|state=collapsed}}
{{City of Leeds}}
{{City of Leeds}}
{{West Yorkshire}}


{{authority control}}
[[Category:Leeds environs]]
[[Category:Towns in West Yorkshire]]


[[it:Garforth]]
[[Category:Garforth| ]]
[[Category:City of Leeds]]
[[no:Garforth]]
[[Category:Towns in West Yorkshire]]
[[pl:Garforth]]
[[Category:Unparished areas in West Yorkshire]]
[[sv:Garforth]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in West Yorkshire]]

Revision as of 11:55, 10 May 2024

For people with the name, see Garforth (name). For the island in Alaska, see Garforth Island.

Garforth
Shopping Parade, Main Street
Garforth is located in Leeds
Garforth
Garforth
Garforth is located in West Yorkshire
Garforth
Garforth
Location within West Yorkshire
Population19,811 (Garforth and Swillington Ward. 2011 census)[1]
OS grid referenceSE403330
• London165 mi (266 km) SSE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLEEDS
Postcode districtLS25
Dialling code0113
PoliceWest Yorkshire
FireWest Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
53°47′31″N 1°23′17″W / 53.792°N 1.388°W / 53.792; -1.388

Garforth (/ˈɡɑːrfərθ/) is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

It sits in the Garforth and Swillington ward of Leeds City Council and the Elmet and Rothwell parliamentary constituency. As of 2011, the population of Garforth was 14,957, having decreased since the last census.[a][2] It is 6.5 miles (10.5 km) east of Central Leeds, 16 miles (26 km) south-west of York and 10 miles (16 km) north of Wakefield. It is mostly an Un-Parished area, like much of Greater Leeds.

Etymology

The place-name Garforth appears first in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Gereford and Gereforde, with gar- spellings first appearing in 1336 in the form Garford.[3][4] The name seems to derive from the Norse words gāra ('triangular plot of land', derived from the word gār, 'spear') and ford ('ford)', and thus meant 'ford at a triangular plot of land'.[citation needed] Or perhaps; Spear of the River Crossing.[citation needed]

The plot is thought to have lain at a sharp turn in the road now called The Beck. Spellings beginning with ger- reflect the Old Norse counterpart of Old English gāra, geiri, and therefore the existence of Norse-influenced pronunciations of the name existing alongside Old English ones.[5]: 47  Correspondingly, the district also once included the place Church Garforth, whose name is first attested in the fifteenth century as Kirkgarford; here again the form kirk reflects the Old Norse form of the word church, kirkja.[5]: 35–36 

History

Garforth owes its size to expansion in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries during which the local land-owning Gascoigne family ran several coalmines in the area. The surrounding settlements of Micklefield, Kippax, Swillington, Methley and Allerton Bywater Great and Little Preston are all villages that prospered and grew as a result of the coal industry. Nowadays manufacturing and motor-vehicle repair account for more than a third of the workforce in the area.[citation needed]

More recent expansion can also be traced to a combination of overall economic success in Leeds, and that Garforth is served by transport links. The A1 and M1 are minutes away, and both have recently been linked by an extension of the M1 which passes to the west and north of the village, with two nearby access points at Junctions 46 and 47. The M1 extension led to rapid development of commercial, light industrial and residential sites clustered around Junctions 46 and 47. The village rail link to Kippax and Castleford was closed under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s.

Garforth has been home to first Garforth Scout Group since 1908. Garforth & District Lions Club was formed in 1972.

Economy

Originally a coal mining area, the collieries of much of east Leeds and surrounding areas closed in the 1960s, although further south mining was still strong in the 1990s and is still prevalent to some degree today. Garforth has increasingly become a commuter town for Leeds, York & City of Wakefield area. [citation needed] There is a light industrial estate to the north of the village which provides some employment, such as Ginetta Cars, while the neighbouring Thorpe Business Park in Colton also provides employment. Garforth's rail connections and access to the M1, A1(M) and M62 have made it a desirable area for commuters to live.

