Westgate (Wakefield)

Last updated

View west on the eastern section of Westgate, in 2020 Westgate, Wakefield, West Yorkshire (8th December 2020).jpg
View west on the eastern section of Westgate, in 2020

Westgate is a street in the city centre of Wakefield, a city in West Yorkshire, in England.

Contents

History

Westgate was first recorded in 1275, when it was the main route south-west out of Wakefield, along the Calder Valley. The street was at the centre of one of three quarters of the town, and the part of the street nearest the town centre was lined with houses on burgage plots. A gatehouse was constructed across the street, by the location of the present Black Horse pub. The street grew further in importance after the Aire and Calder Navigation was opened in 1709, with goods transported along the road, to reach the canal. The street became lined with the large houses of merchants. [1]

In 1697, a Presbyterian chapel was built just north of Westgate, replaced in 1752 by the Westgate Unitarian Chapel. [2] A theatre was built on the street in 1776, and a corn exchange in 1820, though this was relocated in 1838 and the building finally demolished in 1962. During the 19th century, the street became lined with shops, and an increased number of inns and pubs. In 1856, Wakefield Westgate railway station opened on the south side of the street, moving to the north side in 1867, and further north in the 21st century. [1]

During the early 21st century, the street remained known for bars and nightclubs, but a lack of long-term residents had led some buildings to fall into poor repair. In the 2020s, a Heritage Action Zone was established, to bring buildings back into use, and encourage housing and cultural activity alongside retail. [3]

Layout and architecture

Buildings on the central part of Westgate Westgate, Wakefield (12705064524).jpg
Buildings on the central part of Westgate

The street runs south-west from a junction with Kirkgate and Northgate, to a junction with Ings Road, beyond which its continuation is Westgate End. On its south-east side, it has junctions with Saw Yard, Queen Street, Market Street, Albion Court, White Horse Yard, Bank Street, Smyth Street, and Garden Street; and then beyond the railway bridge, with Piccadilly and Quebec Street. On the north-west side, it has junctions with Marygate, Silver Street, Barstow Square, Woolpack's Yard, Thompson's Yard, Cheapside, Carter Street, Drury Lane, and Mulberry Way; and beyond the railway bridge, with Parliament Street.

There are a large number buildings on the street. On north-west side lie 19th century terraces of shops at 1422 Westgate [4] and 2428 Westgate; [5] 18th-century 30 Westgate, [6] 38 Westgate, [7] and 50 and 52 Westgate; [8] the 19th-century NatWest Bank, [9] 60 and 62 Westgate; [10] early-20th century HSBC Bank; [11] early-19th century 70 Westgate, [12] and 72 and 74 Westgate; [13] the grade II* listed Theatre Royal; [14] and 18th-century Pemberton House. [15] South-west of the railway bridge are the 18th-century 136 Westgate; [16] grade II* Austin House; [17] 162 Westgate; [18] 164 Westgate; [19] the 16th-century 166 Westgate; [20] and a telephone kiosk. [21]

On the south-west side of the street are 5155 Westgate, built in 1772; [22] 57 and 59 Westgate, a former bank built in 1878; [23] the former White Horse Hotel, built in 1901; [24] a Regency house at 65 Westgate; [25] the late-18th century 67 and 69 Westgate; [26] Unity House, built as shops, offices and a meeting hall in 1901; [27] the 18th-century 101 and 103 Westgate; [28] early-19th century 105 Westgate; [29] early-20th century Elephant and Castle pub; [30] and the early-19th century 111 and 113 Westgate. [31] Beyond the bridge are the late-16th century 143 and 145 Westgate; [32] 147 and 149 Westgate, dating from about 1800; [33] late-18th century 153 Westgate; [34] and 18th-century 159 Westgate. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakefield</span> City in West Yorkshire, England

Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider metropolitan district, which had a 2021 population of 353,802, the 25th most populous district in England. It is part of the West Yorkshire Built-up Area and the Yorkshire and The Humber region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hornsea</span> Town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Hornsea is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The settlement dates to at least the early medieval period. The town was expanded in the Victorian era with the coming of the Hull and Hornsea Railway in 1864. In the First World War the Mere was briefly the site of RNAS Hornsea Mere, a seaplane base. During the Second World War the town and beach was heavily fortified against invasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheapside</span> Street in the City of London

Cheapside is a street in the City of London, the historic and modern financial centre of London, England, which forms part of the A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St. Martin's Le Grand with Poultry. Near its eastern end at Bank junction, where it becomes Poultry, is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and Bank station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St Paul's tube station and square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chillingham Castle</span> Castle in Northumberland, England

Chillingham Castle is a medieval castle in the village of Chillingham in the northern part of Northumberland, England. It was the seat of the Grey and Bennett families from the 15th century until the 1980s, when it became the home of Sir Edward Humphry Tyrrell Wakefield, 2nd Baronet, who is married to a member of the original Grey family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Green</span> Park in Richmond, London, England

