About Elland in West Yorkshire

Elland is a town in Calderdale, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated on the River Calder, 7 miles (11 km) south of Halifax and 28 miles (45 km) west of Leeds. The town had a population of 17,549 at the 2011 Census.

The town centre is characterised by its wide main street which follows the line of the A629 Halifax to Huddersfield road. The town hall and war memorial are located at the top of the street near to the junction with Northgate. To the south of the town centre is Elland Cricket Club and Elland Road Stadium, home to Halifax RLFC.

The town was recorded in the Domesday Book as Elant and was anciently part of the large parish of Halifax. In those days it was a small hamlet in a forested area on the banks of a stream called Eland or Elland. This forest was the Royal Forest of Calderdale, one of four forests created by William I in Yorkshire.

The town's name has been spelled in various ways over the centuries, including: Aeland, 12th century; Ayland, 13th century; Eland, 14th century; and Elland, 16th century onwards. The name is derived from the Old English personal name + land meaning "open land belonging to someone".

The Battle of Elland Green took place close to the town on 19 March 1464 during England's Wars of the Roses. Two armies, one Lancastrian and one Yorkist, fought each other on land that is now part of a golf course.

During the Industrial Revolution Elland became one of Calderdale's most prosperous towns. It was home to many mill owners who made their fortunes from manufacturing cloth and other textiles. The town's prosperity declined during the 20th century as the textile industry went into decline.

Today Elland is a thriving market town with a wide range of shops and businesses. It has good transport links with Leeds and Bradford and is within easy reach of Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield.