Wakefield Business Directory

Wakefield Guide

Wakefield as a district boasts many rural villages alongside its ten towns, with its good location, Wakefield provides easy access. Wakefield is set in the centre of the UK's transport network, with easy links to the M1, M62 and AI. Wakefield is also located on the main rail line to the nations capital London. There are several major airports in within easy reach of the city, and there are now fast rail freight services to Europe. This is the country's only economically viable Waterway. Wakefield is ideally placed within national transport and communications network.

Unlike its larger surrounding cities Wakefield is more of an approachable city. Wakefield is a city of spires, towers, straddeling a river. The city features a cathedral that has the tallest spire in Yorkshire. The city also contains an old Elizabethan Grammer school which dates back to the late 1590s, the city is also home to a ruined Castle, more widely known as Sandal Castle, and has a great tradition of boat building. Wakefield contains a rich supply of history a lot which can be found in exhibitions and books that are open for public viewing at Wakefield's own museum, located in the City Centre at Wood Street. For more information about the Castle, their is now a visitors centre at the Sandal Castle Site where people can learn more. The story of Wakefield can also be discovered on a daily basis by simply taking a walk around the city, where clues can be found in the street names, the medieval street patterns and the timbered buildings that have survived from the tudor times.

Wakefield has many places contributing to the city's heritage. Today, Wakefield has a fine civic centre, Victorian Town Hall which was built back in the 19th Century. The County Hall still remains, which was first opened back in 1898. It opened as the West Riding County Council administrative seat. This move made Wakefield the capital city of the West Riding. Between, the County Hall and the Victorian Town Hall stands the Courthouse. This is the oldest building in the street as it was built in the 1810s. These are the buildings in Wakefield that help to preserve the cities distinct character.

The cathedral in Wakefield dates back to the 14th Century, whilst the Chantry Chapel of St Mary is a rare example of a medieval bridge Chantry. Wakefield has a long market tradition and still provides excellent indoor and outdoor markets. On the sporting scene the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a Rugby League team playing Super League and Wakefield & Emley compete in Football's Unibond League. The city has many attractions, museums theatres, pubs and clubs. There are several parks and trails including Thornes Park. The Wakefield area is famous for Rhubarb and a festival takes place annually.

The settlements surrounding the city also offer several attractions. Pugneys Country Park, a popular water sports venue, can be found near Crigglestone. Walton is the location of the Waterton Park Hotel, which incorporates Walton Hall, Britain's first nature reserve and once the home of Charles Waterton famous for his travels to South America and inventor of the bird-nesting box.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is located in West Bretton and hosts many famous works including many from locals Henry Moore (Castleford) and Barbara Hepworth (Wakefield). The National Coal Mining Museum is situated in the Overton. Woolley to the south of the area is home to the impressive Woolley Hall and Woolley Park Golf Course.

History demonstrates that Wakefield has and still is a centre of both economic and strategic significance. This has been showed through the role the district has played in the part of the country's important conflicts, including the War of the Roses and the English Civil War, and was also at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. The Romans set up camp alongside the River Aire and Calder to protect both their local and national interests. During the middle ages, the administration of the north was controlled from nearby Pontefract Castle. Now, however Wakefield City is controlled by Wakefield Metropolitan District and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly is located in the city.

Wakefield Museum is the historical fountain of knowledge where you can explore Roman fort - builders, feuding medieval dynasties, coal, canals, modern industry, contemporary art, liquorice and the Amazon Connection. Neighbouring town Castleford has a small room in th library where the archealogical history of the town can be found. Mini Museums can also be found in libraries in Airedale, Featherstone, Havercroft, Kinsley, Knottingley and Normanton. Pontefract Museum traces the growth of the town and its people, highlighting local products like liquorice.

Wakefield Art Gallery is a treasure trove of art from the last three centuries and much of the work is by local artists. Plans are set to open a new gallery in 2009 on Wakefield's historic waterfront.

Wakefield is surrounded by lots of smaller towns and villages. Ossett and Horbury are situated to the west of the city, Pontefract, Castleford, Normanton, Featherstone and Knottingley are situated to the east, with Hemsworth and the old mining communities of South Elmsall, Upton and South Kirby making up the south of the city. More information can be found on each of the local towns in the section below.