Editing Wakefield (section)

===Early history===
[[Flint]] and stone tools and later [[bronze]] and iron implements have been found at Lee Moor and Lupset in the Wakefield area showing evidence of human activity since prehistoric times.<ref>{{Harvnb|Walker|1966|p=3}}</ref> This part of Yorkshire was home to the [[Brigantes]] until the Roman occupation in AD&nbsp;43. A Roman road from [[Pontefract]] passing Streethouse, Heath Common, Ossett Street Side, through [[Kirklees]] and on to [[Manchester]] crossed the [[River Calder, West Yorkshire|River Calder]] by a ford at Wakefield near the site of [[Wakefield Bridge]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Walker|1966|p=24}}</ref> A large group of coin moulds, the [[Lingwell Gate coin moulds]], representing Romano-British coin forgery were found at Lingwell Gate between 1697 and 1879.<ref name='Til'>{{cite report |last=Tilley |first=Emily |title=Dirty Money: Lingwell Gate's Roman Coin Moulds |url=https://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/04/MMN-Lingwell-Gate-Project-Report-FINAL-with-images.pdf |publisher=Yorkshire Museum |date=April 2021 |access-date=28 April 2021 |archive-date=27 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227010616/https://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/04/MMN-Lingwell-Gate-Project-Report-FINAL-with-images.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Wakefield was probably occupied again, this time by the [[Angles (tribe)|Angles]], in the 5th or 6th&nbsp;century, and after AD&nbsp;876 the area was controlled by the [[Vikings]] who founded twelve hamlets or ''thorpes'' around Wakefield.{{refn|Wakefield's ''thorpes'' are: Alverthorpe, Chapelthorpe, Gawthorpe, Hollingthorpe, Kettlethorpe, Kirkthorpe, Milnthorpe, Ouchthorpe, Painthorpe, Snapethorpe, Woodthorpe, Wrenthorpe. Flanshaw, [[Kirkhamgate]], Carrgate and Lupset have [[Old Norse]] origins.<ref>{{Harvnb|Walker|1966|p=238}}</ref>|group="nb"}} They divided the area into [[wapentakes]] and Wakefield was part of the [[Agbrigg and Morley|Wapentake of Agbrigg]]. The settlement grew near a crossing place on the River Calder around three roads, [[Westgate (Wakefield)|Westgate]], [[Northgate (Wakefield)|Northgate]] and [[Kirkgate (Wakefield)|Kirkgate]].<ref name="Historic Wakefield EarlyHistory">{{cite web |title=EarlyHistory |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/default.htm |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=16 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127183057/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/default.htm |archive-date=27 January 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The "gate" suffix derives from Old Norse ''{{lang|non|gata}}'' meaning road<ref>{{Harvnb|Mills|1998|p=403}}</ref> and kirk, from ''{{lang|non|kirkja}}'' indicates there was a church.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mills|1998|p=405}}</ref>

Before 1066 the [[Manorialism|manor]] of Wakefield belonged to [[Edward the Confessor]] and it passed to [[William the Conqueror]] after the [[Battle of Hastings]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Walker|1966|p=43}}</ref> After the [[Norman conquest of England|Conquest]] Wakefield was a victim of the [[Harrying of the North]] in 1069 when William the Conqueror took revenge on the local population for resistance to Norman rule. The settlement was recorded as ''Wachfeld'' in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086, and covered a much greater area than present day Wakefield, much of which was described as "waste".<ref name="Manor of Wakefield">{{cite web |title=Manor |url=http://midgleywebpages.com/index-3.html |publisher=midgleywebpages.com |access-date=16 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904060526/http://midgleywebpages.com/index-3.html |archive-date=4 September 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The manor was granted by [[The Crown|the crown]] to [[William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey]] whose descendants, the Earls Warenne, inherited it after his death in 1088.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vO4GAAAAYAAJ&q=earl+warenne+wakefield+yorkshire&pg=PA111 |title=The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, 1886 |date=30 July 2007 |access-date=5 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527214529/http://books.google.com/books?id=vO4GAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA111&lpg=PA111&dq=earl+warenne+wakefield+yorkshire&source=web&ots=zHyItid2qF&sig=NgmkVHSzh4KIkcPFHyx4Re76s9A&hl=en |archive-date=27 May 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The construction of [[Sandal Castle]] began early in the 12th&nbsp;century.<ref>{{Harvnb|Butler|1991|p=1}}</ref> A second castle, [[Wakefield Castle]], was built at Lawe Hill on the north side of the Calder but was abandoned.<ref>{{Harvnb|Creighton|2004|p=32}}</ref> Wakefield and its environs formed the [[Caput baroniae|caput]] of an extensive baronial holding by the Warennes that extended to [[Cheshire]] and [[Lancashire]]. The Warennes, and their [[feudal]] sublords, held the area until the 14th&nbsp;century, when it passed to their heirs.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holt|1997|p=19}}</ref>
Norman tenants holding land in the region included the [[Levett|Lyvet]] family at Lupset.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IrkHAAAAQAAJ&q=lyvet+king&pg=RA1-PA92 |title=Dodsworth's Yorkshire notes, the wapentake of Agbrigg, Roger Dodsworth, 1884 |date=20 April 2007 |access-date=5 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527130015/http://books.google.com/books?id=IrkHAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA92&lpg=RA1-PA92&dq=lyvet+king&source=web&ots=M8In8xicy-&sig=yHEh-Mt-Z15w6jeWwKiVMie9-Y8&hl=en |archive-date=27 May 2013 |url-status=live |last1=Dodsworth |first1=Roger}}</ref>

