West Yorkshire

**West Yorkshire** is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It was created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972  and in 2005 covered an area of 2,029 km² and a population of 2.1 million. It is the most built up and biggest urban area in Yorkshire.

## Divisions and environs
West Yorkshire is divided into five local government districts; they are the City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, the City of Leeds and the City of Wakefield. The county borders Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.

## Economy
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of West Yorkshire at current basic prices published  (pp.240-253) by *Office for National Statistics* with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.

## Cities, towns and villages
* Ackworth, Allerton Bywater
* Baildon, Bailiff Bridge, Batley, Beeston, Bingley, Birkby, Birkenshaw, Boothtown, Boston Spa, Bradford, Brighouse
* Castleford, Cleckheaton, Copley, Cragg Vale, Cullingworth
* Denby Dale, Dewsbury
* Elland, Emley, Esholt
* Fairburn Ings, Ferrybridge, Fitzwilliam
* Garforth, Golcar, Gomersal, Greetland, Guiseley
* Halifax, Harewood, Hartshead, Hartshead Moor, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Heckmondwike, Hemsworth, Heptonstall, Hipperholme, Holmfirth, Honley, Horbury, Horsforth, Huddersfield
* Ilkley
* Keighley, Kippax, Kirkburton, Kirkstall, Knottingley
* Ledsham, Ledston, Leeds, Linthwaite, Liversedge
* Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield, Morley, Mytholmroyd
* New Mill, Newmillerdam, New Farnley, Nostell, Norristhorpe
* Oakworth, Ossett, Oxenhope, Otley, Oulton
* Pontefract, Pudsey
* Queensbury
* Rastrick, Riddlesden, Ripponden, Rothwell, Roberttown
* Saltaire, Sandal, Scammonden Scarcroft, Scholes, Shelley, Shepley, Shibden, Shipley, Silsden, Slaithwaite, Sowerby Bridge, Stanbury, Swillington
* Thornbury, Thornton, Thornhill, Todmorden, Tong
* Wakefield, Walton, West Bretton, Wetherby, Wilsden
* Yeadon

### Historic environment
* Harewood House
* Cliffe Hall, also known as Cliffe Castle
* Esholt Hall
* Firsby Hall
* Kirklees Hall
* Ledston Hall
* Linthwaite Hall
* Linton Hall
* Lotherton Hall
* Kershaw House
* East Riddlesden Hall
* Oakwell Hall
* Oulton Hall
* Sandal Castle
* Shelley Hall
* Shibden Hall
* Tong Hall
* Bretton Hall
* Kirkstall Abbey, Kirklees Priory, Nostell Priory, Pontefract Priory
* Wetherby Castle
* Scarcroft Water Mill
* Roman Lagentium (Castleford)
* Saltaire, a model village
* Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

### Museums
* Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth
* Royal Armouries museum, Leeds
* Colne Valley Museum
* Pennine Farm Museum, Ripponden
* Pontefract Museum
* West Yorkshire Folk Museum, Shibden
* National Coal Mining Museum for England (Netherton)
* National Media Museum, Bradford
* Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton
* Tolson Museum, Dalton (Huddersfield)
* Wakefield Museum
* Redhouse Museum

### Natural environment
* Emley Moor, site of the tallest self-supporting structure in the UK (a TV mast)
* Walton Hall, West Yorkshire, home of naturalist Charles Waterton and the world's first nature reserve
* RSPB Fairburn Ings - wetland centre for birds
* Seckar Woods LNR, a Local Nature Reserve
* New Swillington Ings Nature Reserve
* Otley Chevin - extensive wooded parkland on high ground with extensive views North over Wharfedale and South as far as the Peak District
* Harewood Estate - Leeds Country Way public footpath runs through the estate, beautiful landscaped gardens and home to Red Kites amongst many other birds

### Waterways
* Scammonden Water, Deanhead Reservoir - both in the moors near Ripponden
* River Aire, River Calder, River Hebble, River Spen, River Worth
* Aire & Calder Navigation
* Calder and Hebble Navigation
* Huddersfield Broad Canal
* Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Standedge Tunnel
* Leeds and Liverpool Canal
* Knottingley & Goole Canal
* Rochdale Canal

## References