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- The name "Wakefield" may derive from "Waca's field" – the open land belonging to someone named "Waca" or could have evolved from the Old English word wacu, meaning "a watch or wake", and feld, an open field in which a wake or festival was held. In the Domesday Book of 1086, it was written Wachefeld and also as Wachefelt.
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Toponymy
The name "Wakefield" may derive from "Waca's field" – the open land belonging to someone named "Waca" or could have evolved from the Old English word wacu, meaning "a watch or wake", and feld, an open field in which a wake or festival was held. In the Domesday Bookof 1086, it was written Wachefeld and also as Wachefelt.
Early history
Flint and stone tools and later bronze and iron implements have been found at Lee Moor and Lupset in the Wakefield area showing evidence of human activity since prehistoric times. This part of Yorkshire was home to the Brigantes until the Roman occupation in AD 43. A Roman road from Pontefract passing Streethouse, Heath Common, Ossett Street Side, through Kirklees and on to Manchester crossed the River Calder by a ford at Wakefield near the site of Wakefield Bridge. Wakefield was probably set...
Industrial Revolution
At the start of 19th century Wakefield was a wealthy market town and inland port trading in wool and grain. The Aire and Calder and Calder and Hebble Navigations and the Barnsley Canal were instrumental in the development of Wakefield as an important market for grain and more was sold here than at any other market in the north. Large warehouses were built on the river banks to store grain from Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire to supply the fast-growing population in the West Riding of...
Wakefield is 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Leeds and 28 miles (45 km) southwest of York on the eastern edge of the Penninesin the lower Calder Valley. The city centre is sited on a low hill on the north bank of the Calder close to a crossing place where it is spanned by a 14th-century, nine-arched, stone bridge and a reinforced concrete bridge built...
In 2001 the Wakefield subdivision of the West Yorkshire Urban Area had a population of 76,886 comprising 37,477 males and 39,409 females. Also at the time of the 2001 UK census, the City of Wakefield had a total population of 315,172 of whom 161,962 were female and 153,210 were male. Of the 132,212 households in Wakefield, 39.56% were married coupl...
The most prominent landmark in Wakefield is Wakefield Cathedral, which at 247 feet (75 m) has the tallest spire in Yorkshire. Other landmarks in the Civic Quarter on Wood Street include the Grade II* Neoclassical Crown Court of 1810, Wakefield Town Hall designed by T.W. Collcutt and opened in 1880, and the Queen Anne Style County Hall of 1898 which...
Wakefield has good access to the motorway system, with the intersection of the M1 and M62 motorways, junctions 42/29, lying to the north west, whilst the M1 to the west is accessed at junctions 39, 40 and 41. The A1(M)is to the east of the district. Wakefield is crossed by the A61, A638, and A642 roads and is the starting point of the A636 and A650...
Wakefield's oldest church is All Saints, now Wakefield Cathedral, a 14th-century parish church built on the site of earlier Saxon and Norman churches, restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century, and raised to cathedral status in 1888. The first Bishop of Wakefield was William Walsham How. In 1356 the Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virg...
The ruins of Sandal Castleand its visitor centre are open to the public. The Theatre Royal Wakefieldon Westgate, designed by architect Frank Matcham opened in 1894 and currently presents a programme of entertainment including musicals, drama, live music, stand up comedy and dance. Wakefield's two central libraries closed and moved into the £31 mill...
The economy of Wakefield declined in the last quarter of the 20th century as the coal mines and traditional manufacturing industries closed, contributing to high rates of unemployment. In the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2015, 14.35% of the district's lower super-output areas were in the most deprived 10% of England. Employment grew by 12% between...
Wakefield Trinity is a Rugby League club currently playing in the Super League. The club, founded in 1873, was one of the initial founders of the Northern Union after the split from the Rugby Football Union in 1895. The club plays at Belle Vue stadium. Several local teams play in different leagues of the British Amateur Rugby League Association, BA...
Wakefield's oldest surviving school is Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, a boys-only school established in 1591 by Queen Elizabeth I by Royal Charter. The original building in Brook Street is now the 'Elizabethan Gallery'. QEGS moved to Northgate in 1854. The school was administered by the Governors of Wakefield Charities who opened Wakefield Girls H...
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Nestled in West Yorkshire, Wakefield is a city that beautifully blends its medieval past with a lively contemporary arts scene. Known for its landmark cathedral, scenic waterfront on the River Calder, and the bustling Trinity Walk shopping center, Wakefield is more than just a historical destination.
- Newmillerdam Country Park. Newmillerdam Country Park’s breathtaking scenery and brilliant accessible paths looping around the lake makes it the perfect spot for walks.
- Anglers Country Park. Anglers Country Park is a vast country park located south-east of Wakefield city centre. Previously one of the deepest coal mines in the country, reaching 250 feet, Anglers Country Park has since flourished into a beautiful haven for exploring wildlife.
- The Hepworth Wakefield. Situated along the River Calder, The Hepworth Wakefield has become a landmark amongst tourists as well as locals. The Barbara Hepworth-inspired gallery offers a range of free craft activities throughout the year, as well as family activities to encourage the whole family to explore the stunning galleries.
- Pugneys Country Park and Sandal Castle. Pugneys Country Park is complete with mini beaches by the lake, an outdoor gym, and lots more! Children’s imaginations can run wild with the pirate themed playground.
A variety of fun and friendly activities for children and families including baby groups, baby story trails, discovering games, and parent and toddler play groups.
Fun Things to Do in Wakefield with Kids: Family-friendly activities and fun things to do. See Tripadvisor's 99,092 traveller reviews and photos of kid friendly Wakefield attractions.
Things to Do in Wakefield, England: See Tripadvisor's 99,161 traveller reviews and photos of Wakefield tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in October. We have reviews of the best places to see in Wakefield. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
