Wakefield Local Information: 10 top things to know... more

  • 1. History of Wakefield

    The city of Wakefield was home to the county headquarters of the West Riding of Yorkshire for two centuries. Although this is no longer the case, it is still an important city in the region. The former County Hall of the West Riding County Council is now the headquarters of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council. The city's Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin is a...Read moren important historical building from the Middle Ages and is over 650 years old. It is one of only four such chapels to have survived in the UK. Wakefield Cathedral and the remains of the 13th century Sandal Castle are also important historical sites in the city. Read less

  • 2. Now in Wakefield

    The city is at the heart of the district of Wakefield, and is home to the headquarters of the Yorkshire and Humber regional assembly, the West Yorkshire Police and the West Yorkshire Ambulance Service. It is popular with tourists and boasts many attractions, both modern and historical, as well as being in a prime location for exploring the rest of Yorkshire.

  • 3. Events in Wakefield

    One of the main annual events to take place in the city is the Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb. This festival celebrates the tradition of rhubarb growing in the region and has attractions and activities for all ages. The Nostell Priory Steam Fair has been a big event on the city's annual calendar since the 1970s, and is still very popular today.

  • 4. Attractions in Wakefield

    The National Coal Mining Museum for England is based in Overton, on the outskirts of Wakefield. Attractions include an underground tour of one of Britain's oldest mines, hands-on displays and original colliery buildings dating back over 130 years. Nostell Priory is an 18th century mansion surrounded by 300 acres of gardens and parkland. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, in West Bre...Read moretton, is an open-air gallery, which boasts new exhibitions every year. The Hepworth, Wakefield, is one of the city's newest attractions. The gallery has work from Wakefield's art collection, exhibitions by international artists and never-before-seen works by famous artist Barbara Hepworth, who was born and raised in Wakefield. The gallery sits on the city's historic waterfront. The site of Sandal Castle, in the city, includes remains of the castle and a modern visitor centre with hands-on displays. Wakefield Museum tells the history of the region and its people and is based in an old 1820s music saloon. Read less

  • 5. Things To Do in Wakefield

    Pugneys Country Park is a 250-acre site with two lakes. The smaller lake is a nature reserve including two bird hides, and the larger lake caters for non-powered watersports such as canoeing, sailing and windsurfing. Wakefield Civic Society offers guided walks around the city, looking at architecture, art works and some of the city's more famous inhabitants. The society has pro...Read morevided 32 blue plaques around the city to highlight noteworthy buildings, people or events, and a booklet of these is available. Read less

  • 6. Business in Wakefield

    Trinity Walk is a modern shopping centre that opened in Wakefield in May 2011. The centre includes many shops as well as areas for eating and drinking. The Market Hall, in the city centre, has 49 indoor units, 11 retail areas in the food hall and nine shops. An open market sits alongside the market hall with 45 outdoor stalls. Ridings Shopping Centre has three malls housing ove...Read morer 100 stores and plenty of food and drink venues. Read less

  • 7. Transport in Wakefield

    There are many domestic and international airports within easy reach of Wakefield. Leeds Bradford International Airport is about 45 minutes by road and Manchester Airport is approximately one hour by road. Humberside International Airport takes about one hour to reach by car and Nottingham East Midlands Airport takes about one and a half hours. The city has train stations in O...Read moreutwood, Sandal, Monk Street and Westgate, offering good links within the region and the rest of the UK. The main motorways serving Wakefield are the M1, to the north and south, and the M62, to the east and west. The M621 links the city to nearby Leeds. Read less

  • 8. Entertainment in Wakefield

    The Theatre Royal Wakefield offers a wide programme of events including West End Shows, pantomimes, family shows, comedy, ballet, opera and much more. The Hop is a real ale house, which also serves as a venue for live music and comedy. Wakefield Jazz is a small and friendly music club situated in Wakefield Sports Club. Live events take place on Friday evenings.

  • 9. Famous Landmarks in Wakefield

    Wakefield Cathedral sits in the city centre and its spire can be seen from miles around. The building has a rich history to tell and visitors can take a Discovery Tour to find out more about the building and its past.

  • 10. Interesting Facts about Wakefield

    The well-known children's nursery rhyme Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush is thought to have originated as a chant by inmates of Wakefield prison as they exercised around a mulberry bush within the prison grounds. The mulberry bush still exists at the prison today.

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