Holbeck Urban Village and the Beginnings of the Industrial Revolution

It was the Industrial Revolution that made Leeds into the great city that we know. From the start we had excellent transport in the waterways, and by the time the trains came, Leeds was forging ahead, so that it was an obvious centre for railway development. We were already a major centre for the woollen trade, we had ample supplies of coal, and the Leeds merchants and entrepreneurs had a long history of ‘get up and go’, which attracted others. Holbeck was at the heart of some of the most impressive developments, led by such figures as Matthew Murray, John Marshall, and later ‘Colonel’ Harding.

Our walk exploring this heritage will begin at the Leeds Civic Trust building in Wharf Street and we will then proceed along the side of the crucial waterways  to Holbeck, where we will view Murray’s Round Foundry, Marshall’s mills, and Harding’s Tower Works. We will disperse on Victoria Bridge, where the Leeds-Liverpool Canal meets with the Aire and Calder Navigation. The distance covered is moderate but you will need to be prepared for frequent stops at points of interest along the route, please wear comfortable shoes.