KNOTTINGLEY and FERRYBRIDGE HISTORY
LOCAL
HISTORY INDEX
Our local history section contains an extensive
collection of articles covering almost every aspect of the towns
past, from its origins as an Anglo-Saxon settlement up to the
present day. If you are a new visitor to the Knottingley and
Ferrybridge Online website then we suggest you begin by visiting our
Local History Index where
you will find a comprehensive, cross-referenced list to all our
published articles.
INTRODUCTION
Looking back at photographs of the town taken over the last
century, it is clear to see that both Knottingley and Ferrybridge
have seen many changes within that time. However, the history
of the local area dates back much further, evidence of which is the
existence of the ruined castle a short distance away in the
neighbouring town of Pontefract.
Pontefract Castle was built way back
in the 11th century by the occupying Norman armies and remained
intact until it's final destruction some 600 years later. Today
unfortunately, very little evidence of the castle remains. Further
evidence of settlers in the area, and one of our oldest remaining
antiquities, is at
Ferrybridge Henge. This
early prehistoric ceremonial monument dates back to the Neolithic
period during the years c.4000 to c.1500 BC when these circular
henge monuments first began to appear.
Pontefract Castle circa.1630
The original painting is on display in Pontefract Museum
A BRIEF HISTORY OF KNOTTINGLEY
The history of Knottingley and Ferrybridge as a settlement dates
back to an Anglo-Saxon development
alongside the River Aire and this unique location helped contribute
to many types of industries ranging from shipbuilding, glassmaking,
brewing and potteries being located in the area. The area is located
on land that is mostly rich soil over a bed of magnesium limestone.
Up to 1700 the river Aire was navigable from its connection with the
river Ouse at Airmyn only as far as Knottingley thus making it the
inland port of the West Riding. However, in 1699 the
Aire and Calder
Navigation Act was passed which at the time was an historic
measure as it was the first navigation scheme passed by an Act of
Parliament. Under this act the Aire and Calder Navigation opened the
river upstream as far as Leeds for the passage of small barges and
the importance of Knottingley as an inland port disappeared. As a
modification to the Aire and Calder Navigation a new canal was
authorised in 1820 running through the centre of Knottingley within
a deep cutting in the limestone. This was duly opened in 1826 and
connected the newly opened port of Goole with the river Aire at
Ferrybridge. The lock at Ferrybridge was opened at 10am on 20th July
1826. Bank Dole cut provided a connection between the new canal and
the old river route to Airmyn by means of the Bank Dole lock.
The crossing of the river Aire at Ferrybridge dates back to the 10th
century. A bridge had been erected there in 1198 which was
apparently rebuilt at the end of the 14th century and consisted of a
chantry chapel at one end. A toll was payable to cross this bridge,
as it was also at Castleford a few miles further upstream, until
1810.
By the early 17th century the main route from London to York was via
Ferrybridge along the Great North Road. Ferrybridge became a major
coaching centre where the routes to York and further north to
Edinburgh would divert. Several coaching houses in Ferrybridge
served the passengers, coachmen and their horses the most important
of which was The Angel. This was a large building with lots of
stabling. The bridge at Ferrybridge was found to be too narrow for
the increasing amount of traffic going across it and for the small
barges passing beneath it along the Aire and Calder Navigation and
so a new bridge was authorised and construction began in 1797.
Designed by the architect John Carr and built by local builder
Bernard Hartley it was eventually opened to traffic in June 1804.
The toll house which stands just in front of the old bridge dates
from around the same period. Thankfully, both the bridge and toll
house still exist to this day. The bridge is no longer accessible to
traffic however and the toll house is in use today as office
accommodation.
The main route through the town was the Wakefield & Weeland road
which was made into one of the West Riding's first turnpike roads
under an act of 1740 but which was rescinded in 1878. Crossing the
Wakefield & Weeland road was the Great North Road which ran along
the limestone ridge from Doncaster and across the Aire & Calder
Navigation at Ferrybridge. This section had also been a turnpike,
the Doncaster & Tadcaster between 1740 and 1882.
