Coordinates: 53°51′36″N 1°31′59″W / 53.8599°N 1.5331°W / 53.8599; -1.5331

Alwoodley
Harrogate Road
Alwoodley  Alwoodley shown within West Yorkshire
Population	22,616 [1]
OS grid reference	SE303378
Metropolitan borough	City of Leeds
Metropolitan county	West Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LEEDS
Postcode district	LS17
Dialling code	0113
Police	West Yorkshire
Fire	West Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Leeds North East
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Alwoodley is a civil parish and suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is 5 miles (8.0 km) north of central Leeds. The name Alwoodley is said to be a corruption of 'Aethelwaldley', as it was originally known in the Middle Ages, meaning the woodland clearing (ley), at Aethelwald's farm.^[2] Alwoodley lies in Leeds 17 which was reported to contain the most expensive housing area in Yorkshire and the Humber by The Times.^[3]

Geography[link]

The area comprises a large part of the postcode LS17, which contains most of North Leeds and the surrounding countryside. On either side of Alwoodley is Adel, to the west, and Shadwell, to the east. Most of the housing is between Nursery Lane and Alwoodley Lane. The area to the North is mainly countryside, including the Eccup Reservoir and two golf courses.

Alwoodley Lane

Civil Parish[link]

The civil parish boundaries ^[4] are from Nursery Lane on the South, following the Meanwood Valley Trail on the West, the A61 Harrogate Road on the East. The northern boundaries are in countryside between Harewood to the Northeast and Arthington to the Northwest. Note that Alwoodley Gates is an area to the East of the A61 in the Harewood civil parish.

Electoral Ward[link]

The Electoral Ward ^[5] includes the above area, but also Alwoodley Gates to the East and southwards part of Moortown as far as the Leeds Outer Ring Road. This article will include this larger area, which includes certain institutions associated with the area but just outside the civil parish boundary.

Church of England Parish[link]

The Church of England parish of Alwoodley is based upon the church of St Barnabas, in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds.^[6] The parish boundaries extend from King Lane in the West to the A58 Wetherby Road to the East, thus including Shadwell. They also include part of Moortown south of the Ring Road around Moortown Corner.

Housing[link]

The former mansion, Alwoodley Old Hall, was close to the south side of Eccup Reservoir: it was demolished in 1969, and the grounds were used for Sandmoor Golf Club, north of Alwoodley Lane.^[7]

The centre is a large open area, including Moortown Golf Club and Rugby Club and former farmland known as Alwoodley Moss. Around it are 4 regions of housing, nearly all low-rise, semi-detached or detached. In the Northwest corner (junction bounded by King Lane to the West and Alwoodley Lane to the North) is housing called Alwoodley Park and includes street names such as "The Avenue", "The Lane", "The Drive" etc. reflecting the former more isolated nature of the original village. In the Northeast corner (junction bounded by Alwoodley Lane on the North and Harrogate Road on the East) is the Sandmoor Estate. In the Southeast corner (bounded by Nursery Lane on the South and Harrogate Road on the East) is the Primley Park area. Where Sandmoor and Primley Park join is Sandmoor Court, a block of flats. The Southwest region of housing is the Black Moor estate, mainly council-built properties.

The residential areas on and around the Sandmoors, Alwoodley Lane and Wigton Lane are amongst the most exclusive in Leeds, with many large detached family homes, imposing mansions and exclusive flat developments.^[3]

Education[link]

Allerton High School

The two largest schools in the area are Allerton High School and The Grammar School at Leeds Junior & Senior site. Allerton High School is however outside of the boundary for Alwoodley but is one of the two main schools that serve the suburb. It contains the Brodetsky Primary School, a Jewish faith school.^[8]

Sport[link]

There are 3 golf clubs within the area, namely Alwoodley, Moortown and Sandmoor Golf Clubs. Moortown Golf Club was also the home of the 1929 Ryder Cup. Alwoodley Cricket Club dates back to 1935.^[9] There are two rugby clubs in the area: Leodiensian RUFC and Moortown Rugby Club.^[10]

Location grid[link]

		Harewood
	Adel		Shadwell
		Alwoodley    East
		Moortown

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alwoodley

• YEP Moortown Today community website covering Alwoodley
• Alwoodley Parish Council website
• The Ancient Parish of Harewood at GENUKI: Alwoodley was in this parish
• Photographs of Alwoodley on Leodis, database from database from Leeds Library and Information Service
• Alwoodley in the Domesday Book