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This
was once a great coal mining district but industries such
as wool, chemicals, glass and machine-tools were also important.
Wakefield's
coal mining heritage tends to set apart from the rest of
West Yorkshire. Following the demise of the coal industry,
only the Kellingley colliery at Knottingley remains in operation.
The collapse
of the industry created serious unemployment but recently
the area has started to recover as a result of Leeds' booming
economy.Large
numbers of people now commute into Leeds from this district.
The city
of Wakefield, on the River Calder, was once a centre for textile
trading and had its own 'Piece Hall'.
Its
cathedral, the 14th century parish church of All Saints, was
restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott before being elevated
to cathedral status in 1888. The cathedral's spire, at 247
ft, is the tallest in Yorkshire.
Another
interesting building is the medieval chantry chapel of St
Mary's Chapel upon Wakefield Bridge. This is one of only
four such chantry chapels to survive in England.
Wakefield's
cultural attractions include the Wakefield
Theatre Royal and Opera House and the Wakefield
Museum, illustrating the history of the city.
Two of
Britain's foremost 20th century sculptors, Henry Moore and
Barbara Hepworth, were born nearby and the Wakefield
Art Gallery holds a significant collection of some of
their most important works. More fine sculptures can be seen
at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, one of Europe's foremost
sculpture parks.
The National
Coal Mining Museum is based on the site of the old Caphouse
Colliery between Wakefield and Huddersfield on the A642.
Visitors can go on guided underground tours to see the conditions
in which the miners worked and the equipment they used.
Wakefield
is famous for the production of rhubarb and this is celebrated
by an annual 8 day 'Rhubarb Festival'.
Wakefield
is also well-known for its 'mystery plays'. Revived in recent
times, this series of scriptual plays dating from the 15th
century, was once performed by local guilds at the festival
of Corpus Christi.
The
nursery rhyme 'Here we go round the Mulberry Bush' refers
to Wakefield Gaol. Today HMP Wakefield is the most high security
prison in England and has held some of the country's most
notorious prisoners including Harold Shipman and Ian Huntley.
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Wakefield
