Woodhouse Moor

Woodhouse Moor is an open space approximately one mile (1.6 km) from Leeds city centre, West Yorkshire, England. Today it consists of 3 parts: a formal park, Woodhouse Moor (often referred to as Hyde Park - see below), of around 26 hectares in area on the west of Woodhouse Lane (the A660), and two other open areas on the east of it. These are known as the Monument (or Upper) and Cinder (or Gravel, or Lower) Moors which are used for events such as circuses and sporting matches, and sometimes car parking. Woodhouse Moor is north-west of Leeds city centre and is bounded by Woodhouse, the University of Leeds, Burley, Hyde Park, and Headingley. As of 2005 the park had just under 3 million visits a year and is the second most popular urban park in Leeds. The park has five main paths which meet in the centre, each is tree-lined and they divide the park into different areas of usage. In the New Year Honours 2009, Head Gardener John Egan was awarded an MBE for services to the community.

Nearby Places View Menu

Memorial to Queen Victoria, Leeds

A Memorial to Queen Victoria stands in Woodhouse Moor, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The memorial consists of figures and a frieze in bronze on a plinth and pedestal of Portland stone. The sculptor was George Frampton, and the architect working with him was Leonard Stokes. The figure on the top of the pedestal is that of Queen Victoria sitting on a throne, with a sceptre resting on her right forearm, and holding an orb in her left hand. The back of the throne has the appearance of a radiant Sun. On the sides of the pedestal are figures in niches, that on the left representing Peace, and that on the right representing Industry. On the front of the plinth are carved the Royal Arms, and on the back is the coat of arms of Leeds and an inscription. Beneath the pedestal is a plinth with a continuous frieze incorporating the words "INDIA", "AUSTRALIA", "CANADA", and "AFRICA" on scrolled plaques that are flanked by owls and foliage. The plinth stands on four steps. The memorial was unveiled on 27 November 1905, and originally stood outside Leeds Town Hall. It was moved to Woodhouse Moor in 1937. The memorial was designated as a Grade II* listed building on 5 August 1976. During the wave of George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom, it was reported on 9 June 2020 that the statue had been vandalized by painting with slogans such as 'racist', 'colonizer', 'justice', "BLM" (Black Lives Matter) and 'slave owner' (although slave ownership in the British Empire had been abolished in 1833, four years before she ascended the throne).

Woodhouse, Leeds

Woodhouse is a largely residential area just north of the city centre of Leeds and close to the University of Leeds. The area considered as Woodhouse is partly in the Little London and Woodhouse ward and partly in the Headingley & Hyde Park ward of City of Leeds metropolitan district.

Meanwood Valley Trail

The Meanwood Valley Trail is a waymarked footpath and the title of an annual (March/April) footrace that takes place on parts of the trail in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It runs for a distance of 7 miles (11 km) from the statue of (former Leeds mayor) Henry Rowland Marsden, 1878, on Woodhouse Moor, close to the University of Leeds, through Headingley, Meanwood and Adel to Breary Marsh, Golden Acre Park, where it meets the Leeds Country Way. For most of its route (to King Lane) it is the official Leeds link to the Dales Way. Along the way are signs giving information about the local wildlife. The first stages of the White Rose Way follow part of the trail also before continuing to Scarborough. Some of the upper reaches of the trail are used for an annual trail running race each March/April, organised by local running club the Valley Striders. This race has over 300 participants each year and is part of the Airedale Triple, which also includes the Baildon Boundary Way and the Guiseley Gallop.

Leeds Royal Park

Leeds Royal Park was a pleasure garden in Leeds, West Yorkshire from 1858 to 1885, located to the west of Woodhouse Moor about a mile out of the city centre. It was established by Thomas Clapham, an entrepreneur and local politician, but like the rest of his ventures it was unprofitable, and was closed and sold in 1874 due to the level of debt built up on its mortgages, after which it was known as the Leeds Horticultural Gardens. The new management company also had problems with debt and it was sold off in plots for housing development from 1885. The site now forms part of the dense residential area of Hyde Park, leaving a legacy in the layout and street naming. The only surviving building connected with the Royal Park is the old entrance lodge, converted into a group of houses facing Woodhouse Moor. Troubles for the Royal Park were more than financial. Under Clapham's management, repeated violations of local licensing laws for music and events put pressure on funds and reputation. However, it was a popular place for recreation, with cricket, a gymnasium and other attractions including the annual Leeds Flower Show and sensational paid events.