Amenities

Garforth's amenities are similar to some towns in the City of Leeds, such as Otley and Wetherby. Garforth has two Tescos (Extra and Express), and a Lidl supermarket, the Original Factory Shop department store, several public houses in the town centre, a Co-operative, Greggs, Dominoes, Budgens, Costa, Subway, and other shops such as newsagents, charity shops, travel agents and banks. Garforth civic amenities include a library and a one stop centre run by Leeds City Council. A coffee shop on Main Street functions partly as a social enterprise, giving its profits to projects in the village. There are also a number of take away food outlets.

The lively Garforth Community Choir was formed in October 2015 and meets at Garforth Academy on Wednesdays at 7.00 pm, in school term time.[6]

Garforth has ten traditional public houses, a mix of restaurants/cafes/wine bars, and a number of social/affiliated clubs.

There are two indoor play areas for children and a large skatepark.

Garforth also plays home to two brass bands, both of which rehearse and perform in and around the local area. There is Garforth Jubilee Band, currently conducted by Martin Bird, who are a non-contesting brass band, and there is Garforth Brass, who are a contesting brass band.

Transport

Garforth railway station
East Garforth railway station

Garforth is situated on the A63, which links it with the M1 and the A1(M), the M62 also lies close by to the south of the village.

Garforth has two railway stations. Garforth railway station lies to the north of the village centre, whist East Garforth railway station, which opened in the 1980s, lies to the east of the village, both stations on the mainline route between Leeds, York and North Eastern England to Scotland, and between Leeds, Selby and Hull and the Yorkshire coastal resorts. There are also rail links to Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool and Blackpool.

Garforth's bus services are provided by First Leeds and Arriva Yorkshire.

High Speed Two

Under proposals released on 28 January 2013, Garforth would see the High Speed 2 railway line built close to the village, running adjacent to the M1 motorway. The High Speed Line would cross the existing railway line close to Thorpe Park to the west of the village. This line would carry the spur away from Leeds, towards the East Coast Main Line at Church Fenton.[7] (Update) The decision to cancel the eastern leg was announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October 2023 at the Conservative Party Conference

Education

Garforth Academy

Education establishments in Garforth include a secondary school, primary schools and a vocational performing arts college.

Garforth Academy, a secondary school and sixth form for pupils aged 11–18 is located on Lidgett Lane in Garforth. The school has over 2,000 pupils and staff[citation needed]. Garforth Community Arts School (situated in Garforth Academy) runs the Garforth Arts Festival, which is a display of artistic works.[citation needed]

Opposite Garforth Academy is the recently refurbished[when?] Strawberry Fields Primary School, formerly known as West Garforth Primary School. Other Garforth schools are Ninelands Primary School, Green Lane Primary Academy, East Garforth Primary Academy and St Benedict's Primary School, which is a Catholic school.

SLP College is a further education college in Garforth, providing specialist vocational training in dance and performing arts. Founded as a dance school, it later developed a full-time performing arts course and is now a course provider for the Trinity College, London professional performing arts qualifications. The college is accredited to the Council for Dance Education and Training and one of the colleges selected to award the government Dance and Drama Awards.[citation needed]

Sport

Genix Healthcare Stadium

There are two rugby clubs in Garforth, one League and one Union. Garforth Tigers/Tigresses ARLFC play Rugby League and are based at Glebelands Park. They have junior (from ages 3-18) and senior teams (from the age of 16) competing in the Yorkshire League.[8] There is also a men's Rugby Union team: Garforth RUFC, who play their matches on Garforth Academy's playing fields.[9]

Local football teams are Garforth Town A.F.C., Garforth Villa Football Club, Garforth W.M.C. A.F.C. and Garforth Rangers A.F.C. Garforth Town play at the Genix Healthcare Stadium (formally known as Wheatley Park) which is located in the corner of the Cedar Ridge estate of Garforth.

There are also two cricket clubs,[10] Garforth C.C. & Garforth Church Parish C.C., the Squash and Leisure Centre.[11][12] and a Premier World Fitness Centre.

