LEDSTON & OWL WOOD (4.5 miles)

A relatively easy-going 4.5 mile walk taking in the villages of Kippax and Ledston along with Owl Wood near . The paths through Owl Wood can be muddy after wet weather. There are no stiles on this walk however; there is a short steep hill to walk back into Kippax towards the end.

Start Point: Kippax Co-operative Supermarket, High Street, Kippax,

Kippax: There is no written evidence of Roman Kippax but the road to the East of the village, Ridge Road which we cross twice on this walk, is on the line of the Roman road from to York. This together with the Domesday entry of ‘Chipesh’ means there have been people living here from early times. The Domesday Survey of 1086 is about the earliest documentary evidence for Kippax and valued the village at £16. Coal Mining is mentioned about 1320 and has been an important industry in Kippax and the immediate area until the last mine in the district closed in 1992 (at Allerton Bywater). There have been many mines in the village, at least three just beyond the top of the High Street in the last 150 years. The population of the village in the 14th Century is thought to have been about 150/200 based on figures found in a Charter relating to Pontefract Castle, which was a substantial village for that period. The church which is the oldest building in the village is thought by experts to have been built by the Normans in a possible late Saxon style. The railway came to Kippax at the last quarter of the 19th century as The Pontefract, Castleford and Junction Railway which was built to transport goods, (mainly coal) and a limited passenger service. The passenger service ceased in the 1960's, and the goods service over the last remaining part of the next ten years. Kippax got its own gas supply in 1867, the church clock 100 years ago, telegraph 1887 and the Cooperative 1867. 70 years ago the sewage ran down an open gutter in the Main Street, until it was improved upon, flagged over and constituted the pavement. Prior to 1890 all water had to be got from wells and pumps, but practically all drinking water had to be carried from the Town well, at the bottom of Well Lane. Kippax people had a great pride in their village and thought of themselves very superior to anyone born out of the parish. Waddington Row was first occupied by men from Derbyshire who came to work in the pits. They were made so welcome, that for a very long time they carried guns for protection. At the same time as the railway came the population expanded rapidly and has now reached about 10,000 people - mostly commuters.

From outside the front of the Supermarket, turn right to walk along the High Street and out of the village towards Castleford. This road eventually becomes Longdike Lane passing Kippax Welfare sports ground on your left to come to a footpath on your right signposted to Mary Panel. Turn right down this footpath towards the main Aberford to Castleford road. This is Ridge Road, the line of the old Roman Road from Castleford to York. On reaching the road, turn right and continue walking towards Castleford.

Just after passing Home Farm, cross the road to a public bridleway sign to Ledston which you now follow. Walking along this track there are views to Ledston Hall, across to your left. Ledston Hall is a Country house constructed on the chapel of a grange of Pontefract Abbey. This was built circa 1200 and extended circa 1500. After the Dissolution, the grange was incorporated into a courtyard house, circa 1560. The house was enlarged in the 1630s with the addition of the south wing, and in the 1660s when the main range was extended northwards and the North wing added. Alterations were also carried out in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The building is a U-plan around a forecourt which faces east. The Hall is now partly subdivided into flats. It is a grade I listed building, and several associated buildings and garden features are also listed. Ledston Hall was the home of Lady Elizabeth Hastings, daughter of the 7th Earl of Huntingdon, known to everyone as "Lady Betty". Lady Elizabeth Hastings (19 April 1682 - 21 December 1739) was a benefactor and the daughter of the 7th Earl of Huntingdon. Her brother George became the 8th Earl. On her father's death in 1701 her brother passed on to her, the estate of Ledston and she lived there until her death. She did not marry. She had an annual income of about £3000 and gave half of this to various charitable causes, including local charities, a girls' school in Ledsham, and a school in Chelsea. She is remembered in the names of primary schools in Collingham, Ledston and Thorp Arch.

After ½ mile, you will arrive upon the village of Ledston, at Lady Hastings Primary School. On reaching Main Street, turn right and continue through the village passing the White Horse pub on your left. As you reach the end of the village, by the last house, turn right at a footpath sign and metal gate to continue across a field; following the path alongside a wood and wire fence. On reaching the bottom of the field, continue through a further metal gate over another field, then grassland towards trees and a wooden footbridge crossing a further field to arrive at the main road.

On reaching the road, go over by the pelican crossing, into Allerton Bywater and on reaching a large metal road sign, cross on to the left hand side of the road, to follow the sidewalk. Continue along the road passing playing fields on your right and a small office block on your left. Just before you reach Middleton Little Road, cross back over the road to a white barrier. Walk around the barrier and over a concreted area to turn left to a field and then immediately right to follow a path down the right side of the field. Follow this path which in time bears right and left again across the middle of the next field and on reaching the end, turn left. This path will now take you along the top edge of the field by a wooden pylon to enter a wood.

Remain directly forward through the wood following a reasonably well defined path amongst the trees. On reaching the end of the wood you come out into grassland, carry directly forward towards another wood. Continue through the woodland to emerge, once again, along the edge of a field before entering a larger wood, which is known as Owl Wood.

Owl Wood: In the late 19th and early 20th century, the principle source of employment in the Kippax area was the Owl Wood Colliery starting in 1858 to 1905. The coal cutting machines first used in appeared at Owl Wood Colliery and Bowers Main Collieries. The way ahead is now directly forward meandering through the trees for some time to in due course arrive at a small road with a house on your right. At this point, go left up the road and about 50 yards prior to reaching a metal fence turn right back into the wood to follow another path. Eventually the path will turn sharp left and after a few yards, turn right off the main path to pick up another, less defined, path winding through the wood, to ultimately arrive at a metal pipe. Here, turn left following a path along the side of Sheffield Beck to eventually emerge at a metal fence, behind Brigshaw School.

At this point, turn right along a path and over a footbridge walking back towards Kippax passing fishing lakes on your right. The end of this path comes out into a housing estate and here, cross a road diagonally to the left and turn right, along another footpath between houses, to arrive at a main road. Nearing the end of the walk, turn right up the hill passing the Royal Oak pub on your right and on to Kippax High Street. From here, turn right along the High Street back to your start point.

Except where explicitly stated, all rights are reserved, and content should not be copied, adapted, redistributed, or otherwise used without the prior written permission of Harry Bratley the author. The author permits the use of this document for the purpose of following the walk.