Armley is an area of west Leeds, starting less than a mile from Leeds City Centre. It is between the M621 motorway and Kirkstall Road, stretching from roughly the New Wortley roundabout (aka Armley Gyratory) to around the start of the Stanningley By-pass/Cockshott Lane where it merges into Bramley.
Armley is a predominantly and historically working class area, including many rows of back-to-back terrace houses. It is traditionally a strong Labour area, although current Labour policies, voter apathy and the creeping gentrification from Headingley (via Burley) is being to erode the landslide-style victories of yesteryear.
Armley Town Street includes a couple of high street names and charity shops as well as independent retailers typical of a suburban high street. There is especially good coverage of food retailers, plus excellent bus links into Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield. Armley Town Street has been praised for its large amount of free, off-road car parking, something unusual amongst inner-city and suburban high streets.
Other features of Armley include Armley (Gott’s) Park, Armley Jail (HMP Leeds), Gott’s Park Golf Club and Armley Mills Leeds Industrial Museum, plus numerous former churches and cinemas.
Armley is steeped in History. Armley Mills, now the Armley Mills Leeds Industrial Museum, was the World’s largest Woollen Mill when it was built in 1788. In the 18th and 19th Centuries Armley was, through its mills, a major contributor to the economy of the city of Leeds. Many of the buildings still standing in and around Armley were built in the 1800s, including many of the churches, schools, shops and houses.
Celebrities from Armley include author Barbara Taylor Bradford, playwright Alan Bennett and anarchist rock band Chumbawamba, who for some time lived in a communal household in the district. More historically, many of Yorkshire’s great textile giants, such as Benjamin Gott, were born, lived, died and/or were buried in Armley.
Armley has picturesque views over the rest of Leeds from certain vantage points.