Headingley / Bramley / Armley
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Headingley/Armley/Bramley ‘Tithe to 2009’ Boundary Trail Type of Walk: Circular, including woodland paths Distance: 4 miles Starting Point: Kirkstall Leisure Complex carpark, Kirkstall Road (SE275 345) Suitable for: Walking only Trail Summary: To the best of its modern capability, this trail follows the tithe boundary between the townships of Headingley-cum-Burley, Armley and Bramley, as they were laid out by the Tithe Commission in 1846. Beginning in the carpark of Kirkstall Leisure Complex, in the 19th-century township of Headingley-cum-Burley, the trail crosses the river Aire to skirt around partial boundaries of lands belonging to Armley House. Proceeding up Houghley Gill in Bramley, the trail follows the boundary of lands belonging to Wither Grange (demolished), before retuning across the river Aire to its point of origin in the carpark of Kirkstall Leisure Complex. Bramley Burley Trail Water Railway Wooded area Built-up area Roads Armley © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Wakefi eld MDC 100019574. 2009 17 Directions We begin by going left across the carpark of Kirkstall Leisure Centre, behind MacDonalds, to cross the footbridge over the river Aire and ascend the steps into Canal Road. We then turn right, passing in front of Armley Mills. In crossing the river, we have passed over the tithe boundary of 19th-century Headingley- cum-Burley and into the township of Armley. Armley Mills appears on the 1846 tithe map of the Armley area, as a complex belonging to John Gott, Esquire, eldest son of the late Benjamin. Benjamin Gott (1762–1840) was a prominent clothier, who Yorkshire Ladies’ Council of Education Diary, 1876 built his fi rst factory, Park Mill, (WYL5045/12) at Bean Ing in 1792 (on the site of the Yorkshire Post building to the west of Leeds city centre). Park Mill was the biggest woollen cloth factory in Yorkshire and a huge enterprise at a time when there were fewer than twenty mills of any sort in Leeds. By 1797, Benjamin Gott was master of 1200 workers, and had amassed a considerable fortune. He purchased Armley Mills in 1800, in order to further his business, which he then passed to his eldest son at his death. Armley Mills however, has been around a lot longer than the Gott family. The earliest record of Armley Mills dates from the middle of the 16th century when local clothier Richard Booth leased ‘Armley Millnes’ from Henry Saville. A document of 1707 provides the fi rst description of the mill and fulling process carried out there. Fulling was the fi nal stage in cloth production and involved pounding the cloth in large pits fi lled with water, urine, and fuller’s earth to matt the fi bres together. Fulling was one of the fi rst industrial processes to have purpose-built premises. The papers of the Gott family are held in Special Collections at the Leeds University Library (MS193 - business papers and MS194 - family papers). West Yorkshire Archive Service also holds several collections with affi liation to the Gott family, such as the Yorkshire Ladies’ Council of Education Minutes (WYL5045) and the records of the Leeds Association for the Protection and Care of Young Girls (WYL416). 18 Take the next right into Armley Park Road and follow the road to the entrance of Armley Park. Take the right-hand path and go down the steps, following the path ahead and keeping the Leeds-Liverpool Canal on your right. Both the railway you have just passed by and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal are listed in the Armley tithe apportionment of 1846 as simply belonging to the Leeds and Bradford Railway Company and to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal Company respectively. The railway was not yet built in 1846 and is marked on the Armley tithe map by an orange stripe, labelled ‘land taken for railway’. However, the canal pre-dates the tithe map. The Leeds Liverpool was the fi rst of the Trans-Pennine canals to be started, being proposed in 1765, and the last to be completed, in 1816. The length and complexity of the route meant the canal took 46 years to build at a cost of fi ve times the original budget. Continuing on the path, you soon pass on your left, a Victorian folly of 156 steps with an arch half way up, bearing the date 1893. These steps do not feature on the Armley tithe map, as they had not yet been constructed in 1846. Armley Park was not acquired by the Corporation for the people of Leeds until 1892, and in 1846, still belonged to John Gott Esq. The land here is listed in the tithe apportionment as being ‘parkland, woods, and pleasure ground’ associated with