Time to celebrate our town and heritage

Pontefract's heritage and architecture will be celebrated as part of a nationwide Civic Day initiative.
Paul CartwrightPaul Cartwright
Paul Cartwright

Community organisations Pontefract Heritage Group, Pontefract Civic Society, Pontefract Lionesses, The Crescent Project and Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens have come together to organise a programme of events to showcase the best of the town.

Civic Society chairman Paul Cartwright said: “This year’s theme is the 50th anniversary of the creation of Conservation Areas in England.

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“Guided walks or self-guided walks will not simply be based on heritage and entertainment, but will make reference to Pontefract’s four conservation areas, their architecture, and what makes each of them special.

“These are the castle environs, the market place (most of the town centre), The Mount, and Button Park and Friarwood”.

Civic Day, overseen nationally by Civic Voice, celebrates pride in local communities.

Pontefract’s celebrations, which take place on Saturday, will be based at the castle and will include a garden party, live brass band performances and family activities.

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Elsewhere, Valley Gardens will open up its pinhole camera, there will be guided tours of the town hall, town centre and castle and the Civic Society will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Wakefield Council that they will work more closely to benefit the town.

Conservation area and townscape heritage initiative materials will go on show in Pontefract Library.

And children have also been involved, encouraging people to take pride in the area by creating anti-litter posters, now on display in the library.

Prizes will be awarded for the winning designs on Friday.