Yeadon, West Yorkshire

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.8690
longitude= -1.6882
official_name= Yeadon
population =
metropolitan_borough= City of Leeds
metropolitan_county= West Yorkshire
region= Yorkshire and the Humber
constituency_westminster= Pudsey
post_town= LEEDS
postcode_district = LS19
postcode_area= LS
dial_code= 0113
os_grid_reference= SE219398
static_

static_image_caption=Yeadon High Street
london_distance=

Yeadon is a town within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It is home to Leeds Bradford International Airport.

Features

Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Yeadon was a clothing and mill town in the 19th century and had a cattle fair every year on the first Monday in April and the Yeadon Feast in the third week of August, which was held on Albert Square at the top of the High Street. The fair continued until the early 1980s, when old peoples' housing was built on the site.

Avro had a factory next to Yeadon Aerodrome from 1938 to 1946 which produced many of the company's wartime planes, including the Lancaster, Lincoln, York and Anson. Approximately 700 Lancasters were produced at Yeadon. The town still has strong links with Leeds Bradford International Airport, with a considerable percentage of the local population employed there. Aviation heritage in Yeadon is also kept alive by the activities of 2168 (Yeadon) Squadron Air Training Corps [cite web
url=http://www.2168atc.org/
title=2168 (Yeadon) Squadron - Air Training Corps - Home of the Merlins
publisher=www.2168atc.org
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=] which was originally formed on 18th September 1947 at Nunroyd House, but is now located at the former Royal Naval Reserve shore base HMS Ceres at Coney Park off the Harrogate Road. The Squadron is not only one of the largest youth groups in the area of Aireborough, but is acknowledged as one of the very best of the 929 Squadrons and detached flights of the Air Training Corps across the United Kingdom. Their impressive haul of trophies over the last five years underlining their achievements across the counties of South & West Yorkshire, the North of England and on the National stage in respect of their marching band.

The former Yorkshire and England cricket captain Brian Close lived in the town during his childhood.

Yeadon is the location of one of the oldest fish and chip shops in the world, [cite web
url=http://www.yorksview.freeserve.co.uk/chips/
title=Yorksview
publisher=www.yorksview.freeserve.co.uk
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=] established in the 1870s. It is located on Sandy Way, a road just off Town Street which is a cobbled hill to be found at the western end of the high street and is known locally as "The Steep".

Yeadon Tarn (also known as Yeadon Dam) is located between High Street and the airport runway. During the Second World War it was drained to prevent enemy aircraft using its reflection as a landmark to identify the nearby Avro factory. [cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/27/a4017827.shtml
title=BBC - WW2 People's War - Life in Old Bramhope in Wartime - Part 1
publisher=www.bbc.co.uk
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=] Given its location next to the airport it is a surprisingly quiet and relaxing place to go for a walk. Locals also visit the tarn to go sailing and fishing. Mallard ducks, swans and a sizeable population of Canada Geese can be found at the tarn. There is also a bmx bike track adjecent to it with competitions held in the summer

Yeadon, along with neighbouring towns Guiseley and Rawdon, formed Aireborough Urban District, which was created in 1937 and abolished in 1974, however Yeadon still hosts local Rugby Union side Aireborough RUFC at Nunroyd Park. [cite web
url=http://www.aireboroughrufc.org/pages/contact.htm
title=ARUFC - CLub Contacts
publisher=www.aireboroughrufc.org
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=] Yeadon (except for the area North of Swincar Avenue on Kirk Lane) is now in the Leeds City Council Ward of Otley & Yeadon. It is represented by three Liberal Democrat Councillors, Ryk Downes, Colin Campbell and Graham Kirkland.

The national charity Epilepsy Action has its headquarters in the town.

Nearby attractions

Nearby visitor attractions include:
* The Chevin - a forest park located on the hill to the south of Otley.
* The Yorkshire Dales national park.

References

External links

* The [http://www.yeadononline.org.uk/ Yeadon Online] web site provides further local information. A short history including photography of the town can be found on the [http://www.yeadononline.org.uk/history.htm history] page.
* The [http://www.angelfire.com/ma/Socialworld/Yeadon.html Yeadon Lockout and Hunger Marches] are a little known aspect of Yeadon's industrial heritage.
* Yeadon was in this parish