Chapel Allerton Area Guide
History of Chapel Allerton
Although the earliest pre-historic items found in Chapel Allerton date back as far as 2000BC, no one really knows a great deal about the areas earliest history and its first settlers.
The earliest surviving reference of Chapel Allerton, known then as “Alreton” occurs in the Doomsday Book compiled in 1086. During this time it was thought the area was largely ‘waste’ and uninhabited, perhaps following the effects of the ‘Harrying of the North’, a series of campaigns carried out by William The Conquerer in order to punish the rebellious northern English noblemen.
Today Allerton Hall and Clough House (now The Mustard Pot pub), are two of the oldest buildings still standing, each dating back to the 16th and 17th Century respectively.
Chapel Allerton remained an isolated rural community right up until the 18th century, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Chapel Allerton was, almost uniquely in the area, not involved in woolen manufacture, and remained a beauty spot being largely uninhabited until the 19th Century unfolded and terraced housing began to appear.
Today, Chapel Allerton is a thriving cosmopolitan suburb, renowned for being one of the most desirable around the city. You could call it a huge suburban regeneration success story after a number of investments in the housing market and the bar and restaurant scene have propelled the area in to the limelight. Many revelers come to Chapel Allerton for a weekend indulgence in what is known conversationally as one of the the best weekend venues around Leeds.
Amenities in Chapel Allerton
The established centre is located at the junction of Stainbeck Lane and Harrogate Road where you can view the beautiful Willow tree that is a local landmark and has been standing proud for the last 30 years.
The centre consists of a supermarket, a hairdressers, a post office and several banks as well as a library and Chapel Allerton estate agents as well as number of bars and an ever-increasing cafes and restaurants.
Chapel Allerton has a relaxed atmosphere, where you can sample a fantastic range of independent shops and boutiques giving you a really unique shopping experience.
Chapel Allerton has two arts centres: Inkwell Arts on Potternewton Lane and Seven Arts on Harrogate Road. Both provide concerts, community events and comedy performances.
The Chapel Allerton Arts Festival is annually held on the weekend following August Bank Holiday and is based around the Regent Street area. The festiva attracts thousands of people, assisted by volunteers from the local community. There’s a whole host of community stalls, food and drink, arts events and a music stage featuring local bands.
Entertaining and eating out
You are spoilt for choice with a range of quality restaurants serving fare from many parts of the globe. For an early morning expresso or an afternoon Apéritif in Chapel Allerton the council have allowed many cafés, bars and restaurants to utilise pavement space creating a pavement café culture in the area.
The mixture of bars, pubs and restaurants available in Chapel Allerton give this urban village a real cosmopolitan vibe, akin to Leeds City Centre.
Housing in Chapel Allerton
Chapel Allerton is a Leeds property conservation area for the character and historical interest of its diverse good quality domestic buildings from various periods. The 8 listed buildings around Stainbeck Corner form the historic core, with an area of grand detached houses having large gardens to the south and west dating from the late 18th and 19th Century.
The earlier buildings are fine grained sandstone derived from the quarries once on Stainbeck Lane. After 1890 the properties are primarily brick terraced back-to-back houses, but of better quality than workers houses elsewhere in Leeds, meant for Artisans and lower-middle class as they were, and are great investment properties in Leeds.
The advent of the tram in the early 20th Century made the area even more accessible and further housing began to fill the spaces. These varied from bungalows and stucco-faced houses, to Modernistic white rendered houses, followed by semi-detached and terraced constructions after the war.
A popular location, landlords rent houses in Chapel Allerton to a wide range of residents from professional people to families. Chapel Allerton is now often regarded as the most popular suburb for professionals renting in Leeds.
How to get to Chapel Allerton
Buses: Chapel Allerton is ideally located for Leeds City Centre and is on main bus routes with the city centre only a 15 min bus ride away.
Rail: The nearest train station is Leeds City Centre
Car: There is quick access to the ring road and the M62, M621, and M1 motorways for commuting too.
Summary
If you’re looking for a place that has it all, period property, great nightlife and beautiful scenery with an endless supply of coffee shops, but still in the easy reach of Leeds City Centre, then you have found what you were looking for in Chapel Allerton.
Properties for sale in Leeds are a little higher here but with the existing wealth and influx of new growth, investment opportunities are also well worth investigating.
Chapel Allerton is an ideal place for families and young professionals who still enjoy their weekends or want to indulge in a nice meal or boutique shopping experience.
*Area guide images are from Wikipedia and can be used under the Creative Commons Licence.