Pontefract is one of the 'Five Towns' in West Yorkshire's Wakefield area.
What are the names of Wakefield's five towns?
Wakefield is the biggest city in England, with a population of 336,000 people living in Wakefield City, the Five Towns (Pontefract, Castleford, Knottingley, Featherstone, and Normanton), and the towns and villages to the northwest. Since at least the Middle Ages, Pontefract has been a market town; the main market days are Wednesday and Saturday, with a lesser market on Fridays. There is also a covered market that is open every day of the week except Thursday afternoons and Sundays. Pontefract has a half-day shutdown on Thursday afternoon. Other well-developed retail businesses, ranging from small company holdings to major suppliers including Tesco and Asda, also flourish inside the 'Five Towns' area.
Many major sports are played in the area, including cricket and football. However, horse racing is one of the two best-known institutions.
Local & community attractions for tourists
Pontefract has been a market town since at least the Middle Ages; the major market days are Wednesday and Saturday, with a lesser market on Fridays. There is also a covered market, which is open every day except Thursday afternoons and Sundays. Thursday afternoon is a half-day closure in Pontefract. However, other well-developed retail businesses thrive within the 'Five Towns' area, ranging from small business holdings to major suppliers such as ASDA, Tesco, Morrison's, and the retail park Freeport with its close neighbor the Xscape complex, which offers restaurants, bars, shops, cinema, bowling, and not forgetting skiing as some of its attractions.
Castle of Pontefract
Pontefract Castle was formerly one of Yorkshire's largest and most feared defenses. It was demolished after the Civil War, much to the delight of the inhabitants, and sat abandoned for many years. The castle was utilized by licorice growers in the nineteenth century. It is now a tourist attraction. The 'Five Towns' area is also conveniently positioned near the M62, M1, and A1 highways, making it easy to get to and from.
Pontefract Tourist Attractions
The Pontefract Museum is in the middle of the town. It traces the town's and its people's long and interesting history. Visitors may examine displays about the castle's history. They may also marvel at the large collections of Knottingley glass and images documenting the town's history. The museum depicts how the city grew as a result of the licorice trade and coal mining. Those interested in architecture might visit the museum building, which still contains the original 1904 furniture. Copleys Farmhouse is not far from Pontefract. There is indeed a corn maze in the summertime where visitors must find their way out of a seven-acre cornfield with plants up to three meters tall.
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