Roundhay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Roundhay | |
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  Roundhay shown within West Yorkshire |
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| Population | 21,823 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Metropolitan borough | Leeds |
| Metropolitan county | West Yorkshire |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEEDS |
| Postcode district | LS8 |
| Dialling code | 0113 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| European Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament | Leeds North East |
| List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire | |
Roundhay is one of the best known suburbs of Leeds, a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is a prosperous and largely affluent suburb on the north eastern edge of the city, adjacent to Alwoodley, Shadwell Village, Chapel Allerton, Moortown, Gledhow and Oakwood.
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[edit] History
The most well known area of the suburb is Roundhay Park. In the thirteenth century it was a three square mile hunting park for the DeLacy family of Pontefract Castle. The entire estate was purchased by the City of Leeds in 1872 and opened as a public park by His Royal Highness Prince Arthur on 19 September 1872.
At the time, the then Lord Mayor of Leeds John Barran was ridiculed for buying a 'White Elephant' - in that the park was too far out of the city for the majority of the population to enjoy, and in any event the park had just one access road - an old turnpike road dating from 1808.
The park was seen as a reckless waste of ratepayers money - critics even published a booklet under the title: 'The Big White Elephant' in 1879.
In June 1907 an open air swimming pool 'lido' opened, at a cost of just over £1,600, it was built mainly by unemployed citizens. During the 1950s and 1960s about 100,000 people a year visited the Roundhay 'swimming baths'.
Roundhay holds the honour of being the location of the world's oldest surviving film, Roundhay Garden Scene, which is thought to have been shot on 14 October 1888 by Louis Le Prince at Oakwood Grange.
[edit] The Mansion
In 1811, John Clarke (d. 1857) of York, architect of the ‘Commercial Buildings’ in Leeds City Centre, was commissioned by Nicholson to design his Mansion House.
This classical building built in ashlar, on two storeys with seven bays with the centre three set behind an iron portico, was one of Clarke’s earlier works and took some years to build. It is of modest size, but sufficiently elevated so as to command superb views Southwards over the park, and provides a focal point to Thomas Nicholson’s designed landscape.
[edit] The Park
Roundhay Park (2.8 km²), is a grand, Victorian park, the second largest city park in Europe after the 'Englischer Garten' (3.7 km²), in Munich, Germany.
Roundhay Park comprises over 700 acres (2.8 km²) of parkland, lakes and woodland. The Park includes scented gardens for the blind, National Plant Collections, Canal Gardens, the Monet and Alhambra Gardens, plus Tropical World which attracts visitors all year round. In 2005 the Friends Garden was opened, located alongside Canal Gardens and the Rainbow Garden.
Woodpeckers, common warblers in spring and summer, mute swans, visiting whooper swans, great-crested grebes and herons can all be found at the park.
The Upper Lake is maintained as a wildlife area, and the larger Waterloo Lake is used for fishing. Roundhay Park also provides the venue for many special events including sporting events, flower and animal shows, music festivals and a bonfire and firework displays on 5th November.
Facilities at Roundhay Park also include tennis courts, skateboard ramps, sports pitches, bowling greens, a sports arena, a golf course, and fishing. A lakeside cafe overlooks Waterloo Lake but was damaged by fire in 2005 and is not in use.
[edit] Sport and Culture
Leeds Carnegie RUFC, were originally founded after the merger of the Headingley and Roundhay Rugby Union Clubs.
The Roundhegians were originally the old boys association of Roundhay School but now operate as a Rugby Club for the whole of Roundhay.
Tropical world is located to the west of the park and contains many rare birds and wildlife.
Roundhay Park was the first place an aircraft landed in Leeds after a flight from Amsterdam, Holland.
[edit] Religion
- All Nations Community Church
- St. Johns CE Church
- St. Edmunds CE Church
- Roundhay Methodist Church
- Lidgett Park Methodist Church
- Andrew's URC Church
- Roundhay Evangelical Church
- Society of Friends (Quakers)
[edit] Education
Roundhay Schools are amongst the highest performing schools in Leeds.
- Roundhay School
- Gledhow Primary School
- Talbot Primary School
- Kerr Mackie Primary School
- St. John's CE Primary School
[edit] External links
- YEP Roundhay Today Community Website
- The Friends of Roundhay Park - Registered Charity
- The Roundhegians
- Images of Roundhay
- All Nations Community Church
- history of Roundhay Park Conservation Area
- The Ancient Parish of Barwick in Elmet at GENUKI: Roundhay was in this parish
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