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Formed
in 1974, the City of Leeds is a metropolitan borough
with city status.
To the
south and west the area is mostly urban and suburban but to
the north and east it includes much countryside and many smaller
towns and villages
Leeds
derives its name from 'Loidis' the name of a Celtic kingdom
that survived here for a while after the Anglo-Saxon invasion.
In the
Middle Ages Leeds was a small agricultural centre but by Tudor
times it become an important manufacturer of woollen cloth
and one of the largest towns in Yorkshire.
The town
traded with Europe via the Humber Estuary and at one time
nearly half of England's total exports passed through Leeds.
When
textile manufacturing boomed during the Industrial Revolution
Leeds became one of the world's most important industrial
areas.
By the
end of the 19th century the textile trade began to decline
and other industries, including engineering, tailoring, shoe-making
and brewing, became more important. Burton's, the tailoring
and clothing company, was established in the city and Marks
and Spencers was founded as Michael Mark's Penny Bazaar in
Leeds market.
In the
20th century these industries also declined and instead service
industries, such as banking, insurance, law and accountancy,
grew rapidly. By the end of the 20th century tourism had
becone a major employer.
For the
visitor there are many museums and attractions exploring the
city's industrial past including the Abbey
House Museum, which takes visitors back to Victorian Leeds,
and the Armley
Mill Industrial Museum, which investigates the textile,
clothing and engineering industries.
The restored
Thwaite
Mill, has a fully operational watermill with lots of information
about the changing history of the mill.
Newer
attractions include the Royal
Armouries Museum, opened in 1996, and the Thackray
Medical Museum, opened in 1997.
Leed's
other cultural attractions include the West Yorkshire Playhouse
and the Grand Theatre.
There
are also many galleries such as the Henry
Moore Institute, Leeds City Art Gallery, Liston Studios
and University Gallery. Historic houses include the fine
Tudor/Jacobean Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, a charming
Edwardian house.
KIrkstall
Abbey, one of the finest monastic sites in the country,
lies 3 miles west of Leeds, and is well worth a visit.
Much
of the city centre was pedestrianised in the early 1970s and
today Leeds boasts a wide range of shops, arcades and shopping
centres.
Excellent
parks and green belt countryside make Leeds one of England's
greenest cities.
Sports
enthusiasts can watch Leeds United FC play at Elland Road
and the Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club at the Headingley Stadium.
Headingley is also the location of Yorkshire County Cricket
Club's famous ground.
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Leeds
