Editing Boston Spa

{{short description|Village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                  = England
| coordinates              = {{coord|53.904|-1.350|display=inline,title}}
| label_position           = left
| static_image_name        = St Mary, Boston Spa (25565521310).jpg
| static_image_caption     = At Mary's Parish Church
| official_name            = Boston Spa
| pushpin_map              = United Kingdom Leeds
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within [[City of Leeds]]
| population               = 4,079
| population_ref           = ([[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 census]])
| area_total_sq_mi = 1.37
| civil_parish             = Boston Spa
| metropolitan_borough     = [[City of Leeds]]
| metropolitan_county      = [[West Yorkshire]]
| region                   = Yorkshire and the Humber
| constituency_westminster = [[Wetherby and Easingwold (UK Parliament constituency)|Wetherby and Easingwold]]
| post_town                = WETHERBY
| postcode_district        = LS23
| postcode_area            = LS
| dial_code                = 01937
| os_grid_reference        = SE431455
| london_distance_mi       = 170<!-- straight line per MOS – constant and comparable with other place distances -->
| london_direction         = SSE
| type = [[Village]]
}}

'''Boston Spa''' is a village and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[City of Leeds|Leeds Metropolitan District]] in [[West Yorkshire]], England. Situated {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} south of [[Wetherby]], Boston Spa is on the south bank of the [[River Wharfe]] across from [[Thorp Arch, West Yorkshire|Thorp Arch]]. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 4,006 rising to 4,079 in the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boston Spa|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120946&c=boston+Spa&d=16&e=13&g=6374460&i=1001x1003x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1453749408690&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2491|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=25 January 2016|archive-date=10 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310065141/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120946&c=boston+Spa&d=16&e=13&g=6374460&i=1001x1003x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1453749408690&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2491|url-status=dead}}</ref>

It sits in the [[Wetherby (ward)|Wetherby]] ward of [[Leeds City Council]] and the [[Wetherby and Easingwold (UK Parliament constituency)|Wetherby and Easingwold]] [[UK Parliament constituencies|parliamentary constituency]].

==Etymology==
Boston Spa's name is not attested before appearing on printed maps in 1771, when it was labelled ''Thorp Spaw'', presumably 'the spa associated with Thorp Arch' (the nearest settlement). The Boston element is attested in 1799 as ''Bostongate'' and in 1822 as Boston, probably the surname of a local family, whose name derives from [[Boston, Lincolnshire]], and their name was given to the settlement that grew up around the spa.<ref>Harry Parkin, ''Your City's Place-Names: Leeds'', English Place-Name Society City-Names Series, 3 (Nottingham: English Place-Names Society, 2017), p. 25.</ref>

==History==
[[File:Boston Spa bridge in 2007.jpg|thumb|left|[[Thorp Arch Bridge]]]]
The [[Boston Spa hoard]], a [[Roman Britain|Romano-British]] coin hoard dating to the mid second-century AD and comprising a [[grey ware]] vessel and 172 silver ''[[denarii]]'', was found in the town in 1848.<ref name=HE>{{Historic England research records |num=54886|desc=Monument Number 54886 |access-date=3 November 2021}}</ref>

In 1744, John Shires established a [[spa resort]] when he discovered [[sulfur|sulphur]] springs in the [[magnesian Limestone|magnesian limestone]]. It was originally known as ''Thorp Spaw''. In 1753, the [[Tadcaster]] to [[Otley]] road that passes through Boston Spa was [[Turnpike trust|turnpiked]]. In the same year, Joseph Taite built a house to accommodate visitors, it became the Royal Hotel which is still standing, but converted into flats and shops. By 1819, Boston Spa had a population of more than 600, and several inns and other houses offering accommodation had been built.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/boston-spa.asp|title=Boston Spa|website=AboutBritain.com|access-date=22 October 2021}}</ref> Spa baths were built to allow visitors to take the waters. The spa declined when [[Harrogate]] became popular as a spa town.

The Boston Spa and Thorp Arch [[Conservation Area]],<ref name = CA>{{cite web|title=Leeds City Council designation|url=http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/Internet2007/2009/40/boston%20spa%20caa%20revised%20appraisal%20final%20for%20approval.pdf|access-date=26 March 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709052457/http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/Internet2007/2009/40/boston%20spa%20caa%20revised%20appraisal%20final%20for%20approval.pdf|archive-date=9 July 2011}}</ref> designated in 1969, extended across Boston Spa and Thorp Arch parishes. It was revised and divided in 2009, restricting the boundaries to Boston Spa parish and reshaped to exclude areas of late-20th-century estate housing to the south of the High Street. The conservation area boundary focuses on the historic settlement. It was extended to the west, to encompass West End, an area of dwellings constructed during the [[Second World War]] to house workers from Thorp Arch munitions factory. The war had a major effect on Boston Spa's population, society and surroundings, and the buildings stand as a testament to that history.

