#KirkstallAbbey

Leeds City Museum
27th March 2026
1 min read

Leeds museums welcome more than a million visitors

Council-run museums in Leeds have welcomed more than a million visitors in a year, new figures show. The city’s eight Leeds Museums and Galleries sites attracted a combined 1,046,372 people during 2025, marking a 16 per cent increase on the previous year and highlighting the continuing strength of Leeds’s cultural offer. Statistics released by…
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Wildlife World
23rd May 2025
4 mins read

Free and Low-Cost Things to Do in Leeds

Looking for fun on a budget this May half term? From playful gnome hunts to hands-on heritage festivals, we’ve rounded up some of the best free and low-cost family activities happening across Leeds. Gnomes Galore at Abbey House Museum The gnomes have gone rogue! These cheeky characters have escaped and are now hiding throughout…
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Charlotte and Matthew Harrison, who tied the knot in Temple Newsam House’s stunning Picture Gallery.
16th May 2025
3 mins read

Historic Love Story Comes Full Circle as Couple Marries in Temple Newsam House’s Picture Gallery

When Charlotte and Matthew Harrison exchanged their vows in the magnificent Picture Gallery of Temple Newsam House, they became part of a romance that spanned more than a century. Their historic wedding marked the first marriage ceremony held in the strikingly beautiful gallery in over 100 years. The Picture Gallery, initially designed centuries ago…
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Leeds City Council Budget
9th February 2025
6 mins read

Leeds City Council Leader Welcomes Additional Funding but Cautions That Significant Budget Challenges Still Lie Ahead

Councilor James Lewis, the leader of Leeds City Council, has expressed approval of the new funding allocated to the city, following the release of the final budget plans for 2025/26, which include an additional £67 million for the next year. Despite this boost, the council is still faced with substantial financial challenges due to…
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Abbey House Museum
9th February 2025
2 mins read

Public Consultation Saves Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall from Closure

In a remarkable display of community engagement, Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall will remain open after a significant public outcry against its proposed closure. Leeds City Council had initially considered shutting down the museum as part of a broader initiative to alleviate unprecedented financial pressures. The Abbey House Museum, situated in the historic gatehouse…
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Roundhay Park
19th July 2024
2 mins read

Seven Leeds Parks Earn Prestigious Green Flag Award, Celebrated as Top Green Spaces in the Nation

Seven parks and green spaces in Leeds have once again been honored with the prestigious Green Flag Award, reaffirming their status as top-quality international spaces. Golden Acre Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Middleton Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Pudsey Park, Roundhay Park, and Temple Newsam Estate, all managed by Leeds City Council, have been recognized among…
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Senior librarian Rhian Isaac in Kirkstall Abbey with Leeds Central Library's precious copy of the Missale ad usum Cistercienci.
30th June 2023
2 mins read

New chapter as Monks’ historic book returns to Kirkstall Abbey

A one-of-a-kind book has returned to the ruins of the historic abbey where it was diligently inscribed and studied by monks more than 500 years ago. The incredibly rare copy of Missale ad usum Cistercienci was printed in Paris in 1516 and is believed to have once belonged to the monks of Kirkstall Abbey…
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Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme
3rd February 2023
4 mins read

An update on the progress of flood alleviation works in Leeds

Leeds City Council can provide an update on its multi-million-pound work to reduce local flooding risk – and has reminded residents of the steps they can take to protect themselves and their homes during the wettest months of the year. The last three months of 2022 saw higher-than-average rainfall and high river levels across…
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Leeds Kirkstall Abbey
4th November 2022
2 mins read

City’s museums welcome continued funding

Leeds Museums and Galleries have secured essential funding after a successful grant offer of support from Arts Council England. The grant that sees Leeds Museums and Galleries continue as a National Portfolio Organisation means they will receive £1,619,256 of funding each year from ACE for the years 2023-26. The crucial funding will be used…
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Leeds Parks
29th July 2022
2 mins read

Leeds parks awarded the coveted Green Flag Award as they are officially recognised as some of the country’s best parks

Leeds City Council has once again received the prestigious Green Flag Award for seven of its parks and green spaces, including Golden Acre Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Middleton Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Pudsey Park, Roundhay Park and Temple Newsam Estate. The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces and recognises…
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Vintage Bus Day
22nd July 2022
2 mins read

Summer family fun with Leeds Museums and Galleries

Leeds Museums and Galleries are gearing up for a bumper summer of family fun, with a number of events set to take place in Leeds over the summer school holiday. Over the summer months, events will be taking place at some of the city’s most popular attractions, such as Temple Newsam, Lotherton, Leeds City…
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Kirkstall Abbey Leeds
13th May 2022
2 mins read

New chapter begins to help secure future of Kirkstall Abbey

An exciting new programme of events and activity is being put together as part of innovative plans to invest in a sustainable future for historic Kirkstall Abbey. Following a public consultation earlier this year, the project will see new entrance charges introduced for non-Leeds residents visiting the abbey ruins, helping to generate crucial income…
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Kirkstall Abbey Leeds
14th January 2022
1 min read

Chance to have your views on proposals for Kirkstall Abbey

People are being asked to have their views on proposals to introduce a new entrance charge for non-Leeds residents visiting Kirkstall Abbey. We would like to hear your views whether you live in Leeds or elsewhere. A six-week online public consultation has been launched, giving people across Leeds and beyond the opportunity to views what…
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Leeds City Council Budget
17th December 2021
3 mins read

Leeds City Council sets out annual budget proposals to deliver estimated £65.4million savings needed in next financial year

Leeds City Council has put forward its annual budget proposals to achieve the estimated £65.4million it needs to save in the next financial year. With the city responding and adapting to changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, costs and demand pressures continue to rise especially in services providing care for vulnerable children, young people…
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Apperley Bridge
12th February 2021
5 mins read

Planning application submitted and funding pledged for flood defence measures in west Leeds and Apperley Bridge, Bradford

Ambitious proposals to reduce flood risk in the River Aire catchment have been submitted to Leeds City Council and Bradford Council. The multi-million pound plans, developed by Leeds City Council, Bradford Council and Environment Agency, include a new flood storage area between Horsforth and Rawdon and flood defences at Apperley Bridge. The proposals are…
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Thwaite at 30
21st January 2021
2 mins read

Mill’s milestone exhibition is a breath of fresh Aire

For centuries it helped swell the surging waters of British industry by harnessing the power of the River Aire. From making oil that powered some of the world’s first locomotives to manufacturing putty that repaired London after The Blitz, Thwaite Watermill played an important part in Leeds becoming a powerhouse of production. Today an…
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