About Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire

Heckmondwike is a town in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A62 road, between Leeds and Huddersfield. The town had a population of 17,943 at the 2011 Census.

The town is twinned with Sprotbrough in South Yorkshire.

Heckmondwike is part of the Spen Valley parliamentary constituency, which has been represented by Mike Wood since 2010.

The name Heckmondwike is derived from the Old English for "Heca's homestead", with "wīc" meaning "dwelling place".

The town was recorded as Hechemondewic in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Heckmondwike developed as a market town and centre for the woollen industry. It was an important producer of cloth in the 16th and 17th centuries. The town's market was established by royal charter in 1294, and continued until the mid-19th century.

The town's industry declined in the late 19th century, and Heckmondwike became a centre for coal mining. The last mine closed in 1986.

Since the 1990s, Heckmondwike has undergone regeneration, with the construction of new housing and office developments.