Durkar is a small village in the southwestern
suburbs of the
City of Wakefield,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
, England.
The name 'Durkar' derives from the Norse ''drit kjarr'' meaning 'dirt marsh'.
Durkar is bordered by the parishes of
Crigglestone
Crigglestone is a village and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is recorded as "Crigeston" (along with neighbouring "Orberie") in the Domesday Book. The civil parish had a population of 9,271 at the 2011 Census ...
to the south-west and Kettlethorpe to the east. It is under the local administration of Crigglestone Parish Council with authoritative powers exercised by
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, also known as Wakefield Council, is the local authority of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is a metropolitan district council and provides a full range of local government services in ...
.
The village lies on the main arterial road into
Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...
, the
A636, and adjacent to Junction 39 of the
M1 motorway
The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the country was the Preston By-pass, which ...
. The city of
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
is to the north;
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...
to the south; and
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
to the south-west.
Nearest schools are
Kettlethorpe High School and St James
CE Junior.
Local landmarks include
Sandal Castle
Sandal Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Sandal Magna, a suburb of the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, overlooking the River Calder. It was the site of royal intrigue and the setting for a scene in one of William Shakespeare ...
, a 10th-century stronghold, Kenton Drive,
West Bretton Sculpture Park and
Pugneys Country Park. The local
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...
is the New Inn.
There is also a junior football club called Durkar Devils FC, named after the village. Durkar is located near Crigglestone, the village of St James Primary Academy, Chapelthorpe and Kettlethorpe.
References
External links
Suburbs of Wakefield
{{WestYorkshire-geo-stub