== Governance ==
When Boston Spa was founded in 1744 it was in the [[Township (England)|township]] of [[Clifford, West Yorkshire|Clifford]] in the old parish of [[Bramham, West Yorkshire|Bramham]], in the upper division of the [[wapentake]] of [[Barkston Ash]], in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]].<ref name="Gen">{{cite web |title=Clifford cum Boston|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Bramham/Bramham68.html|publisher=GenUKI|access-date=30 August 2010}}</ref> From 1866 to 1896, it was part of the civil parish of Clifford with Boston, and became a separate civil parish in 1896.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10411373/relationships |title=Vision of Britain website: Clifford With Boston |access-date=8 May 2013 |archive-date=31 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231131552/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10411373/relationships |url-status=dead }}</ref> The parish was in [[Wetherby Rural District]] in the West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10399830 |title=Vision of Britain website: Boston Spa |access-date=8 May 2013 |archive-date=1 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101014432/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10399830 |url-status=dead }}</ref> when it was transferred to the City of Leeds in the new county of West Yorkshire.

==Geography==
Boston Spa is in the north-east of the City of Leeds district about three miles south-east of Wetherby and immediately north of Clifford on the Collingham to Tadcaster road, the A659. The village is at a bridging point on the south side of the River Wharfe, linked to Thorp Arch on the north bank by [[Thorp Arch Bridge]].<ref>{{NHLE | num=1313470 | desc=Thorp Arch Bridge | access-date= 8 February 2024 }}</ref> The village, surrounded by rolling, arable farmland, developed along High Street with Bridge Road at the centre.<ref name=CA/> The [[A1(M) motorway]] that passes to the west is accessed at Junction 45.

The village is on the narrow Permian Magnesian Limestone ridge that runs north-south from North Yorkshire to Nottinghamshire.<ref name=CA/>

==Amenities==
	
[[File:Bostonspa.jpg|thumb|left|High Street, Boston Spa in 2008; Crown Hotel on the right]]
Boston Spa has a post office, a small library and a filling station. There are three public houses, (the Admiral Hawke and the Fox and Hounds both owned by [[Samuel Smith Old Brewery]]) and the Crown Hotel on the high street owned by an independent group of investors, a small [[Costcutter]] supermarket in the former Royal Hotel and several independent retailers in the village centre (a butcher, hardware shop and several takeaway restaurants).

The Crown Hotel closed in 2012 and was subject to a public inquiry as to its future use. Arguments presented in 2014 by [[Tesco]] that the premises "had little or no use as a hotel facility" were accepted at appeal.<ref>[http://www.bostonspapc.org.uk/Boston-Spa-Parish-Council/the_crown_hotel_building-7374.aspx "The Crown Hotel Building"], Bostonspapc.org.uk. Retrieved 16 March 2015</ref>

[[File:Entrance to the British Library, Street 5, Thorp Arch Trading Estate (10th July 2020).jpg|thumb|right|The Boston Spa branch of the [[British Library]]]]
The Boston Spa branch of the [[British Library]], the Document Supply Service, is {{convert|1.5|miles|abbr=on}} north-east of the village in the [[Thorp Arch Trading Estate]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wight|first1=Colin|title=Finding the British Library, Boston Spa |url=http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/quickinfo/loc/bsp/index.html |website=bl.uk|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref> The branch contains the British Library newspaper collection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/news/bna/|title=British Newspaper Archive|last=Wight|first=Colin|website=Bl.uk|access-date=28 February 2017}}</ref>

There are two churches [[St Mary the Virgin Church, Boston Spa|St Mary's Parish Church]]<ref>{{NHLE | num=1299362 | desc=Church of St. Mary the Virgin | access-date= 8 February 2024 }}</ref> and [[Boston Spa Methodist Church]].<ref>{{NHLE | num=1135059 | desc=Spa Lane Methodist Church | access-date= 8 February 2024 }}</ref> 

{{clear}}

==Education==
The village primary schools are: Primrose Lane Primary School,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.primroselane.leeds.sch.uk/|title=Welcome to Primrose Lane Primary School|website=Primroselane.leeds.sch.uk|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref> St Edward's Catholic Primary School<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.st-edwards.leeds.sch.uk/|title=About Our School|website=St-edwards.leeds.sch.uk|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref> and St Mary's CE Primary School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stmaryscofe.org.uk/|title=Welcome to our school|website=Stmaryscofe.org.uk|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref>

Close by in [[Clifford, West Yorkshire|Clifford]], is [[Boston Spa Academy]], the local secondary school taking pupils from areas which also feed comprehensives in [[Wetherby]], [[Garforth]] and [[Pendas Fields]]. The school has success in sports and science teaching, and caters for pupils undertaking [[General Certificate of Secondary Education|GCSEs]], [[Advanced Level (UK)|A levels]], [[GNVQ]]s and those with special needs according to its Ofsted reports.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boston Spa School|url=http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/108091|publisher=Ofsted|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref>

Other educational establishments in  Clifford include the children's hospice [[Martin House Hospice|Martin House]] and [[St John's Catholic School for the Deaf]] which has a UK-wide catchment.