Garforth Golf Club has a course designed by Alister MacKenzie.[13]

Climate

The nearest weather station is in Wakefield, 13 miles (21 km) to the north. Garforth is notable for recording one of the latest instances of −10 °C (14 °F) in the United Kingdom, on 24 April 1908, the temperature fell to −12.8 °C (9.0 °F).[14]

Climate data for Wakefield
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 7
(44) 		7
(44) 		9
(49) 		12
(53) 		16
(60) 		18
(65) 		21
(69) 		21
(69) 		17
(63) 		13
(56) 		9
(49) 		7
(45) 		13
(56)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2
(36) 		2
(36) 		3
(37) 		4
(39) 		7
(45) 		10
(50) 		12
(54) 		12
(54) 		10
(50) 		7
(45) 		4
(39) 		3
(37) 		6
(44)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 87
(3.41) 		64
(2.50) 		68
(2.67) 		62
(2.46) 		56
(2.19) 		67
(2.63) 		51
(2.01) 		64
(2.50) 		64
(2.53) 		74
(2.91) 		78
(3.06) 		92
(3.62) 		827
(32.49)
Source: [15]

Notable people

Notable residents and ex-residents of Garforth include:England and Yorkshire cricketer Chris Silverwood;[16] DJ Dave Seaman;[17] Andrew White of the Kaiser Chiefs;[18] John Birch of Leeds, England & Great Britain rugby league teams; and BAFTA nominated comedian Liam Williams, who created and stars in Ladhood , a comedy TV series based on his experience of growing up in Garforth.[19][20] The village was also the birthplace of Second World War airman, Sir Augustus Walker of the Royal Air Force.[21] Jack Charlton owned a menswear shop in the town, and was a resident for a number of years along with a number of sportspeople at various times.

References in literature

The book The Modfather was set in Garforth in the late 1970s and early 1980s detailing David Lines adolescence in the village and his obsession with Paul Weller.[22]

Gallery

  • Main Street, Garforth
    Main Street, Garforth
  • The Original Factory Shop
    The Original Factory Shop
  • The Miners, a pub in Garforth
    The Miners, a pub in Garforth
  • St Mary's Church
    St Mary's Church

See also

References

  1. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Garforth and Swillington Ward (as of 2011) (1237321079)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  2. ^ Services, Good Stuff IT. "Garforth and Swillington - UK Census Data 2011". UK Census Data. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Garforth | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Garforth :: Survey of English Place-Names". epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b Harry Parkin, Your City's Place-Names: Leeds, English Place-Name Society City-Names Series, 3 (Nottingham: English Place-Name Society, 2017).
  6. ^ "Garforth Community Choir". The Main Deal. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  7. ^ Map, High Speed Rail Link, Retrieved 20 October 2014
  8. ^ "home". Garforth Tigers ARLFC. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Men's/Women's clothing&shoes Wholesale Outlet - garforthrufc.org.uk". www.garforthrufc.org.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Garforth Parish Church Cricket Club". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011.
  11. ^ Garforth Badminton Centre Archived 16 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "Garforth Today".
  13. ^ "Garforth Golf Club". Archived from the original on 25 January 2009.
  14. ^ "Weather April". www.trevorharley.com.
  15. ^ Average Weather for Wakefield, ENG - Temperature and Precipitation, Weather.com, archived from the original on 20 October 2012, retrieved 22 November 2009
  16. ^ "The Home of CricketArchive". cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  17. ^ "Superstar DJ
    Superstar DJ Dave Seaman"    . Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  18. ^ "'My dad doesn't think playing a guitar is a sensible job and he's probably right'". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  19. ^ "Ladhood - BBC iPlayer". bbc.co.uk/iplayer. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  20. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (24 November 2019). "Ladhood review – boisterous comedy smells like teen spirit ... and Lynx". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  21. ^ "An ordinary house, an extraordinary hero". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  22. ^ Harris, John (3 February 2006). "The Jam? They were a way of life". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  1. ^ 48 output areas in the Garforth and Swillington ward make up the Garforth area.

External links

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