Outwood, West Yorkshire

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Outwood is a district to the north of Wakefield, a city in West Yorkshire, England. The district is centred on the A61 Leeds Road south of Lofthouse. It was originally a small pit village, but there has been so much new housing in the last twenty years that the old village is now only a minority of the district.

The area near the train station was once the site of Lofthouse pit, that is sadly best remembered for the disaster that claimed the lives of several miners. The area where the mine once stood is now a golf course and housing estate.

The Wakefield 41 Industrial Estate is also situated near to Outwood.

1 Transport
2 Education
3 Sport and recreation
4 Local agriculture

[edit] Transport

Outwood railway station is an unmanned station, served by Northern Rail, offering rail services towards Leeds, Wakefield, Doncaster and Sheffield. The A61 (Leeds Road) runs through the middle of Outwood, connecting towards Leeds to the north and Wakefield to the south. Junction 41 of the M1 is also close-by. This station has a wonderful display of vintage railway posters.

[edit] Education

Outwood is home to Outwood Grange College, one of the largest secondary schools in the UK with over 2000 students. The local primary schools are St Peter's CofE Primary & Nursery School, Ledger Lane Junior & Infant School and Rooks Nest Primary School. There are plans to build a Children's Centre at St Peter's school to open in Spring 2008.

[edit] Sport and recreation

Outwood is home to one park. Outwood Park has facilities for football, 5 a side, crown green bowling and a children's play area. Outwood is also home to two other playing fields and another play area. Local teams include Nightingale Football Club and Outwood Rangers Junior Football Club.

[edit] Local agriculture

Outwood is located within the Rhubarb Triangle. Because of its mining history Outwood has good supplies of soot and ash to condition its soil, which provide good conditions for the plant to grow.