Gawthorpe (Ossett): what to know before moving day
Two things mark Gawthorpe out: its water tower, a landmark on the skyline, and its maypole, the focus of the annual Maypole parade in May. Gawthorpe also hosts the World Coal-Carrying Championships on Easter Monday. Check the date before booking a move for Easter Monday or parade day in May.
Along Leeds Road and High Street the map shows the Shoulder of Mutton, the Hammer and Stithy and the Boot and Shoe, the Conservative club, Gawthorpe Community Academy and the Salvation Army hall, which is Gawthorpe's only church. Highfield School uses the buildings of the old North Ossett High School. Streets near the maypole include Stithy Street, Cyprus Street, Swithenbank Street, Zion Street and Tolson Street, with Kingsway Gardens, Holly Mede and Greenacres among the other roads.
How the van gets to Gawthorpe (Ossett)
The A638 runs past as Chancery Road, and the B6128 leaves it as Owl Lane and Leeds Road into Gawthorpe before running south along Kingsway to Ossett centre. From Bradford, the M606 meets the M62 at junction 26; the M62 continues east to the M1, and junction 40 puts you on the A638, which runs past Flushdyke to Gawthorpe. Gawthorpe Lane heads east to Kirkhamgate and Chidswell Lane north towards Chidswell.
The drive from Bradford is roughly 30 to 40 minutes. That is an estimate from route data, not a timed run, and traffic changes it.
Services for Gawthorpe (Ossett)
Each service below links to its Ossett page, which covers how the job works in and around Ossett.
Gawthorpe (Ossett): questions before you book
How do I make sure you come to the right Gawthorpe?
Give the WF5 postcode and say Ossett. There is also a Gawthorpe hamlet near Huddersfield, in Kirklees, and Gawthorpe Hall is in Padiham, Lancashire. This Gawthorpe is the Ossett one, around Leeds Road and the maypole.
Nearby areas
Where the local details on this page come from
Checked on 28 September 2026 against:
- Postcode lookup (postcodes.io, ONS data): WF5 9RF is in Ossett ward, Wakefield, unparished area
- Ossett (Wikipedia): Ossett cum Gawthorpe township; Gawthorpe, north Ossett, known for its water tower; the World Coal-Carrying Championships on Easter Monday and the Maypole parade in May; the Salvation Army the only church in Gawthorpe; Highfield School in the old North Ossett High School buildings
- Gawthorpe disambiguation (Wikipedia): Gawthorpe, Kirklees near Huddersfield; Gawthorpe, Wakefield (Ossett); Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham, Lancashire
- Horbury (Wikipedia): M1 junction 40 at Ossett on the A638
- M62 motorway (Wikipedia): the M606 joins at junction 26 (Chain Bar); the M1 interchange is Lofthouse, junction 29; junction 30 serves Wakefield
- OpenStreetMap map view (checked 2026-09-28): Chancery Road (A638), Owl Lane, Leeds Road and Kingsway (B6128), High Street, Gawthorpe Lane, Chidswell Lane, Stithy Street, Cyprus Street, Swithenbank Street, Zion Street, Tolson Street, Kingsway Gardens, Holly Mede, Greenacres, Gawthorpe Maypole, Gawthorpe Water Tower, Shoulder of Mutton, Hammer and Stithy, Boot and Shoe, Conservative club, Gawthorpe Community Academy, Salvation Army, Highfield School