FIELD SYSTEMS AND PLACE NAMES
OF OLD KNOTTINGLEY

TERRY SPENCER B.A. (Hons), Ph D.

INTRODUCTION : BEGINNINGS : DOMESDAY : PORT OF KNOTTINGLEY :
MANORIAL RE-ORGANISATION

GAZETTEER OF PLACE NAMES

INDEX | A-B | C-D | E-F | G | H | I-J | K-L | M-N | O | P | Q-R | S | T-U | V-W | YARDS |

INGLAND CLOSE
An ‘L’ shaped enclosure of land lying at the east side of England Lane. The name indicates that it was originally an assarted intake which was incorporated into the land forming the Middle Field.

INGS LANE
The term ‘eng’ indicates pastureland. Knottingley Ings were located at the east of the town, along the river bank between the river and Marsh Lane. The land is low lying and prone to seasonal flooding and this resulted in verdant pasture which was part of the earliest common field system at Knottingley, being a continuation of the land sued for cultivation, the Flatts. The water meadows were divided into two areas, the West Ings and the East Ings, also known as Little Marsh. The fomer were adjacent to Pighill Garth on the land later known as Garner Haven and the latter occupied land in the bend of the river known as Bank Dole.

ISLAND The
A once densely populated area of lower Aire Street which, being situated close to the river bank, was prone to frequent flooding. When flooding occurred the geographically almost self contained community was isolated from the rest of Aire Street, being surrounded by water and therefore ironically named as the Island. Close by stood a jetty from which numerous vessels discharged and loaded cargoes. The lower ferry was also situated at the back of the Island and in the nineteenth century the Ship Inn stood on the site. Following closure of the inn in 1908 the premises were sold and refurbished as a dwelling house before being demolished in order to clear the site for the erection of the Palace Cinema in 1912. Most of the property on the Island was demolished as part of the Aire Street Redevelopment Plan in the 1960s.

JACKSONVILLE
Also known as Jackson’s Row, Long Row, and Moorhouse’s Row, (although another site with the name Morrhouse Buildings which stood at the Weeland Road end of Headlands Lane was also referred to colloquially as Moorhouse Row) this terrace of houses stood on the site now occupied by Knottingley Swimming Pool and Sports Centre. The row was built in part of the grounds of the residence of the Moorhouse family, Marine Villa, alongside the Weeland Road at Hill Top and is recorded as early as the 1840s. Following the relinquishment of Marine Villa by the Moorhouse family and the acquisition of the house and its adjoining estate by William Jackson, the original row of houses was rebuilt and made longer, becoming more identified with the Jackson family, hence the appellation Jacksonville. The fact that there always appeared to be one or more of the residents either standing or sitting at an opened doorway of the houses watching the passing scene (i.e. ‘gawping’ or ‘gaping’) resulted in the property being named colloquially as ‘Gaping Row’. The row was demolished in the late 1970s.

JAIL (GAOL) HOUSES / YARD
Former terraced cottages later used as small shops, including Knottingley Post Office, the Jail Houses are situated opposite the Arcade at Hill Top. Jail Yard is located behind the properties. One of the former gatehouses, also used for commercial purposes, was for many years a cobblers’ workshop and stands in a detached position marking the former entrance to the debtors’ prison from which the name of the site derives.

JUBILEE BUNGALOWS
A group of eight bungalows situated in The Holes, Hill Top, and built to commemorate the silver jubilee of George V and Queen Mary in 1935.

JUBILEE HOUSES
A group of five houses on the south side of Weeland Road and standing adjacent to Jubilee Walk, now merely identified as Weeland Road houses.

JUBILEE WAY
The designated name of the snicket which connects Racca Green to Womersley Road via Beulah Place. The name was bestowed to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Silver Jubilee of 1887 but the ginnel is of ancient date being a pathway across Racca Field in the Middle Ages which enabled peasant labourers to take a short cut from Racca Green to the Racca Field Lane (Womersley Road) and providing access to the open fields to the south and west of the settlement area.

Terry Spencer

INDEX | A-B | C-D | E-F | G | H | I-J | K-L | M-N | O | P | Q-R | S | T-U | V-W | YARDS |

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