| Thornton | |
|---|---|
 Thornton Viaduct | |
  Thornton Location withinWest Yorkshire | |
| Population | 17,276 (Thornton and Allerton ward.2011 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SE098326 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRADFORD |
| Postcode district | BD13 |
| Dialling code | 01274 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| UK Parliament | |
| 53°47′23″N1°51′01″W / 53.7898°N 1.8504°W /53.7898; -1.8504 | |
Thornton is a village and formercivil parish, within themetropolitan borough of theCity of Bradford, inWest Yorkshire, England. It lies 6 miles (9.7 km) to the west of the city centre ofBradford, and together with neighbouringAllerton, had a total resident population in 2001 of 15,004, increasing to 17,276 in 2011 and 18,520 in 2021.[1][note 1] Its most famous residents were theBrontës.
The preserved centre of the village retains the character of a typicalPennine village, with stone-built houses with stone flagged roofs. The surrounding areas consist of more modern housing, particularly towards the eastern and western edges of the village, still isolated from the rest of the city of Bradford by green fields.
Thornton derives from Old English and means a thorn tree at a farm or settlement.[2] It was mentioned in theDomesday Book of the 11th century,[3] when it had been laid waste byWilliam the Conqueror'sharrying of the North, punishment for an uprising against the Norman invaders of 1066.[4]
Thornton was formerly atownship andchapelry in the parish of Bradford, becoming a civil parish in its own right in 1866.[5][6] In 1865 Thornton was declared to be aLocal Government District, administered by a local board.[7] Such local boards becameurban district councils under theLocal Government Act 1894. Thornton Urban District existed for less than five years; in 1899 it was incorporated into the city of Bradford.[8] The civil parish of Thornton continued to exist until 1974, but as anurban parish it had no parish council, being directly administered by the city council. In 1951 the parish had a population of 6097.[9]
The parish was abolished in 1974 when the largerCity of Bradfordmetropolitan borough was created, since when it has been anunparished area. Thornton comprises part of theThornton and Allerton ward.[10] It falls within the parliamentary constituency ofBradford West.[11]
Its elevation, poor soils, isolation from major transport routes, and rainfall of close to 1000mm per year has limited its farming productivity. Resources such as coal, iron and sandstone, the development ofturnpike roads, and the coming of the railways enabled Thornton to share in the prosperity generated by the 19th-century woolworsted trade. The increasing use of steam-powered mills (at the expense of the former cottage-industry production methods) concentrated production in the valleys of the city centre. Foreign imports, theSecond World War, and closure of the railways, all contributed to the decline in manufacturing. Today, Thornton is often treated as a residential suburb of Bradford.[12]
The main thoroughfare through the village was Market Street, until this road was bypassed in 1826 by the new Thornton Road (B6145). In the two centuries after its construction, most building work has since taken place along Thornton Road, extending the village down the slope of the hill it sits upon. This has left Market Street largely untouched and it retains its original character and stonework on the buildings. Market Street therefore forms the backbone of the conservation area in the village,[13] while Thornton Road remains the main artery for traffic to Bradford, Allerton,Halifax,Keighley andDenholme.
Thornton's most famous residents were theBrontës. The RevPatrick Brontë became the incumbent of Thornton Chapel in 1815,[14] andCharlotte,Branwell,Emily andAnne Brontë were born at 74 Market Street, Thornton before the family moved toHaworth.[15] In November 2023 the house was purchased by a campaign group which aims to restore and preserve the house as theBrontë Birthplace.[16][17][18] The remains of the church where the father preached, known as the Bell Chapel, can be seen in the restored old graveyard off Thornton Road opposite the current church.[19] The 44 mi (71 km) longBrontë Way passes through Thornton on its way betweenGawthorpe Hall in Lancashire andOakwell Hall in the Birstall area.[20]
Professional wrestlerLes Kellett had a small holding and café called "The Terminus", wheretrolleybuses terminated before returning toBradford, with his wife Margaret. On 2 acres (0.81 ha) behind the house Kellett sometimes bred pigs and once said he kept fifty head of cattle.[21][22]
Thornton Viaduct was a railway viaduct for theGreat Northern Railway line running from Queensbury toKeighley via Thornton. It was built in an S-shape to allow a smooth access toThornton railway station.[23] The viaduct is now a Grade IIlisted building.[24]
The viaduct was reopened as part ofThe Great Northern Railway Trail betweenCullingworth andQueensbury along the track bed in 2009,[23] with a final link up toQueensbury opening in 2012.[25]
Media related toThornton, West Yorkshire at Wikimedia Commons
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