Discover Featherstone

Featherstone brings together architecture, memorial sites and green spaces, each offering a different reason to stay. The Church of St Thomas, the memorial sites and the facilities at Purston Park each have their own appeal. You can organise your visits around the topics that interest you: architecture, remembrance of the First World War or experiences in the park.

Church and memorial sites

The Church of St Thomas was built between 1876 and 1878 in the Early English style. One striking feature is the large rose window with its tracery frame of eight-lobed shapes. If you are interested in church architecture, the window and its tracery offer a specific point of reference for focusing your visit on the building’s design.

The history of the town is also visible at other locations in Featherstone. A striking sculpture on Station Lane commemorates the “Featherstone massacre” and is associated with its centenary. At Featherstone’s main road junction, at the bottom of Station Lane, you can see a large memorial wall representing the town’s heritage. The sculpture and wall present different forms of remembrance side by side.

The Jubilee Hotel was built in 1897. In the past, it apparently served as a rest stop for wealthy Victorians and their horses. This former use gives the building a place in Featherstone’s history; it describes its function at the time.

Memorial woodland and experiences at Purston Park

Mill Pond Meadow Commemorative Wood was established by the Town Council and the Wakefield Woodland Trust in memory of 353 soldiers who died in the First World War between 1914 and 1918. The site has 353 trees, one for each Featherstone resident who died in that war. The wood can be explored on foot. In this way, it combines remembrance of the fallen soldiers with memories of individual people from the town.

Purston Park has an inclusive carousel. The Love Exploring App also offers games and guided tours there using augmented reality and geolocation. The park therefore offers both a specific play facility and digital activities that you can experience through the app.

Routes and practical information

The circular Walk 26 Featherstone (Library to Purston Park) passes Purston Hall before reaching the lake. The wood can be explored on foot; Walk 26 also has a specific route described. The route information was accurate as of September 2016. Check the route before your trip so you can take this time frame into account when planning.

Featherstone Sports Complex has standard, accessible and bicycle parking spaces. As parking arrangements may change, it is advisable to check the latest information before your visit.

Local stories at the Museum Hub

Featherstone Museum Hub is located in Featherstone Library. It hosts changing exhibitions featuring local stories from the surrounding area. The subject of a visit may therefore depend on the exhibition currently on display. Visitor information may also change; check it in advance if you plan to include the Hub in your itinerary.

These places offer different ways to experience Featherstone: the church focuses on architecture, the memorial sites and the wood on different forms of remembrance, and the Museum Hub on local stories in changing exhibitions. Park facilities and the circular walk complement these highlights with outdoor activities. For planning, the time frame for Walk 26 and the changing exhibitions and visitor information are particularly useful to keep in mind.

Discover more destinations: Greetland, Almondbury, Liversedge, Lofthouse, Rawdon, Collingham, Wetherby, Rishworth.

For the wider travel overview: West Yorkshire.