The Domesday Book recorded two churches, one in Wakefield and one in [[Sandal Magna]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Lupton|1864|p=10}}</ref> The Saxon church in Wakefield was rebuilt in about 1100 in stone in the [[Norman architecture|Norman]] style and was continually enlarged until 1315 when the central tower collapsed. By 1420 the church was again rebuilt and was extended between 1458 and 1475.

In 1203 [[William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey]] received a grant for a market in the town.<ref name="Historic Wakefield 1066-1600">{{cite web |title=1066–1600 |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/1066-1600.htm |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=17 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204072731/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/1066-1600.htm |archive-date=4 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1204 [[John, King of England|King John]] granted the rights for a fair at the feast of [[All Saints' Day|All Saints]], 1 November, and in 1258 [[Henry III of England|Henry III]] granted the right for fair on the feast of Saint John the Baptist, 24 June. The market was close to the Bull Ring and the church.<ref name="Historic Wakefield 1066-1600"/> The townsfolk of Wakefield amused themselves in games and sports, the chief sport in the 14th&nbsp;century was [[archery]] and the [[Archery butts|butts]] in Wakefield were at the [[Ings]], near the river.<ref>{{Harvnb|Walker|1966|p=114}}</ref> Wakefield was dubbed the "Merrie City" in the [[Middle Ages]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Lupton|1864|p=46}}</ref>

[[File:Richard of York Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 858000.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|left|Memorial to the [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Duke of York]], killed in battle, 1460]]
During the [[Wars of the Roses]], [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York]] was killed on 30 December 1460 in the [[Battle of Wakefield]] near Sandal Castle. In [[medieval]] times Wakefield became an inland port on the Calder and centre for the woollen and [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] trades. In 1538 [[John Leland (antiquary)|John Leland]] described Wakefield as, "a very quick market-towne and meately large; well served of flesch and fisch, both from the se and by rivers, whereof divers be thereabout at hande, so that al vitaile is very gode chepe there. A right honest man shal fare well for two pens a meale". As preparation for the impending invasion by the [[Spanish Armada]] in April 1588, 400 men from the wapentake of Morley and Agbrigg were summoned to Bruntcliffe near [[Morley, West Yorkshire|Morley]] with their weapons. Men from Kirkgate, Westgate, Northgate and Sandal were amongst them and all returned by August.<ref>{{Harvnb|Walker|1966|p=414}}</ref>

At the time of the Civil War, Wakefield was a [[Cavalier|Royalist]] stronghold. An attack led by Sir [[Thomas Fairfax]] on 20 May 1643 captured the town for the [[Roundhead|Parliamentarians]]. Over 1500 troops were taken prisoner along with the Royalist commander, [[George Goring, Lord Goring|Lieutenant-General Goring]].<ref name="British Civil Wars">{{cite web |title=Civil War Yorkshire |url=http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/military/1643-yorkshire.htm |publisher=british-civil-wars.co.uk |access-date=17 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090308132810/http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/military/1643-yorkshire.htm |archive-date=8 March 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1699 an Act of Parliament was passed creating the [[Aire and Calder Navigation]] which provided the town with access to the [[North Sea]].<ref name="Historic Wakefield 1600-1800">{{cite web |title=1600–1800 |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/1600-1800.htm |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=18 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220052616/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/1600-1800.htm |archive-date=20 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The first Registry of Deeds in the country opened in 1704 and in 1765 Wakefield's cattle market was established and became the one of largest in the north of England. The town was a centre for cloth dealing, with its own piece hall, the Tammy Hall, built in 1766.<ref name="Old Wakefield">{{cite web |title=Old Wakefield |url=http://www.oldtowns.co.uk/Yorkshire/wakefield.htm |publisher=oldtowns.co.uk |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927154838/http://www.oldtowns.co.uk/Yorkshire/wakefield.htm |archive-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the late 1700s [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] town houses and St John's Church were built to the north of the town centre.<ref name="Historic Wakefield 1600-1800"/><ref name="St Johns Church">{{cite web |title=St Johns Church |url=http://www.wakefield-stjohns.org.uk/stjohns/St_Johns_Church_History.html |publisher=St John's Church |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126131613/http://www.wakefield-stjohns.org.uk/stjohns/St_Johns_Church_History.html |archive-date=26 November 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>