The first pottery established in the area was in 1794. This was
known as the Knottingley Pottery, (later
re-named the Ferrybridge Pottery) and was located on the banks of
the Knottingley-Goole canal. It was set up by a group of
shareholders to produce both fine and common ware and had an
international trade. However changing fortunes meant that the works
would eventually be split and passed through a succession of
ownership. In the late 1850's the Australian Pottery was established
which produced wares especially for the Australian market. This
closed in the late 1940's shortly after the war. The West Riding
pottery which opened in the 1880's closed down in 1926.
Knottingley is situated on top of a limestone ridge and it was this
commodity that became its principal product far into the late 19th
century. The vast quarries excavated in those days are still in
existence today as is the limestone business itself. The stone was
used principally for burning into lime which was used in the
agricultural business. The opening of the Aire and Calder navigation
brought with it cheap transport for the lime business and barges
coming down stream carrying coal from the South Yorkshire coalfields
would then make the return journey loaded with limestone.
The Glass Industry in Knottingley
was a relatively recent development with the first works being
opened in the early 1870's. Bagley's glass occupied land between
Weeland Road and the Bendles while situated on Headland Road were
Burdin & Co. and Jackson Brothers. It became a significant part of
Knottingley's industrial growth at that time and is still one of the
towns major employers. There is evidence to suggest that the first
glass industry in the area was in Ferrybridge in 1840 adjacent to
the site of the Swan Inn coaching house. That there was a glass
industry there is not in doubt but the actual date of its formation
is not so clear. It was situated on the North bank of the river Aire,
opposite the site of the Golden Lion. The Swan Inn had seen
its heyday commencing with the Royal Mail service in 1785 but this
had gradually declined until in 1840 the Inn ceased to function and
a glass furnace was built on the adjacent site. In 1845 the site was
named the 'Yorkshire Bottle Works' though by 1848 it had become
known as the 'Yorkshire Glass Bottle Company'. William Bagley took
up the position of manager there in 1869 until 1871 when he formed
Bagley, Wild & Company in Knottingley.
Remarkably for a town so far in land, Knottingley was home to
several master mariners and ship owners as well as those concerned
with inland waterway vessels. The town boasted several ship
building and repair yards dating back to the mid-eighteenth century
while the area around Bank Dole Junction was to become home to one
of the towns major industrial concerns during the twentieth-century
with the formation of John Harker Ltd.
In 1848 the town of Knottingley found itself at the centre of the
railway network when the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole railway was
opened by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co. It connected the
industrial areas of the West Riding with the port of Goole. The same
company also opened a branchline from Knottingley to Askern where it
made connection with the Great Northern's main line from
London. The branch was opened throughout in 1850 which had a major
impact on the towns growth. A station was built in Knottingley
consisting of five platforms and a covered roof. At Knottingley
junction, the line was joined by another branch line from Burton
Salmon which opened in 1850 and gave a through route from London to
York via Knottingley. This made Knottingley an important
junction where it became possible to change trains to and from the
very heart of the West Riding. The town remained on the East Coast
main line until 1871 when a more direct route to York from Doncaster
was opened. The Swinton and Knottingley railway opened in May 1879
linking Sheffield with York and passing through Ferrybridge where a
small station was opened in May 1882.
The development of the towns major industries gave rise to many
smaller businesses throughout the town. The row of shops which lined
Aire Street sold just about every item you could wish to purchase
and yet not a single shop remains there today, the area now having
been transformed as a housing development.
Knottingley and Ferrybridge have a rich history but there is much
more to the story than what can be told here. Our local history
section contains a wealth of information about the towns development
and numerous studies relating the origins of its industries and
organisations. Your starting point should be our
Local History Index where you will find links to all our
available articles from many of the areas most respected local
historians and enthusiasts.
HISTORY
INDEX
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