New Homes in Yorkshire

Live the life

From the cobbled streets of York to the museums of Sheffield and the wild landscapes of the North York Moors, there’s plenty to see and do in the large and diverse county of Yorkshire. With top-rated universities, good transport links and lots of employment opportunities, new homes in Yorkshire are rightfully popular with buyers across the generations.

Yorkshire through the ages

While there’s evidence of Roman occupation right across Yorkshire, the county goes down in the history books for being one of the first sites of Viking invasion in the 9th century. Viking influence can be found throughout Yorkshire, especially in the county’s place names with many derived from the Old Norse language. 

During Norman times, the War of the Roses broke out in Yorkshire, with fighting between the House of York and the House of Lancaster in a bid to win the throne. Fast forward to the Industrial Revolution and Yorkshire became a big manufacturing region, alongside a thriving agricultural community.

In the early 20th century, World War I and II affected Yorkshire, especially in 1941 when the city of Leeds endured heavy bombing by the Germans. Today Yorkshire is a popular tourist destination thanks to its vibrant cities and beautiful countryside.

Must-know info for families

If you’re moving to a new home in Yorkshire with a young, growing family, it’s good to know that Yorkshire is full of top-rated schools. Yorkshire’s best independents include Queen Ethelburga’s College and St Peter’s School and Queen Margaret’s School in York, The Grammar School in Leeds, Hymers College in Hull, Wakefield Girls’ High School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield, and Bradford Grammar School. The county’s top state schools include Ripon Grammar School, Skipton Girls’ High School and Ermysted’s Grammar School in Skipton, Heckmondwike Grammar School, The Crossley Heath Grammar School in Halifax and Silverdale School in Sheffield.

For higher education, the county is home to some of the most well-respected institutions in the UK including the University of York, the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Leeds.

Places to see and things to do

When it comes to entertainment, there’s plenty to see and do in the county that the whole family will enjoy. For young children, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Lightwater Valley Theme Park and Diggerland are always popular, while older children will enjoy discovering history at the National Railway Museum in York and the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield.

If you and the family love getting out and about in the great outdoors, there are lots of places to walk, hike or cycle in Yorkshire including the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Coast.

What about business?

Although industry in Yorkshire has historically centred on manufacturing and mining, today the county is home to a wide range of businesses including big-name brands and smaller yet rapidly growing companies.

Some of the most well-known businesses in Yorkshire include Morrisons in Bradford, Arla Foods and Asda Group in Leeds, and Nisa Retail in Scunthorpe. Young’s Seafood are based in Grimsby, Hermes Parcelnet are based in Morley and Total Lindsey Oil Refinery is in Immingham. Selby is also home to energy firm Drax Group.

For travel

Commuters can easily travel by road or rail, whether driving the A1 southbound or northbound, taking the M62 which runs between Hull and Liverpool, or using the county’s train services which connect local towns and cities. By rail a journey from Hull to Leeds takes just 55 minutes, while Leeds to York takes around 20 minutes.

If you’re travelling further afield for work or pleasure, the East Coast Main Line connects the region with London, with a journey time of around 1 hour 55 minutes from York to King’s Cross. For international travel, Yorkshire is home to Leeds Bradford Airport and Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, while there are regular ferry services from Hull to mainland Europe.