Information on Burley in Wharfedale, Yorkshire
Burley in Wharfedale is a commuter village of around 6000 inhabitants just off the A65 road. The village has a railway station on the Wharfedale line, with direct trains to Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley making it a popular location for workers in Leeds and Bradford who want to live in a more rural location. The area was originally settled in Roman times, and the Domesday Book of 1086 mentions Burley (Burghelai) as part of the Manor of Otley. Burley developed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries into an industrial village with many residents employed in the local cotton mill, Greenholme Mills, and a weir remains where a goit harnessed power from the River Aire to power the mill machinery. In the late 19th century, over 700 workers were employed at the mill and the population of the village reached 3000. After the two world wars there was an increase in council house building in the village, and with improved transport links this led to an increase in younger residents, and the predominant age group in the village today is 35 to 55 year old, which is younger than most villages in the more rural areas of the Dales. Burley has 3 pubs –The Generous Pioneer, The Queens Head and The Red Lion, though none seem to offer accommodation.
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