Whinmoor

Whinmoor is residential area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The area is 5 miles (8 km) to the north east of the city centre, adjacent to Swarcliffe and Seacroft in the LS14 Leeds postcode area.

History

In November 655 AD the Battle of the Winwaed took place around the Whinmoor area with Oswiu of Bernicia's army defeating the army of King Penda of Mercia.

In addition, during the First English Civil War, the Battle of Seacroft Moor, 30th March 1643, was fought over the two moors Of Winn Moor and Bramham Moor, near Leeds. There is no exact records of Army positions, due to the amount of movement during the battle. As Sir Thomas Fairfax was instructed to capture Tadcaster, the Royalist Northern Association general, Sir William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne planned to intercept the smaller oppositionary force. He sent his Lieutenant-General, Lord George Goring to do so; leading a large force of Horse. Fairfax had a problem, due to having a force made up of mainly clubmen (Locally recruited soldiers) and only three troops of Cavalry; this was going to be a 'wake-up-call' for the Parliamentary forces in the North. He was literally 'thrashed' by Goring, beaten back over the moor, with many casualties. A witness, Cavendish's wife, the Duchess Of Newcastle, reported over 800 prisoners were captured by the Royalists.Fairfax escaped with just some of his surviving Horse to Leeds, mainly because of bad communication in the ranks. Fairfax quoted that "the Greatest loss we ever received".

Leeds City Council purchased Whinmoor from the Tadcaster Rural District Council to build homes as an extension of the Seacroft housing development. In the early 1960's the council had planned to build 5,000 dwellings, a small shopping centre and other amenities with a pedestrian link to Seacroft.

Other Information

Whinmoor is often unfairly lumped with Seacroft, which is used as a catch-all term for extensive council estates of eastern Leeds (also including Swarcliffe). It is a community-driven area, although due to its nature as a Leeds suburb it has inevitably lost some personality.

Whinmoor is also the eastern terminus for First Leeds "Overground" bus services 4 (ftr route) and 56.

References

* Housing in Seacroft - (Leeds) City Housing Department 1961

External links

* [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Barwickinelmet/index.html The Ancient Parish of Barwick in Elmet] at GENUKI: Whinmoor was in this parish
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* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi-1pqS_LSA Demolition of Flat Whinmoor, East Leeds 2001 video - You Tube]