Garforth () is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, Yorkshire.

It sits in the Garforth and Swillington ward of Leeds City Council and the Leeds East parliamentary constituency. As of 2011, the population of Garforth was 14,957, having decreased since the last census.

It is east of Central Leeds, south-west of York and north of Wakefield. It is mostly an Un-Parished area, like much of Greater Leeds.

Etymology

The place-name Garforth appears first in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Gereford and Gereforde, with gar- spellings first appearing in 1336 in the form Garford. The name seems to derive from the Norse words gāra ('triangular plot of land', derived from the word gār, 'spear') and ford ('ford)', and thus meant 'ford at a triangular plot of land'. Or perhaps, River Crossing of the Spear.

The plot is thought to have lain at a sharp turn in the road now called The Beck. Spellings beginning with ger- reflect the Old Norse counterpart of Old English gāra, geiri, and therefore the existence of Norse-influenced pronunciations of the name existing alongside Old English ones. Correspondingly, the district also once included the place Church Garforth, whose name is first attested in the fifteenth century as Kirkgarford; here again the form kirk reflects the Old Norse form of the word church, kirkja.

There are two indoor play areas for children and a large skatepark.

Garforth also plays home to two brass bands, both of which rehearse and perform in and around the local area. There is Garforth Jubilee Band who are a non-contesting brass band, and there is Garforth Brass, who are a contesting brass band.

Transport

Garforth is situated on the A63, which links it with the M1 and the A1(M), the M62 also lies close by to the south of the village.

Garforth has two railway stations. Garforth railway station lies to the north of the village centre, whist East Garforth railway station, which opened in the 1980s, lies to the east of the village, both stations on the mainline route between Leeds, York and North Eastern England to Scotland, and between Leeds, Selby and Hull and the Yorkshire coastal resorts. There are also rail links to Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool and Blackpool.

Garforth's bus services are provided by First Leeds and Arriva Yorkshire.

High Speed Two

Under proposals released on 28 January 2013, Garforth would see the High Speed 2 railway line built close to the village, running adjacent to the M1 motorway. The High Speed Line would cross the existing railway line close to Thorpe Park to the west of the village. This line would carry the spur away from Leeds, towards the East Coast Main Line at Church Fenton. (Update) The decision to cancel the eastern leg was announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October 2023 at the Conservative Party Conference

Education

thumb|right|[[Garforth Academy]]

Education establishments in Garforth include a secondary school, primary schools and a vocational performing arts college.

Garforth Academy, a secondary school and sixth form for pupils aged 11–18 is located on Lidgett Lane in Garforth. The school has over 2,000 pupils and staff. Garforth Community Arts School (situated in Garforth Academy) runs the Garforth Arts Festival, which is a display of artistic works.

Opposite Garforth Academy is the recently refurbished Strawberry Fields Primary School, formerly known as West Garforth Primary School. Other Garforth schools are Ninelands Primary School, Green Lane Primary Academy, East Garforth Primary Academy and St Benedict's Primary School, which is a Catholic school.

SLP College is a further education college in Garforth, providing specialist vocational training in dance and performing arts. Founded as a dance school, it later developed a full-time performing arts course and is now a course provider for the Trinity College, London professional performing arts qualifications. The college is accredited to the Council for Dance Education and Training and one of the colleges selected to award the government Dance and Drama Awards.

Sport

thumb|right|Bannister Prentice Community Stadium

There are two rugby clubs in Garforth, one League and one Union. Garforth Tigers/Tigresses ARLFC play Rugby League and are based at Glebelands Park. They have junior (from ages 3-18) and senior teams (from the age of 16) competing in the Yorkshire League. There is also a men's Rugby Union team: Garforth RUFC, who play their matches on Garforth Academy's playing fields.

Local football teams are Garforth Town A.F.C., Garforth Villa Football Club, Garforth W.M.C. A.F.C. and Garforth Rangers A.F.C. Garforth Town play at the Bannister Prentice Community Stadium (formerly known as Wheatley Park) which is located in the corner of the Cedar Ridge estate of Garforth.

There are also two cricket clubs, Garforth C.C. & Garforth Church Parish C.C., the Squash and Leisure Centre. and a Premier World Fitness Centre.

Garforth Golf Club has a course designed by Alister MacKenzie.

Climate

The nearest weather station is in Wakefield, to the north. Garforth is notable for recording one of the latest instances of in the United Kingdom, on 24 April 1908, the temperature fell to .

Notable people

Notable residents and ex-residents of Garforth include:England and Yorkshire cricketer Chris Silverwood; DJ Dave Seaman; Andrew White of the Kaiser Chiefs; John Birch of Leeds, England & Great Britain rugby league teams; and BAFTA nominated comedian Liam Williams, who created and stars in Ladhood , a comedy TV series based on his experience of growing up in Garforth. The village was also the birthplace of Second World War airman, Sir Augustus Walker of the Royal Air Force. Jack Charlton owned a menswear shop in the town, and was a resident for a number of years.

References in literature

The book The Modfather was set in Garforth in the late 1970s and early 1980s detailing David Lines adolescence in the village and his obsession with Paul Weller.

<gallery>

File:Garforth Main Street.jpg|Main Street, Garforth

File:The Original Factory Shop, Garforth.jpg|The Original Factory Shop

File:The Miners, Garforth.jpg|The Miners, a pub in Garforth

File:St Mary's Church, Garforth - geograph.org.uk - 96466.jpg|St Mary's Church

</gallery>

See also

  • Listed buildings in Garforth and Swillington
  • Garforth Town A.F.C.

References

  • Garforth Community College
  • "Garforth Today & Garforth Yesteryear", Garforth.net (First Bookshop, Bridlington)
  • "The Ancient Parish of Garforth", GENUKI.org.UK