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Hemsworth
Hemsworth, Archbishop Holgate Almshouses, with the Chapel of The Holy Cross. - geograph.org.uk - 227586.jpg
Archbishop Holgate Almshouses
Hemsworth is located in West Yorkshire
Hemsworth
Hemsworth
Population 15,350 (Ward.2011)
OS grid reference SE430128
Civil parish
  • Hemsworth
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town PONTEFRACT
Postcode district WF9
Dialling code 01977
Police West Yorkshire
Fire West Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
EU Parliament Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament
  • Hemsworth
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire

Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. Historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire, it forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311, increasing to 15,350 for the ward in the City of Wakefield Council at the 2011 Census.

It was a one-industry town, where coal mining employed the vast majority of residents, and the closure of the pits during the 1980s led to huge levels of unemployment and deprivation in the area. Hemsworth, along with nearby villages such as Ackworth, Fitzwilliam, Havercroft, Ryhill, South Elmsall and South Kirkby was made into a special regeneration area, and fortunes have improved as a result.

The Hemsworth constituency is famous for being the place where Labour votes were said to be "weighed rather than counted" during the 1960s and 1970s, but the town is not even so heavily Labour-voting as it once was. The town's Member of Parliament is Jon Trickett, a former leader of Leeds council.

In May 2005, the Office for National Statistics estimated that unemployment in Hemsworth was just 2.8%. This marks progress from periods in the previous two decades when it could reach as high as 50%.

The Boating Lake, Hemsworth Water Park - geograph.org.uk - 244646
The boating lake at Hemsworth Water Park

Also in Hemsworth is the Hemsworth Water Park, situated on the outskirts of Hemsworth. Hemsworth Water Park has two lakes; the largest lake is available for pedalo rides and has a man-made sandy beach; the smallest lake is in a more secluded area to attract wildlife. Both lakes are stocked for fishing which is available all year round. There are also plenty of grassed areas for picnics and games.

In the water park, there is also Playworld, an outdoor adventure playground, which is suitable for children of all ages with a tower slide, climbing frames, a toddlers' sandpit area and a miniature railway.

A new kiosk and toilet facilities were opened in March 2006. New equipment was introduced in 2008. A new restaurant, which opened in 2011, is situated adjacent to the larger of the two fishing lakes, and serves hot and cold meals, drinks and snacks.

The local newspaper for the area is the Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express, which gives local residents the ability to voice their opinions on local topical concerns, provides local, regional, nationwide and world news.

Along with the neighbouring village of Kinsley it is mentioned in the Domesday Book which was commissioned in 1085 by William the Conqueror. The name in the Domesday Book is Hamelsworde being the 'worth' or enclosure of a possible Saxon, named Hamel.

Hemsworth was used in an episode of the Top Gear series: Series 4 episode 2.

Robert Holgate, a native of Hemsworth (1481?–1555) was consecrated Archbishop of York in January 1545.

There are many different schools including Grove Lea Primary School, West End Academy, Sacred Hearts, St Helens Primary School and Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy.

Hemsworth bus station

Hemsworth 909
Hemsworth bus station in August 2009

Hemsworth bus station serves the town of Hemsworth. The bus station is managed and operated by Metro (West Yorkshire PTE) & (WYCA) - West Yorkshire Combined Authority

The bus station is situated just off Market Street and is part of the town's Tesco supermarket complex. There are five stands in total. The bus station officially opened in September 2008.

Buses run from the bus station go as far afield as Barnsley, Wakefield, Pontefract and Doncaster, Shafton Green, Monk Bretton. The main operators are Arriva Yorkshire, Stagecoach Yorkshire, Watersons Buses Services 35, 36, 37, 38 & BL Travel Services 223 & 249.


Economy

Hemsworth was a one-industry town, where coal mining employed the vast majority of residents, and the closure of the pits during the 1980s led to huge levels of unemployment and deprivation in the area. Hemsworth, along with nearby villages such as Ackworth, Fitzwilliam, Havercroft, Ryhill, South Elmsall and South Kirkby was made into a special regeneration area, and fortunes have improved as a result.

Also in Hemsworth is the Hemsworth Water Park, situated on the outskirts of Hemsworth. Hemsworth Water Park has two lakes; the largest lake is available for pedalo rides and has a man-made sandy beach; the smallest lake is in a more secluded area to attract wildlife. Both lakes are stocked for fishing which is available all year round. There are also plenty of grassed areas for picnics and games.

In the water park, there is also Playworld, an outdoor adventure playground, which is suitable for children of all ages with a tower slide, climbing frames, a toddlers' sandpit area and a miniature railway.

Education

Primary schools in Hemsworth are St Helen's CE Primary School, Grove Lea Primary School and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary. The secondary schools are the West End Academy and the Outwood Academy Hemsworth, which was set up in 1921 as Hemsworth Grammar School, the first secondary school in Hemsworth after Archbishop Holgate school relocated to Barnsley in 1888.

Hemsworth had an FE college for many years. Hemsworth Mining and Technical college offered day release to mining apprentices as well as a range of other academic and vocational courses. It closed in the 1990s.

Transport

Hemsworth 909
Hemsworth bus station in August 2009

Hemsworth lies at the crossing point of the Barnsley to Pontefract and the Wakefield to Doncaster roads. The junction where these roads cross, Cross Hill, is the heart of the original village, where the parish church and the George & Dragon inn still face each other.

Stagecoach provides bus service 28 from Barnsley to Pontefract which serves Hemsworth's bus station. Service 195, run by Arriva Yorkshire, links Hemsworth and Wakefield via Ryhill. The Upton to Wakefield services 496 and 497 call at Hemsworth bus station, as does service 36 run by Waterson bus and coach between South Elmsall and Barnsley.

The nearest train station is in Fitzwilliam, the station at Hemsworth was closed in 1967.

Notable people

Robert Holgate, Bishop of Llandaff from 1537 and Archbishop of York from 1545 to 1554, is thought to have been a native of Hemsworth.

Professional gambler and racehorse owner Phil Bull was born in Hemsworth in 1910.

World-class cricketer Geoffrey Boycott was born in nearby Fitzwilliam in 1940 and attended Hemsworth Grammar School.

Cromwell Bradley, footballer and minor counties cricketer.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hemsworth para niños

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