Leeds and the Yorkshire Woollen Industry

Abstract

try it dates back at least to Bronze Age times. But emergence of the West Riding of Yorkshire as the major manufacturing area has been comparatively recent and largely due to existence of supplies of accessible coal in an area of abundant soft water, together with old established skill in the working of wool. Earliest records of sheep-rearing and wool-working on a large scale in the West Riding area relate to the 13th century monastic houses. Before the age of mechanical power many other areas of England were suited to wool production and the industry was widespread; but only in the West Riding was the environment suited to the textile