West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire
Geography
Status:	Ceremonial and Administrative County (no county council)
Region:	Yorkshire and the Humber
Area: - Total	Ranked 29th 2,029 km²
ONS code:	2F
NUTS 2:	UKE4
Demographics
Population: - Total (2002 est.) - Density	Ranked 4th 2,089,212 1,030 / km²
Ethnicity:	88.6% White 8.7% S.Asian
Politics
Members of Parliament
John Battle, Hilary Benn, Harold Best, Colin Burgon, Colin Challen, Yvette Cooper, Ann Cryer, Fabian Hamilton, David Hinchliffe, Christopher Leslie, Alice Mahon, Christine McCafferty, Kali Mountford, George Mudie, Bill O'Brien, Terry Rooney, Barry Sheerman, Marsha Singh, Gerry Sutcliffe, Ann Taylor, Jon Trickett, Paul Truswell, Mike Wood
Districts
Leeds Wakefield Kirklees Calderdale Bradford

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England, corresponding roughly to the core of the West Riding of the traditional county of Yorkshire. It borders on Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.

It is composed of the districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield. It was formed in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972. Its county council was abolished in 1986 making its metropolitan boroughs de facto unitary authorities, although the county still exists in law and ceremonially.

Although the county council was abolished, some local services are still run jointly on a county-wide basis, such as emergency services and public transport.

Towns and villages

• Ackworth
• Baildon, Batley, Beeston, Bingley, Birkby, Boston Spa, Bradford, Brighouse
• Castleford, Cleckheaton, Copley, Cullingworth
• Dewsbury
• Elland, Esholt
• Fairburn Ings, Fitzwilliam
• Garforth, Golcar, Gomersal, Greetland, Guiseley
• Halifax, Harewood, Hartshead, Hartshead Moor,Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Heckmondwike, Hemsworth, Heptonstall, Holmfirth, Horbury, Huddersfield
• Ilkley
• Keighley, Kirkburton, Kirkstall
• Ledsham, Ledston, Leeds, Linthwaite
• Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield, Morley, Mytholmroyd
• Newmillerdam, New Farnley, Nostell
• Oakworth, Ossett, Oxenhope, Otley, Oulton
• Pontefract, Pudsey
• Queensbury
• Rastrick, Riddlesden, Ripponden, Rothwell
• Saltaire, Sandal,Scammonden Scarcroft, Shelley, Shibden, Shipley, Silsden, Slaithwaite, Sowerby Bridge, Stanbury
• Temple Newsam, Thornbury, Thornton, Thornhill, Todmorden, Tong
• Wakefield, Walton, West Bretton, Wetherby, Whitkirk, Wilsden,
• Yeadon

Places of interest

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
• Oulton Hall
• 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

• Bronte Parsonage Museum, Haworth
• Royal Armouries museum, Leeds
• Colne Valley Museum
• Pennine Farm Museum, Ripponden
• Pontefract Museum
• West Yorkshire Folk Museum, Shibden
• National Mining Museum for England (Netherton)
• National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford
• Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton

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

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

Entertainment

• Restaurants in West Yorkshire