Castleford

Wheldale Colliery was one of the town's collieries until its closure in 1985.

Castleford's history dates back to Roman times, archaeological evidence points to modern day Castleford being built upon a Roman army settlement which was called Lagentium (thought to mean 'The Place of the Swordsmen').[4] Roman funeral urns have been found in modern-day Castleford, giving further evidence to this theory.[5] A Roman milestone was unearthed in Beancroft Road, now believed to be in Leeds City Museum.[6]

Queen's Park in Castleford provides evidence of Roundhouses used by the Anglo Saxons. This was a strategic area due to the views of the entire settlement. The history of the area includes Oliver Cromwell’s encampment in nearby Knottingley and Ferrybridge (originally thought to be in Castleford itself) whilst his forces laid siege to Pontefract Castle.[7]

All Saints' Church Hightown

All Saints' Church, Castleford, West Yorkshire

In the 19th century, Castleford became a boomtown with the population growing from 1,000 to 14,000 as collieries opened around the town; however, these collieries closed in the 20th century. Ferrybridge Power Station and Kellingley Colliery have also closed (in 2015 and 2016 respectively) and used to employ Castleford residents.[8][9] The newer warehouses and distribution centres in Glasshoughton have brought in many new jobs to the area.[10]

In 2008 Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud and Channel 4 led a community regeneration scheme to redevelop Castleford.[11]

In February 2017 Castleford Swimming Pool closed. A new modern leisure facility including a swimming pool is proposed for nearby Pontefract Park.

Carlton Street is Castleford's main shopping street.

Burberry, the retailer and designer label, has a factory in the town, plans were proposed to close this once a new facility was built in Leeds.[12] However these plans were put on hold in 2016 and the factory is due to remain in the town for the foreseeable future.[13] A large Nestlé factory, which produced Toffee Crisp and After Eights for 40 years,[14] closed in 2012 and demolition starting in 2014 to make way for housing.[15] Castleford has previously been home to Dunsford and Wesley Textiles, which at peak business times had three factories in Castleford which have all since ceased production.

Castleford had potteries from the early 18th century until 1961, notably the Castleford Pottery (1790-1820) of David Dunderdale, which gave its name to "Castleford-type" stonewares.[16]

Castleford Civic Centre

Castleford was established as an urban district, in the administrative county of the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894, with an urban district council. Whitwood and Glasshoughton were added to the district in the 1930s. The urban district was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1955.

Following the Local Government Act 1972, the municipal borough was abolished on 1 April 1974, it then became an unparished area of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire. Castleford is now controlled by Wakefield Council. Three electoral wards cover the town: Airedale and Ferry Fryston; Altofts and Whitwood; and Castleford Central and Glasshoughton.

Xscape in Glasshoughton, Castleford

Carlton Lanes shopping centre

The town contains a Junction 32 multi-store shopping village and the Xscape Leisure Complex, both in the Glasshoughton suburb at the south of the town. In Xscape is a large Snozone, which used to have Britain's largest indoor real snow slope (but this was edged out by Chillfactore in Manchester)[17] and contains Frankie & Benny's and Nando's restaurants. It is also home to a 14 screen Cineworld which recently underwent a refit in 2018 and is now home to a 4DX screen and a Screen X.[18] Castleford has an open and an indoor market, a shopping centre on Carlton Street, a retail park, and Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Co-operative supermarkets.

Entry to Castleford Forum Museum

In December 2013 the Forum, a library and heritage museum, opened in a new building. The town's library had been in temporary accommodation for two years while the old site was redeveloped. The existing frontage was kept, while the building further back was demolished. A new three-floor building was then constructed.[19]

The town centre has public houses, bars, and social clubs, although the number of these has declined in recent years with leisure becoming focused on the Xscape complex. In 2000 three nightclubs were situated in the town centre. Today none remain.

Ridings FM is Castleford's local radio station, Launched in 1999, The station can be heard in the town on 106.8 FM. Ridings FM broadcasts to the wider Wakefield District and has a close relationship with the community and is actively involved in local charities fundraising efforts. The local newspaper is a weekly called Pontefract and Castleford Express.

Castleford is only 0.93 miles (1.5 km) away from the M62 at Junction 32 via the A656 road. It has other A roads that criss-cross the town and provide access to Junction 31 on the same motorway.[20]

The River Aire and the River Calder have a confluence just north west of the town and also feed the Aire and Calder Navigation. Whilst it is an industrial waterway, it also hosts tourism with moorings on the Castleford Cut of the Navigation.[21]

The town has a railway station on the Hallam and Pontefract lines. All trains arrive from the west and leave in that same direction.[22] Trains used to go eastwards to York via Burton Salmon, but passenger workings ceased in 1970 with the section retained for freight workings only.[23] Castleford also had a second service to Leeds that left eastwards and swung north onto the former Castleford–Garforth line, which would see services calling at Ledston and Kippax, before arriving in Garforth and continuing to Leeds.[24] In 2016, a new £6 million bus station was opened adjacent to the railway station to allow an integrated travel site for the 12,000 people using the bus station per day.[25]

The Glasshoughton area of the town is served by its own railway station.

Wakefield College, Castleford Campus

The town's primary schools for infants and children are Wheldon Infant School, Castleford Park Junior, Smawthorne Henry Moore, Townville Infant School, Airedale Juniors, Oyster Park Primary, Fairburn View Primary, Three Lane Ends Academy, Ackton Pastures and Half Acres. The town's secondary schools for children aged 11–16 are Castleford Academy and Airedale Academy. The town has a small further and higher education college on the Castleford Campus of Wakefield College in Glasshoughton.[26]

• Henry Moore, sculptor who was born and educated in the town.[31]
• Viv Nicholson, born in Castleford and became famous after she and her husband won the football pools in the early 1960s. On winning £152,000 (£3.5 million in 2015), Nicholson claimed that she would "Spend, spend, spend."[32]
• Peter Robinson, crime writer famous for his Detective Inspector Banks novels, set in the Yorkshire Dales.[33]
• Richard Stoker, composer and actor was born in Castleford, living at Glasshoughton before moving to London.[34]

• Trinity Methodist Church, Castleford

Media related to Castleford, West Yorkshire at Wikimedia Commons