It is in the LS27 postcode area, and its telephone area code is 0113, the Leeds prefix. Formerly a small village, forming part of the Municipal Borough of Morley, it was expanded significantly in recent decades to become more suburban in nature. For administrative purposes, it is still classed as part of Morley in the census; sitting within the governance of Morley Town Council and the Morley North ward of Leeds City Council. It also has a primary school.
History
Churwell was formerly a township in the parish of Batley,[1] in 1866 Churwell became a separate civil parish,[2] 1 April 1937 the parish was abolished and merged with Morley.[3] In 1931 the parish had a population of 2,190.[4]
Etymology
The name Churwell is first attested in 1226 in the forms Churlewell and Churlewall. The names comes from the Old English words ceorla (the genitiveplural of ceorl, 'free man of the lower class, peasant') and wella ('well, spring, stream'). Thus the name once meant 'spring of the peasants'.[5]
Historical landmarks
Back of Clarendon Terrace, Park Street, Churwell
Churwell is centred on "Churwell Hill" which is made up of the A643. About three-quarters of the way up Churwell Hill, the road changes name from Elland Road to Victoria Road. There have historically been three local public houses, of which two remain: The Commercial, the Golden Fleece (demolished) and the New Inn. These are known locally as top oyle, middle oyle and bottom oyle, relating to their position on the hill. The Golden Fleece was demolished in 2010 and is now occupied by a Tesco Express store which still has the Golden Fleece sign outside of it. In spring of 2017 opposite the Tesco Express on Old Road, Bar 27 opened on the premises of the old fish and chip shop. This has become known locally as the little oyle due to its size.
Churwell once had a poorhouse. The building, Grade II listed, was built in 1865.[6] It is just off Elland Road, and was used as a community centre up until May 2011, at which point the Stanhope Memorial Hall, across the road from the Poor Hall, became the community centre.
The village expanded considerably in the early 1960s with new private and council housing developments, particularly to the north on land between School Street and the then-Leeds City boundary. In 1993, the old stone Churwell Primary School in School Street was demolished and moved to modern premises in the village. Houses now stand on the old school site.
In 1923, a runaway tram ran down Churwell Hill and ended in tragedy: six people were killed and 35 injured when the brakes failed and the tram crashed into a field wall at Cottingley.[7]
Tragedy hit the village in 1962, when a motorcyclist ploughed into a group of girls returning from Sunday school on Churwell Hill, killing two and injuring several others.
Churwell New Village
Since 2001, a considerable amount of housing development has taken place, one notable area is Churwell New Village a development with more than 350 new residencies, planners estimated 0.5 cars per household. The development was built on a green field industrial area that once had a pit, brick works and later a reclamation yard on it.
Notable people
Natives of the town refer to themselves as Morleians. Notable Morleians include:
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