Wakefield Tourist Information

Wakefield, a vibrant city located at the heart of England with a diverse and rich heritage, offers a wide array of attractions and, being at the intersection of many major transport routes, is a great launch pad for the tourist looking to explore the district.

The city itself provides many places of interest, including Wakefield Cathedral, which boasts a spectacular stained class collection and the tallest spire in the whole of Yorkshire, and the Chantry Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin, one of the four surviving chantries in the United Kingdom after their abolition, which stands on a medieval bridge constructed in the 14th century.

Wakefield, like many other Yorkshire towns, was an industrial area that suffered from great decline in the 1980s, well known for its glass, textile and particularly, coal-mining industry. The National Coal Mining Museum details the illustrious history of this industry and its fall from grace, and is a winner of the White Rose Award given by the Yorkshire Tourist Board. For more information on Wakefield and its people, visit Wakefield Museum, where you can discover the city’s rich history, and 18th century architectural masterpiece Nostell Priory nearby, which gives a glimpse into how the district’s wealthier half live, displaying a dizzying collection of Chippendale furniture, beautiful landscaped gardens, and one of the finest libraries in the National Trust portfolio.

If you’re wanting to get away from urban life, Wakefield District has an array of wildlife parks, including Stanley Marsh Nature Reserve and Seckar Wood Nature Reserve, designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest that could be prove to be fun and educational. Sandal Castle, also outside the city, is an excavated medieval castle overlooking the River Calder and the site for the renowned Battle of Wakefield during the War of the Roses, where Richard, the Duke of York, lost his life.

A visit to Wakefield isn’t complete without stopping at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, one of the world’s leading open-air galleries. Displaying an ever-changing bill of international exhibitions, it is a must-see for all art lovers and a great learning experience for the children.

Of course, Wakefield also has something to offer the urban traveller, with a dynamic city centre complete with several excellent restaurants and bars and an exciting night life. Ridings Shopping Centre in the middle of the city has over a hundred retail outlets, and both high-street and independent shops can be easily found in the city centre.

Wakefield’s multi-award winning Tourist Information Centre can be found on The Bull Ring, ready to offer you any other advice you need.

Wakefield is also part of the famous Rhubarb Triangle where Yorkshire forced rhubarb is grown.

Interesting fact: The well-known nursery rhyme, “Here we go ‘round the Mulberry Bush”, is said to have originated in Wakefield Prison, as a chant or a song sung by inmates as they exercised around a mulberry tree, which still remains standing within the prison grounds.

Places to Visit:

Chantry Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin

Ridings Shopping Centre

Wakefield Cathedral

Wakefield Museum

Wakefield Tourist Information Centre

National Coal Mining Museum

Nostell Priory

Sandal Castle

Seckar Wood Nature Reserve

Stanley Marsh Nature Reserve

Yorkshire Sculpture Park