Barwick-in-Elmet

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.831152
longitude= -1.394488
official_name= Barwick in Elmet
population =
metropolitan_borough= City of Leeds
metropolitan_county = West Yorkshire
region= Yorkshire and the Humber
constituency_westminster= Elmet
post_town= LEEDS
postcode_district = LS15
postcode_area= LS
dial_code= 0113
os_grid_reference=SE3995037380
static_

static_image_caption=

Barwick-in-Elmet is a village 8 km (6 miles) east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

It is one of only two places in the area to be explicitly associated with the ancient Celtic kingdom of Elmet, the other being Sherburn-in-Elmet. It is part of the civil parish of Barwick in Elmet and Scholes and lies in the LS15 postcode district.

Barwick-in-Elmet is referred to locally as simply Barwick, with a silent 'w' pronounced "Bar-ick". In the Domesday Book of 1086 the area was known as "Berewit" and "Berewith". The village is noted for its Maypole raising and lowering which is a public event that typically brings large crowds to the area. The event takes place every three years and took place in May 2008. [cite news|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/country-view/Tradition-in-pole-position-at.4023410.jp|title=Tradition in pole position at Barwick|last=Berry|first=Chris|date=2008-04-25|work=Yorkshire Post|accessdate=2008-06-26] [cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/slideshows/Crowds-attracted-to-BarwickinElmet-maypole.4123846.jp|title=Crowds attracted to Barwick-in-Elmet maypole ceremony|date=2008-05-28|accessdate=2008-06-26]

Barwick has several shops and facilities including three public houses: "The Black Swan", "The Gascoigne", and the "The New Inn".

Barwick iron age fort

The village includes earthworks created as an Iron Age fort, and used later as the site of a Norman castle and a World War II observation post. The land is currently under multiple ownership, which causes problems for its conservation. Local MP Colin Burgon made it the subject of an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on 10 July2007, [cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070710/debtext/70710-0019.htm|title=Hansard|date=2007-07-10|pages=col.1421-1424|accessdate=2008-06-29] and Minister of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Margaret Hodge, replied. [cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070710/debtext/70710-0020.htm|title=Hansard|date=2007-07-10|pages=col. 1424-1425|accessdate=2008-06-29]

Barwick in popular culture

The theme tune to "The Archers" is called "Barwick Green" although Barwick does not itself have a green officially. It was written by Yorkshire composer Arthur Wood in 1924, as a "maypole dance" in his suite "My native heath". The other items in this suite are "Ilkley Tarn", "Bolton Abbey" and "Knaresborough Status". [cite web|url=http://www.musicweb-international.com/garlands/wood.htm|title=A Yorkshire Musician - Arthur Wood (1875-1953)|last=Scowcroft|first=Philip L.|accessdate=2008-06-26]

Widge, the protagonist in The Shakespeare Stealer, a 1998 young adult novel by Gary Blackwood, is from Barwick-in-Elmet.

Other Barwicks

There are other villages in England called Barwick in Norfolk and Somerset, and a suburb of Stockton-on-Tees is called Ingleby Barwick. There is a town called Barwick in Georgia in the USA.

Comparison

Barwick lies in the LS15 postcode area. Here is a population breakdown of the postcode area in comparison with the UK population.

References

External links

* [http://www.barwickinelmethistoricalsociety.com/ Barwick-in-Elmet Historical Society]
* [http://www.barwickmaypole.co.uk/ Barwick-in-Elmet Maypole Trust]
* [http://www.leeds.gov.uk/ Leeds City Council]
* [http://www.barwicktennisclub.com/ Barwick Tennis Club]
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