Castleford

Castleford is a town in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near to Pontefract. To the north are the River Calder, the River Aire and the Aire and Calder Navigation. To the west and south is the M62 motorway.

It is the site of the Roman army settlement of Lagentium, also known as "Legioleum". The name of the town is derived from this, Castle (referring to the Roman fort) and Ford (referring to the River Aire which runs through Castleford.)

Castleford started as a quiet village, but between 1811 and 1891, its population increased from 890 to 14,143, due to the Industrial Revolution. Many people worked in coal mines and in the glass-making, chemical and textile industries.

The sculptor Henry Moore was born in Castleford, the son of a miner; some of his work can be seen at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park at Bretton.

Castleford's favourite sport is Rugby League. The local team, Castleford Tigers, is in the Superleague.