Richmond Green is a recreation area near the centre of Richmond, a town of about 20,000 inhabitants situated in south-west London. Owned by the Crown Estate, it is leased to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The Green, which has been described as "one of the most beautiful urban greens surviving anywhere in England", is roughly square in shape and its open grassland, framed with broadleaf trees, extends to roughly twelve acres. On the north-east side there is also a smaller open space called Little Green. Richmond Green and Little Green are overlooked by a mixture of period townhouses, historic buildings and municipal and commercial establishments including the Richmond Lending Library and Richmond Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kington St Michael</span> Human settlement in England

Kington St Michael is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Chippenham in Wiltshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiddlers Hamlet</span> Human settlement in England

Fiddlers Hamlet is a hamlet in the civil parish of Epping, within the Epping Forest District of Essex, England, and is 1 mile (1.6 km) south-east from the market town of Epping, separated by farm and fields. The M11 motorway runs 300 yards (274 m) to the east, with Junction 7 for Harlow being 4 miles (6 km) to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southover General Baptist Chapel</span> Church in East Sussex , United Kingdom

Southover General Baptist Chapel is a former Baptist place of worship in the ancient village of Southover, now part of the town and district of Lewes, one of six local government districts in the English county of East Sussex. Founded in 1741 as the first Baptist place of worship in the area, it attracted a congregation of General Baptists whose theological views gradually moved towards Unitarianism. This led to their union with the members of the nearby Westgate Chapel, after which the flint and brick building housed other congregations and secular groups before its conversion to a house. The building is protected as a Grade II by English Heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billingshurst Unitarian Chapel</span> Church in West Sussex , United Kingdom

Billingshurst Unitarian Chapel is a place of worship in Billingshurst in the English county of West Sussex. The cottage-like building was erected in 1754 for General Baptists, hence its original name of the Billingshurst General Baptist Chapel, but the congregation moved towards Unitarian beliefs in the 19th century, and still maintain these. It is a member of General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella body for British Unitarians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meadrow Unitarian Chapel</span> Church in Surrey , United Kingdom

Meadrow Unitarian Chapel is a Unitarian chapel in the Farncombe area of Godalming, Surrey, England. It is part of the London District and South Eastern Provincial Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, one of 16 districts within the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todenham</span> Human settlement in England

Todenham is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. The village is significant for its Grade I listed 14th-century parish church.

Eastgate Street is one of the ancient streets in Gloucester, so named because its eastern end was originally the location of the east gate in the city's walls. The part beyond the gate as far as GL1 leisure Centre was part of Barton Street It runs from the crossroads of Northgate, Eastgate, Southgate and Westgate Streets in the West to Barton Street in the East.

Wakefield is a city in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. In the city and surrounding area are 191 listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of these, seven are listed at Grade I, the highest of the three grades, 18 are at Grade II*, the middle grade, and the others are at Grade II, the lowest grade. Historically a market town, it was the chief wool market in Yorkshire in the 18th century, and in the 19th century the cattle market was the largest in the north of England. The prosperity from this is reflected in the size of the parish church, and in the large number of fine Georgian houses, many of which are listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nailsworth Stream</span> River in England

Nailsworth Stream is a small river in Gloucestershire, England. It is a tributary of the River Frome. From its source near Cherington, it flows westwards through Avening to reach Nailsworth, where it turns towards the north, and passes through Woodchester to join the Frome at Dudbridge, a suburb of Stroud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkgate, Leeds</span>

Kirkgate is a street in the city centre of Leeds, in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mount (York)</span>

The Mount is a street in York, in England, running south-west from the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkgate (Wakefield)</span>

Kirkgate is a street in the city centre of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northgate (Wakefield)</span>

Northgate is a street in the city centre of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westgate Unitarian Chapel</span>

Westgate Unitarian Chapel is a historic chapel in the city centre of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milnes' Orangery</span>

Milnes' Orangery is a historic building in the city centre of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, in England.

References

  1. 1 2 "A brief history of Westgate". Wakefield Historical Society. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. "Westgate Chapel (Unitarian) Wakefield". UK Unitarians. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  3. "Wakefield Upper Westgate High Street Heritage Action Zone". Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  4. "14-22, WESTGATE". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  5. "24-28, WESTGATE". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  6. "30, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  7. "38, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  8. "50 and 52 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England.
  9. "National Westminster Bank". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  10. "60 and 62, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  11. "66 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  12. "70, WESTGATE, 2 AND 4, CHEAPSIDE". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  13. "72-74 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  14. "Theatre Royal". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  15. "Pemberton House". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  16. "136, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  17. "Austin House". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  18. "162, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  19. "No. 164 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  20. "166, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  21. "TELEPHONE KIOSK AT EAST END OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  22. "51-55 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  23. "57 and 59, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  24. "61 and 63 Westgate (formerly the White Horse Hotel)". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  25. "65, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  26. "67 and 69 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  27. "Unity House". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  28. "101 and 103 Westgate, Flat 5 to rear of 97 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  29. "105 Westgate and flats 6-8 to rear of 97 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  30. "THE ELEPHANT AND CASTLE PUBLIC HOUSE". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  31. "111 and 113, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  32. "143 and 145, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  33. "147 and 149, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  34. "153, Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  35. "159 Westgate". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 31 October 2023.