Gawthorpe is a village to the north of Ossett, in the Wakefield district, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is roughly midway between Wakefield and Dewsbury north of the A638.
| Gawthorpe | |
|---|---|
 Gawthorpe Water Tower | |
  Gawthorpe Location within West Yorkshire | |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OSSETT |
| Postcode district | WF5 |
The village's name derives from Gorky, a Viking name, and thorpe was a settlement, but evidence suggests the village may have Roman origins.[1] It gives its name to the Gawthorpe seam of coal, which stretches from the village down through Horbury and Crigglestone.[2]
Gawthorpe's Mayday celebrations date back to at least 1875 when a seventy-foot fir tree was bought and erected by public subscription on the village green. The maypole was last replaced in 1986.[1]
Gawthorpe Water Tower is a concrete structure built between 1922 and 1928 to store drinking water for the Ossett area.[3] The 55m tall tower is a prominent local landmark of the Ossett and Gawthorpe area.[3][4] Since around 2006 it was no longer used for storing water, but has been used to hold communications equipment.[5] The tower received Grade II listed building status in 2020, following a campaign by residents.[4][5]
World Coal Carrying Championships
editSince 1963 Gawthorpe has hosted the World Coal Carrying Championships on Easter Monday.[6] Entrants run 1,012 metres from the Royal Oak in Ossett to the Maypole Green, while carrying a sack of coal weighing 50 kilograms (110 lb) for men or 20 kilograms (44 lb) for women.[6][7] The Championships were originally run from the Shaw Cross colliery to the May Pole, although the collieries in this area all closed in the Robens era.[citation needed]
The Gawthorpe Peacock
editGawthorpe gained national attention when an escaped peacock caused havoc within the local community, featuring on BBC Look North and BBC Radio 5 live news. The peacock continues to be at large around the village as of 16/6/2024
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Gawthorpe Maypole". Wakefield Council. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
- ^ "The Barnsley-Warren House Seam (The Art and Science of Mining, 17th June 1939, Page: 388, Column: 1)". Durham Mining Museum. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Gawthorpe Water Tower (1472774)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ a b Gittins, Holly (17 December 2020). "Gawthorpe Water Tower granted listed building status after campaign backed by hundreds of local residents". Wakefield Express. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Much Loved Landmark Water Tower is Listed". The Twentieth Century Society. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Hundreds brave rain to take part in 60th coal carrying race in Gawthorpe". ITV News. 10 April 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "World Coal Carrying". Gawthorpe Maypole Committee. Retrieved 10 February 2024.