East Keswick

Sports are a favourite pastime of Keswick residents. The tennis club offers lessons and competition for athletes of all levels. There are also badminton, cricket and walking clubs. Additional fitness and recreational activities include Pilates and dance and exercise classes. Kids enjoy the nearby Stockeld Park – a lush woodland and green area offering play areas and seasonal activities. Harewood House is an 18th century home that boasts fine art collections, a bird sanctuary and exquisite gardens.

The Old Star and the Duke of Wellington are the only two pubs in East Keswick. There is also a fish and chip van that operates on Tuesdays on Main Street. For more varied options, there is a plethora of eateries just outside the village.

The village is home to a post office, a village hall and two churches. Among several shops and services, there are doctors, a butcher, a library, a beauty salon and hairdressers. And, anything that can’t be found in town is most assuredly available in nearby Wetherby and neighbouring areas. The nearest supermarket is a Tesco Express in Collingham.

There are several excellent schools in East Keswick and the surrounding area. Both public and private schools, with bus service, include:

• Bardsey School
• Harewood Church of England Primary School
• Collingham Lady Elizabeth Hastings’ Church of England Primary School
• Wetherby St. James Church of England Primary School
• Boston Spa School
• Wetherby High
• St. John Fisher Catholic High School
• Gateways at Harewood
• Leeds Grammar School

The nearest train stations are Leeds and York and they provide regular service to London Kings Cross. The area is just 10 miles northeast of Leeds city centre and it is serviced by bus X99 which connects it to Leeds and Wetherby. Meanwhile, bus 923 connects East Keswick to Tadcaster, Wetherby and Otley. The Leeds Bradford Airport is approximately 20 minutes by car.

The earliest records of East Keswick date back prior to Domesday Book. For years, there was a heavy agricultural emphasis that made use of the rich woodlands, meadows and pastures. The village, whose boundaries have changed very little over time, is now a conservation area. Today, its serene landscape and proximity to Leeds have made it a highly desirable commuter village.

In 2001 East Keswick was named Best Village in the North of England in the regional finals of the Daily Telegraph and Calor’s nationwide competition. In 2006, it was named the Northern Regional winner in the “Best of the Best” competition.