Armley House. Armley House was the family home of Benjamin Gott, his wife Elizabeth, and their children, three sons and a daughter. In 1846, Benjamin’s widow still lived here, despite the property belonging to her eldest Victorian folly 1893 son, John, who resided at Wither Grange. On Elizabeth’s death, the 24 acres of parkland at Armley House were sold to the Leeds Corporation, and these steps were built to create public access to the park up the steep slope from the canal side. The records of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company (C299/16 and WYL7) and a list of subscribers to the Leeds and Bradford Railway (WYL13) are held by West Yorkshire Archive Service (WYAS). The Leeds-Liverpool Canal is a Site of Special Scientifi c Interest owing to its calcium-rich, clay lining, which encourages the growth of water plants. It is also a favourite haunt for local anglers and otters due to an abundance of fi sh, including bream, roach, carp, and pike. 19 Carrying straight on ahead, you reach Redcote Bridge. The name Redcote is evident on the Armley tithe map of 1846, which shows buildings here around both ends of the bridge. The buildings on the opposite side of the bridge to where we are standing now, belonged to Sir Sandford Graham Baronet, and were leased to John Tattersall as a house, cottages, mistals and a yard. These were the buildings known as Redcote. On this side of the bridge, in the woods to your right, were two cottages with gardens leased by John Gott, Esq. to Mary and John Walker. Facing Redcote Bridge, follow the footpath to your left into Ridge Wood, keeping the canal on your right. As you continue along this path, see if you can spot the Armley/Bramley boundary stones. There are two on your right on the slope beside the woodland path and one on the fairway of the Ridge Wood golf course to your left. This one can be seen through a clearing in the trees - it is not recommended that you walk on the fairway. The canal marks the Armley/Bramley boundary, Bramley being on the opposite side to where you are walking. Pass through a small clearing on the left and follow the path back into the woods for a short distance, until you are forced out onto the golf course. Turn right and go straight on to the corner of the golf green, then turn left up the edge of the course. Follow the line of trees and the remnants of a boundary wall of Armley House on your left, right up the side of the golf course, climbing a gentle hill Armley/Bramley boundary stone until you reach the road at the top. Go Ridge Wood has a canopy of trees including sessile oak, elm, ash, silver birch, beech, sycamore and hornbeam. Beneath this is a shrub layer of elder, hawthorn, hazel, holly, dogwood, willow and guilder rose. In the spring, the ground has a carpet of wild garlic, which gives the wood its interesting smell, as well as bluebells, wood avens, enchanter’s nightshade, lesser celandine, and lady fern. 20 out onto the footpath in Armley Ridge Road. Turn immediately to your right and follow the footpath till you reach Raynville Crescent on the opposite side of the road. Cross here and just inside Raynville Crescent, to your left, is the site of the house and stable block of Wither Grange, the residence of John Gott Esq., eldest son of Benjamin Gott. The boundary wall separating the next plot from John Gott’s residence still stands to your right. Wither Grange appears on the 1846 tithe map of Armley as a large complex containing a grand house and outbuildings. During the 1880s and 1890s it was leased by Thomas Harrison, J.P. The house and grounds belonged to the Gott family until the First World War, during which they donated it to the war effort. The Wyther Home for Sick Babies opened in the building in 1914, and was described by the Leeds Babies Welcome Association Annual Report as having a ‘beautiful garden, large rooms and fresh air…[assisting recovery]’. By 1926, the medical offi cer for Wyther Infants’ Hospital was Miss Norah F. Smith M.B.S.S.D.P.H. She was also the assistant medical offi cer for maternity and child welfare in Leeds. In the 1930s, the home became the City of Leeds Infants’ Hospital. Houses were eventually built on the site of Wither Grange in 1990. The spelling of ‘Wither’ seems to have acquired a ‘y’ in place of the ‘i’ for unknown reasons during the 20th century. Perhaps it was thought to look more quaint and archaic! Sister Palmer and nurses on the lawn of Wyther Home for Sick Babies, c. 1914, and opening of Armley Babies’ Welcome, 1928. (WYL705/20) Continue up Raynville Crescent, following the road round to the right and ignoring any turn-offs until you reach Raynville Gardens on your right.