Knottingley is a town within the metropolitan district of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire. It has a population of 13, 503, increasing to 13,710 for the City of Wakefield ward at the 2011 Census. It was at first an Anglo-Saxon settlement, though the ancient monument of Ferrybridge Henge indicates it had considerable indigenous habitation long before then. Knottingley means "the clearing of Cnotta's people", from the English personal name Cnotta meaning "knot", Through the 3 Sieges of Pontefract Castle, Oliver Cromwell took residence in the town of Knottingley, supposed to be in Wildbore House. Knottingley is a town whose history is connected to river travel and industry. It has actually worked to retain certain principles of that industrial history as thriving enterprises today, supplying employment for much of its population of some 17,000. Glass making continues to be essential. The town was one of the few in the United Kingdom to have a functioning coal mine, Kellingley Colliery. The crossing over the Aire at Ferrybridge was of importance for many centuries. A bridge was constructed there in 1198, and another to replace it two centuries later. Located on the Great North Road linking London with York and Edinburgh beyond that, the town became an important staging place for the coach traffic on that route. Near to Knottingley is the Ferrybridge Power Station, which has the largest cooling towers of their kind in Europe. 3 of these towers collapsed in high winds in 1965. These towers can be seen for miles around. One of the oldest purpose-built movie theaters in England, situated in Aire Street, has actually been converted into flats. Knottingley is a central point for horse racing fans, with tracks at Pontefract, York, Wetherby and Doncaster all close by. For all your home enhancements, make sure to find reputable contractors in Knottinhgley to make certain of quality.
