Garforth: Routes and Local History

In Garforth, routes and local history offer two distinct ways to plan a trip. The Linesway and the Garforth Heritage Walk provide a sense of direction for exploring the surroundings; St Mary’s Church, Salem Chapel, Bank Row and the Old George Pub open up different historical themes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Garforth, you can decide in advance whether your trip will focus mainly on routes or on architectural and local history.

Routes and countryside around Garforth

The Linesway is a three-mile disused railway line between Garforth and Allerton Bywater. It passes through the countryside and alongside a nature reserve, a river and a canal. A section of the Leeds Country Way from Garforth to the River Aire is described: it starts at the A63 in Garforth and follows a former railway line known as The Linesway. The section of The Linesway between Garforth and Woodlesford is 96.1 percent traffic-free. These figures refer to the specific sections of route mentioned.

The Garforth Heritage Walk includes a section from Garforth Station along Aberford Road to Townend. It is a developing route, and individual sections may be extended over time. The routes mentioned offer different points of reference: for the Linesway, the endpoints and length are specified, while the described Heritage Walk section follows a road to Townend. Trail conditions and access may change with the weather and maintenance; signage may also change. Check these conditions before your visit.

Buildings and local history

St Mary’s Church was built in 1844 by George Fowler Jones. The church building is made of dressed Magnesian Limestone and has a slate roof; it is classified as Early English style. This identifies several specific features of its architectural history: the date it was built, the architect, the building material, the roofing and the stylistic classification. The style refers to the architectural tradition, while Magnesian Limestone and slate name the materials used.

Salem Chapel reveals local history through two events separated in time. The chapel opened on 15 August 1872. After Hornby Skewes moved out in 1984, it was again used as an Evangelical Free Church from 21 October 1984. This makes it possible to distinguish the opening from the later resumption of religious use.

Bank Row was built in the early 19th century to house the growing number of miners. The Old George Pub was probably a coaching inn on the turnpike roads from Leeds to Selby and from Wakefield to Tadcaster. These accounts emphasize different aspects: Bank Row is connected with the housing needs of a growing mining workforce, while the pub may have been associated with traffic on the two turnpike roads. Together with the architectural details of St Mary’s Church and the dates relating to Salem Chapel, they provide several specific points of interest for a trip focused on Garforth’s local history.

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