==Media==
Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC Yorkshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]]. Television signals are received from the [[Emley Moor transmitting station|Emley Moor]] TV transmitter. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Emley_Moor|title=Emley Moor (Kirklees, England) Full Freeview transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=12 April 2024}}</ref> Local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Leeds]], [[Heart Yorkshire]], [[Capital Yorkshire]], [[Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire]], [[Hits Radio West Yorkshire]] and [[Tempo FM]], a community based station which broadcast from [[Wetherby]]. Local newspaper is served by the ''[[Wetherby News]]''.

==Housing==
Boston Spa has a mix of private and [[council houses]]. Most of the council housing is situated around Clifford Moor Road and Wickham Avenue. The east side of Boston Spa comprises mainly larger houses. There are many [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] villas and town houses on High Street.

==Events==
The village annual gala is held in June. Since 2009 a beer festival takes place in the village hall.<ref>{{cite news|title=Slideshow: Boston Spa Beer Festival hailed a success|url=https://www.wetherbynews.co.uk/news/slideshow-boston-spa-beer-festival-hailed-a-success-1-7750879|access-date=18 February 2018|work=Wetherby News|date=25 February 2016}}</ref>
The village hall has hosted a nationally renowned<ref>{{cite news|title=Top musicians and all that Jazz|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/top-musicians-and-all-that-jazz-for-boston-spa-club-1-7091069|newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post|access-date=14 December 2017}}</ref> weekly jazz night since January 2005<ref>{{cite web|title=Boston Spa - A Success Story |url=http://www.jazznorthwest.co.uk/bostonsp.htm|publisher=Jazz North West|access-date=14 December 2017}}</ref> and an annual arts festival usually in October.

==Sport and recreation==
Boston Spa Hockey Club is a [[field hockey]] club that competes in the [[North Hockey Association|North Hockey League]] and the [[Yorkshire Hockey Association|Yorkshire & North East Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonspahockey.co.uk/|title=Boston Spa Hockey Club |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/boston-spa-hc/teams|title=England Hockey - Boston Spa Hockey Club |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>

The route of [[The White Rose Way]], a long-distance walk from [[Leeds]] to [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire]] passes through the village. As does the [[Ebor Way]] which passes over the river at Thorp Arch village before continuing towards Tadcaster.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Boston Spa - High Street.jpg|Georgian houses on High Street
File:Boston Spa - Leys Lane.jpg|Leys Lane
File:Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Boston Spa (March 2010) 006.jpg|[[St. Mary the Virgin Church, Boston Spa|St. Mary the Virgin church]]
File:High Street, Boston Spa (March 2010) 004.jpg|High Street
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Listed buildings in Boston Spa]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Commons category-inline|Boston Spa}}
* [http://www.bl.uk/ British Library]
* [http://www.bl.uk/services/document/dsc.html British Library Document Supply Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712022501/http://www.bl.uk/services/document/dsc.html |date=12 July 2018 }}
* [http://www.bostonspa.leeds.sch.uk/ Boston Spa School]
* [http://www.bigredcurtain.com/ Performing Arts School based in Boston Spa]
* [http://www.martinhouse.org.uk/ Martin House Hospice]
* [http://www.stjohns.org.uk/ St John's Catholic School for the Deaf]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060418024454/http://www.fotocraftimages.co.uk/bspathumbs.htm Photos of Boston Spa]
* [http://www.stmarysbostonspa.org.uk/ St Mary The Virgin Church]
* [http://www.bostonspapc.org.uk Boston Spa Parish Council]
* [http://www.jff-theatregroup.uk/index.html Just For Fun Theatre Group]
* {{Genuki|county=WRY|Bramham||Boston Spa}}
*[http://www.bostonspaartsfestival.co.uk Boston Spa Arts Festival]
*[http://www.jazzinthespa.co.uk Jazz in the Spa]

{{Portalbar|Yorkshire|England|United Kingdom}}
{{NSEW|[[Wetherby]]|[[Clifford, West Yorkshire|Clifford]]|[[Thorp Arch (village)|Thorp Arch]]|[[Collingham, West Yorkshire|Collingham]]|||||}}
{{City of Leeds}}
{{West Yorkshire|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Boston Spa| ]]
[[Category:City of Leeds]]
[[Category:Villages in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Spa towns in England]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1744]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:1744 establishments in England]]