Kirkstall
Kirkstall is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, and is located next to the River Aire, nestled between the river and the suburbs of Headingley to the North, Horsforth to the North West and Burley to the South East.
Kirkstall is a pleasant area of Leeds, around 2 miles out of the city centre. Kirkstall is becoming an increasingly popular area for Leeds' student population to live, with its proximity to Headingley and the Universities.
In the 12th century Cistercian monks founded Kirkstall Abbey, a daughter house of Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire. The Abbey House Museum opposite the Abbey itself tells the story of the community and the town. Henry De Lacey, Baron of Pontefract, gave the land for the foundation of the Abbey, and Kirkstall has a few roads named in his memory. The Abbey Light Railway, in the grounds of the Abbey, is another tourist attraction, where several historical engines are preserved in working order.
Kirkstall was historically an important centre of industry, with the large Kirkstall Forge (which lays claim to being the longest continually used industrial site in Britain), founded in the 13th Century by the Cistercian Monks of the Abbey, and a number of printers.
The Forge recently closed its doors for business, and is currently under planning for major redevelopment, as is the old Waide's Printers & Kwik Save site. Although printing has, like iron-founding, suffered a decline due to globalization, there are still several printing companies in business here.
The old Kirkstall Brewery site was recently converted into a large Hall of Residence for students of Leeds Metropolitan University. Other recent developments in Kirkstall include the Morrison’s shopping complex.
Further down the Kirkstall Road towards Leeds there is the Warner Village complex. This hosts a large cinema complex, a Virgin Active gym, a bowling alley, the Evolution club, along with many different restaurants in and around the immediate area.
Its most famous landmark is Kirkstall Abbey, which is situated close to the River Aire. It is now a ruin but is used in the summer to host outdoor plays such as Midsummer's Night Dream. It also has a network of paths surrounding the abbey, which gives local residents a green haven amongst all the houses.
In and around Kirkstall there are plenty of local pubs, restaurants and takeaways and there are regular buses into Leeds city centre.