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Compared to its neighbours Cross Gates came late onto the scene as a place of settlement.

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And as late as the 16th century the area would have been an uninhabited, wooded valley which local people would have passed through as they travelled between the ancient villages of Seacroft, Halton, Austhorpe and Manston.

A look at some early maps shows Cross Gates on a junction between the major local route north-south (the later Hollyshaw Lane) and that to the east towards the villages of Manston and Austhorpe.

In a 15th century will there is a mention of "ye cross gates near Whitkirk" and this is thought to be the first ever mention of the area, though it appears to be shown as an object, gates, as opposed to the actual location.

In early times gates often formed a boundary between local estates or definned the property divisions of the village community.

In addition, gates were also used to define boundaries between parishes and townships, so it is possible the hamlet was a significannt local boundary feature and took its name from that.

Cross Gates was always divided between the parishes of Whitkirk and Barwick, significant as until the 19th century local government was very rudimentary and based around the parish, which raised tithes and issued Poor Relief; the the township, which raised taxes and through the local constable, maintained order and local defence.

Cross Gates was in the township of Seacroft, but the boundary with but the boundary with Templenewsam township run to the south of Cross Gates, along the line of the modern railway.

So in addition to being divided between two parishes, Cross Gates lay at the boundary of two townships - could this be the reason for the name?

Were the gates in question used as some sort of local, and identifiable boundary? Certainly where the name is mentioned in early records (such as births) and deaths there is often a reference to the crosyeate or Crosyates, as if it were an object.

Confusingly, it is also spelt as either one word or two in early records and sometimes with an s at the end of 'gate'

But ultimately gates control entry and exit for tolls and animals, and Cross Gates, as either as a structure or a place to live, was on the only route for people passing through the area - the road known as Allershaw Lane.

For more information on the history of Cross Gates visit www.elhas.org.uk


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