Leeds history

Originating as a small Saxon village on the banks of the River Aire, Leeds was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book in 1086 when it had an estimated population of around 200 people.

The settlement steadily grew in both size and stature over the following centuries, developing on the back of agriculture and the burgeoning wool and cloth trades. By the Middle Ages, Leeds was one of the largest towns in the region, attracting traders and businessmen.

The Industrial Revolution quickened the pace of development, and by the mid 19th-century the town was exceedingly prosperous. It wasn’t only an industrial powerhouse, but a centre of communications and engineering, due to its favourable geographical position. Despite not having a cathedral at the time, Queen Victoria granted Leeds city status in 1893.

In the early 20th centry, manufacturing industries steadily declined and were replaced by services industries, including the growth of retail over the last couple of decades.