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Kirkstall is a north-western suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on the eastern side of the River Aire. The area sits in the Kirkstall electoral ward of Leeds City Council and Leeds Central and Headingley parliamentary constituency, represented by Alex Sobel. The population of the ward at the 2011 Census was 21,709.
To the west is Bramley, to the east is Headingley, and to the north are Hawksworth and West Park. Kirkstall is around from the city centre and is close to the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University.
In the 12th century Cistercian monks founded Kirkstall Abbey, a daughter house of Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, and now Kirkstall's main visitor attraction. The Abbey House Museum opposite the abbey tells the story of the community and the town. Henry De Lacey, Baron of Pontefract, gave the land for the foundation of the abbey, and Kirkstall has a few roads named in his memory. The Abbey Light Railway, which connected the grounds of the abbey with the Bridge Road commercial area, was closed down in 2012. Another landmark is St Stephen's Church, designed by the architect Robert Dennis Chantrell. Richard Oastler, a reformer and fighter for children's rights, is buried in a crypt under the church's east end.
During the English Civil War, the bridge over the Aire at Kirkstall (referred to in a contemporaneous account as 'Churchstall') was destroyed by Royalist troops from Leeds. After discovering this, a Parliamentary force led by Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron – from Otley – had to cross the river upstream at Apperley Bridge before retaking Leeds in January 1643.
Kirkstall was historically an important centre of industry. Kirkstall Forge lays claim to being the longest continually used industrial site in Britain founded in the 13th century by the Cistercian monks of the abbey, and a number of printers. The earliest known activity on the site was a medieval mill race which supplied water to power the corn mill at Kirkstall Abbey. Iron production took place at the forge from the 1580s onwards. During the late 18th century the reconstruction of the upper and lower forges allowed 'shovel and spade production' to commence. A railway was built at the forge in 1830 and sustained growth at the plant. The First World War brought about large scale growth, providing axles for military vehicles and by 1930 most lorries and buses made in the UK had a Kirkstall back axle casing. In 2002 the owners of the site, the Dana Holding Corporation announced the closure of the works, shifting production to India and Spain.http://www.kirkstallforge.com/images/forge-History-FINAL.pdf The site is undergoing major redevelopment, as is the old Waide's Printers & Kwik Save site. Printing has, like iron-founding, suffered a decline, several printing companies remain.
Until 1976 when it was closed, Kirkstall was dominated by a coal fired power station. It was replaced by larger power stations away from town at Ferrybridge, Eggborough and Drax. The power station was demolished in the early 1980s.
Saint Stephen's C of E (VA) Primary school has a coat of arms that reflects Kirkstall's rich history.
There are two railway lines: The Airedale line passes along the Aire Valley and has a railway station at Kirkstall Forge which opened in June 2016. The Harrogate line passes near Kirkstall and Headingley station is a few minutes walk from the centre of Kirkstall. The former Leeds tramway ran through Kirkstall until it was dismantled in 1959, a substation used by the tramway is still visible on Abbey Road. There are many bus routes through Kirkstall. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal also passes through Kirkstall close to the river and its tow path provides walking, running and cycling routes to Leeds and also west to Rodley and Shipley.
| Leeds city centre, Horsforth, Rawdon, Guiseley, Yeadon, Menston, Otley |
| Seacroft, Oakwood, St James' Hospital, Leeds city centre, Bramley |
| Seacroft, Harehills, St James' Hospital, Leeds city centre, Hawksworth, Horsforth |
| Leeds city centre, Rodley, West Yorkshire, Greengates, Thackley, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Keighley. |
| Pudsey, Bramley, Headingley, Meanwood, Chapeltown, Harehills, Halton Moor. |
| Leeds city centre, Thornbury, Odsal, Shelf, Halifax |
| Leeds city centre, Horsforth, Leeds Bradford Airport. |
Filming of The Beiderbecke Affair took place partly in Kirkstall, using houses around Abbeydale Oval with other scenes shot throughout the area and Moor Grange.
The Kirkstall Festival takes place every year in the grounds of the abbey on the second Saturday in July since 1981. It is a festival of music, local arts and crafts, and is organised by volunteers of the KVCA (Kirkstall Valley Community Association).
Kirkstall Art Trail takes place every year, on the third weekend of July, since it began in 2015. The event attracted over 100 artists, workshops and activities in 2024. The variety of venues used include private houses, Kirkstall Abbey, Hollybush Conservation Centre, cafes and retail. It is organised by a small committee made up of volunteers. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Art Trail was put on hold, and they created a Living Advent Trail during the winter of 2020, which now takes place every year.
The re-located 19th century drinking fountain near the demolished police station at the junction of Abbey Road and Bradford Road proclaims 'Drink and be Grateful'. The fountain's little garden had been neglected for many a year until local community gardening group Kirkstall-in-Bloom made it their initial project in 2012.
Hollybush Conservation Centre (part of The Conservation Volunteers) is located on the site of a former farm. The building dates back to at least 1700. A trade directory of the 1870s lists 'Joseph Whitwell Gentleman Rhubarb farmer of Hollybush House'. Hollybush Farm, under Whitwell, pioneered Rhubarb forcer, he was known as the largest commercial grower in the area. This led to the creation of the Rhubarb Triangle.
During the floods which reached national news, two local men were pictured at a pub the ‘Kirkstall Bridge Inn’ in the beer garden submerged in water drinking pints, the image has since become viral.
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